10/10/1983 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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The public hearing was opened. Those speaking in favor of the appeal: e Deborah Burt, 3495 Ferry Street, Euoene, said she felt the program was discrimi- natory to Sacred Heart Hospital employees. She asked if the program would also be in effect between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., stating that people should not have to pay to go to work and that a problem may be created in forcing people to walk a great distance to work. She also said that any metering of spaces beginning at 7 a.m. would create a problem for night shift personnel who could not get out to feed the meters. She said that the program might increase the crime rate during the night hours. Ron Nunemaker, 3160 Harris, Eugene, said he had resided in a quad-apartment at 1728 Ferry from March to September 1983. He said that during that time he had received several Woonerf newsletters, none of which mentioned the implementation of the parking program until a few weeks ago. He said that he never had diffi- culty finding a parking space within a few blocks of his Ferry Street apartment and said that no problem exists. He referred to an incident when an individual had been recording license plates. He said he was told to mind his own business when he questioned the individual. He said that the area population is mostly transient in nature and that the vehicles are probably not registered to local addresses. He restated that he has never had a problem parking in the area. Referring to the staff statement that cancellation of the project may result in long-term effects in funding of other City projects, Mr. Nunemaker said that the City had initiated the program and now was afraid to back out of it. Jeanne E. Harcleroad, no address given, said she was Director of the Nursing Program at Lane Community College. She said that in her program many students e traveled to and from various agencies during the early morning and late evening hours. She said the Sacred Heart parking facility could not accommodate the students; therefore, the parking program would force the students to walk great distances on foot during those hours. She felt the situation created by the program would endanger the students and that she was working with Sacred Heart Hospital to resolve the problem. She said she was concerned for the safety of her students and any additional cost that may be incurred by the students. Brian Burleigh, 1525 Inglewood, Eugene, said he has spent at least eight hours a day on those days when he attended classes at the University during the past three years. He said he had always parked free in the West University area during that period because most of his classes were located on the west side of campus. He said he did not support the program and did not want to be part of it, emphasizing that he was appalled at the price being set for the parking permits. He said he was a student living on a fixed income and had not figured on an additional $50 per term for parking. He said he had discovered that the City did not have a decisive program in authenticating West University residents when he applied for and received a free parking permit. He returned the permit to the City staff, stating that the program was creating a potential black market among students. He said that property taxes had already reduced his savings and he did not want to spend additional money for parking in the West University area. He resented the fact that this was the first opportunity that he had known about to voice his opposition to the program, after the parking sign posts were already in place. He also resented that he had not been invited to speak in the same manner in which the West University residents had been e invited to speak in support of the program. MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 10, 1983 Page 2