09/09/1985 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Brown said the relevant issues are classified or military-related - research, toxic chemicals, and the economic feasibility of the project. She said people who favor classified research were not present at the hearing because they do not think the Riverfront Park is economically feasible. She said the council is considering a tax increment district for the Riverfront Research Park because Eugeneans are not willing to pay for the Riverfront Resea rch Pa rk . She said citizens should be willing to support a viable project with taxes. Nan Cohen, 907 River Road, opposed the Riverfront Science Park because some people are working to make Lane County a nuclear free zone, the site is a bad choice, the majority of the jobs will be given to people from outside Oregon, existing small businesses should be helped first, and the industries may create conditions which will adversely affect health. She did not understand the tax increment district and asked the council to consider it more thorough- ly. She submitted her testimony in writing. Ms. Cohen submitted written testimony from Richard Gold, 4275 Oak St, who was not present. Thomas Ellis, 960 East 20th, read an article from The Register Guard by Steve Forrester concerning a study titled liThe Wealth of the States/The Political Economy of State Development." He also read from an editorial in The Register Guard which indicated that taxing units, such as the school district, might lose revenue if a Riverfront Tax Increment District is created. He sa i d the Riverfront project will be a massive investment, the environmental effect is e questionable, and the economic payoff is hypothetical. Barbara Kell{, 540 Kingswood, opposed the Riverfront Research Park. She said citizens cou d initiate a referendum on the Riverfront Park or replace coun- cilors if they vote against the will of the people. She said the City will pay for utilities in the Riverfront Park and the Carley Capital Group will draw most of the capital away from the community. She said citizens will have to pay for cleaning up spills, secret research may be initiated, animals might be used in the research, and toxic wastes might reach the river. Ninety-nine percent of 3,000 people tested in Texas had toxic wastes in their systems, she said, and there is no assurance that the research would not develop into manu- facturing as it did in Los Alamos. Answering a question from Mayor Obie, Ms. Kelly said she had completed her testimony on both the Metro Plan amend- ment and the tax increment district. Gail Elber, 665 West 5th, No.4, opposed the tax increment district and the Riverfront Park because classified military research might be done and because the Greenbelt along the Willamette might be damaged. She also opposed the district because Eugeneans might be taxed to pay for the improvements if the Riverfront Park does not succeed. Frankl in Stahl, 2525 Floral Hill Drive, is a professor of biology at the University of Oregon. He said there are other suitable sites for the research pa rk . He said interaction with business-based researchers is usually uninteresting. He hoped classified research will be prohibited in the River- front Park as it is on the campus. If it is not, some faculty members may not ~. - be willing to cooperate with the businesses in the Research Park and that may hinder the Park's development. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 9, 1985 Pa ge 2 ~