01/09/1978 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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-- "To remain a healthy community, we need a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial development. In fact, residential property alone can't provide enough taxes to finance essential urban services. We need taxes from commercial and industrial property to finance schools and parks and police cars, not to mention the extension of utilities and transportation systems. In turn, these services are essential for attracting industrial and commercial development, so we come full circle again to the need for productive long-range planning. "Keyed to our economic situation, to development of the mall, and to the cultural life of the community is the Council's hope to break ground in 1978 for a civic auditorium. I think it cannot be emphasized too strongly that 1978 will be the crucial year for downtown Eugene. We have reached a crossroad, where the tremendous strides we have made in establishing the mall must be augmented by construction, in the downtown area, of an auditorium and/or convention center facilities linked to a major hotel. Only by completing this program can we assure the success of our efforts and investment in urban renewal. "Again this year, the problem of deterioration of the downtown area of cities throughout the country has been a central issue at national meetings on urban problems. Eugene is in a position now to achieve success, to ward off that deterioration -- but we need the auditorium complex to do so. The auditorium/civic center project can provide the environment necessary for stimulating the high-density residential development and increased retail expansion we need to conserve our central city. e, "In this regard, I want to thank former Mayor Les Anderson for his continued contribution as chairman of the Civic Center Commission. Under his leader- ship this widely-based citizen committee expects to have an architectual concept and financing plan ready for presentation to votes, possibly in the spring. "Another high priority on the Council goals list is increased support for improving the area's transportation system in general, including mass transit and bikeways. "In view of our continuing population growth, park land development is also high on the Council goals list. The Joint Parks Committee is again at work on recommendations for land acquisition and development projects. "A Council goal nearing achievement is establishment of the Council assistance program. I understand an announcement will be made Wednesday of the employment of two staff members designated to help Councilors with research, policy analysis, and individual projects. "A major area of concern that will be referred by the Council to the Budget Committee is review of police services for adequacy and emphasis. "Important among issues to be dealt with soon by the Council are the Metropolitan Plan Update and the transportation 2000 Plan, which has been five years in the making. - ,s Minutes 1/9/78 -- 3 ..........