CC Minutes -10/24/01 Work Session

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A. Work Session: Post Land Use Code Update Work Program Jan Childs and Planning Commission President Jon Belcher joined the council for the item. Ms. Childs called the council's attention to the agenda item summary included in the meeting packet, specifically Attachment A, Summary of Planning Commission Recommendations: Post Land Use Code Update Work Program, and Attachment B, List of Post Land Use Code Update Work Program Items, with Planning Commission Recommendations. The first attachment reflected the commission's priorities for the work program. Ms. Childs reviewed the Planning Commission's recommendations for the post-Land Use Code Update work program, noting the high- and medium-priority items as well as the commission's recommendation for medium priorities to be addressed in a Spring 2002 code amendments package. She also noted the commission's suggestion that one work item be included in the Greater Downtown Visioning implementation work program, and its determination that one work program item (Find ways to re-establish home ownership in the University area to increase long- term residency) was outside the scope of the work program. Mr. Farr left the meeting. Ms. Childs said that the commission recommended that the council direct staff to move forward with developing the scope of work and budget for the top three priority items. She reminded the council that the Budget Committee had declined to fund staff to work on the code amendments. Staff had indicated that because of that, code amendments would be addressed on a case-by-base basis. Ms. Childs said that the issue caused her concern, and she recommended that the funding question be revisited in the next budget cycle. The commission believed that a modest amount of funding ($10,000 from Contingency Funds) would allow completion of items 2, 7, and 3 within already established work programs. Mr. Belcher indicated the Planning Commission was interested in doing what it could, recognizing the funding limitations. He invited questions. Mr. Meisner said the commission did a good job of prioritizing the work plan items. He expressed satisfaction that the City was going to work to limit the conversion of residential housing in the areas surrounding downtown. He invited additional suggestions from the commission for combining items. He acknowledged staffing constraints in the Planning Division but pointed to the fact the City was in the post-update stage and had just adopted TransPlan with its land use and planning implications. He expressed hope that management would look carefully at staff assignments to determine how personnel could be used more efficiently. Ms. Bettman shared Mr. Meisner's satisfaction that progress would be made in stopping the conversion of residential housing in the neighborhoods surrounding downtown. She continued to be interested in the concepts that the council had talked about in connection with the work program item related to reestablishing home ownership in the University area and thought the MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 24, 2001 Page 3 Work Session