CC Minutes - 09/22/99 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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B. Resolution Expressing Support for Lane County's Safer Communities Ballot Measure 20-25 Mr. Meisner moved, seconded by Ms. Nathanson, to adopt Resolution 4603 expressing support for Lane County's Safer Communities Ballot Measure 20-25. ' Mr. Rayor indicated interest in knowing what entity would collect the tax proposed in the measure. Lane County Commissioner Bobby Green indicated he would take that request to the board. The motion passed unanimously, 7:0. C.Work Session: Discussion of the Federal Courthouse Mr. Meisner suggested that the council have a general discussion and conclude the discussion with a motion reflecting the general sentiment of councilors. Mr. Rayor asked who owned what part of the block between 5th and 6th avenues and Pearl and Oak streets, what use the property was in, who controlled the parking, and whether those who owned the parking were obliged to provide it to general businesses in the area under contract. He asked if the adjacent property owners had met the parking obligations on their own sites; for example, did Station Square and Fifth Street Market meeting those obligations and, if not, why not. Mr. Rayor asked for information about the federal process and how they determine which blocks they looked at. He also wanted the federal government's site cost analysis. He also requested architectural renderings of the proposed courthouse, including elevations. Mr. Rayor asked what the County discussed earlier that day. Commissioner Green thanked the council for the opportunity to speak and for the council's support of Measure 22-25. Mr. Green said that the board had discussed the federal courthouse situation and the decision by the General Services Administration (GSA). He said the board discussed sending a letter to Mr. Pearson of the GSA reaffirming its support for the site decision. He said the board shared the council's concerns about parking and planned to ameliorate the parking, and planned a community meeting regarding the parking design. The board also had concerns about how the courthouse would impact local air quality. He noted that the North End Scoping Group was aware of the site's potential for use as a courthouse, and the board had been surprised by the amount of dissent subsequently expressed. Mr. Green said that the County was seeking a remedy to its crowding situation at the proposed courthouse site. He said that the board had requested a meeting with Mr. Pearson to discuss the same questions raised by Mr. Rayor. Mr. Rayor wanted to avoid large costs to the City from the placement of the courthouse. He was in favor of waiting to take action, and expressed concern about the potential of placing a large bond measure to support a new City Hall before the voters just after the successful passage of two other bond measures. Mr. Rayor was also concerned that the community's opposition to the 5th Street site could lead the GSA to locate the courthouse elsewhere. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 22, 1999 Page 2 5:30 p.m.