CC Minutes - 03/12/12 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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crime rate had dropped by 90 percent while the Occupy Eugene encampment was open and suggested it was a good alternative to the Downtown Public Safety Zone (DPSZ). Kayla Schott - Dressler, Ward 7, representing the Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth, asked the City Council to adopt a "Health for All" policy and that public health be considered at all stages of the policy development process in order to achieve a sustainable community. She said her organization would be happy to partner with the City. Kimberly Gladen, Ward 1, favored the proposal to expand the car camping program to allow tents. She suggested it was the least that the City could do and criticized the community for not doing more to help the homeless. She criticized local activists for targeting the downtown for its actions, which put stress on local low- income people, low- income downtown workers, and small unique downtown businesses rather than major chains. She suggested the community would have an open homeless shelter by now if activists spent half the time raising money that they put into actions. James Scott, Ward 7, discussed the impact of a new development on North Seneca Street, an unimproved City street. He said the City allowed the building to be built without adequate drainage, leading to the formation of a large body of water on the street. Mr. Scott did not object to maintaining the street but could not do so without drainage. When he contacted the Public Works Department it was suggested to him that he dig a ditch on the other side of the street, but that would require that he dig up the sidewalk, Eugene Water & Electric Board accesses, and the new development's driveway. Mr. Scott requested the council's assistance. Alley Valkyrie, Ward 1, shared her version of an encounter she had with an EPD officer downtown. She averred she was cited not because she committed a crime but because the officer disliked her. Subsequently, the charges were dropped. Ms. Valkyrie challenged the details of the police report. She questioned how many of the people who were arrested for trespass in the community had been convicted on the officer's word and called for a review of all the criminal trespass citations written in the DPSZ in the past year. Kathy Ging, Ward 3, asked that the community be allowed to vote on the Capstone Collegiate Communities Multi -Unit Property Tax Exemption application. She did not support the number of student tenants being proposed by Capstone and questioned how that many students in the downtown core would enhance the community's quality of life. She noted some of the concerns expressed by residents at a neighborhood association meeting, which included the noise from the proposed development and the impact of residents' behaviors on nearby senior residents. Ms. Ging suggested that instead, the site be developed with owner - occupied condominiums and occupants offered 40 -50 year mortgages with no penalty for prepayment. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and thanked those who spoke. She determined that Councilor Farr planned to request a council work session on the issues raised by Mr. Henke and Ms. Jolley. Speaking to testimony advocating for funding for the BPMP, Mayor Piercy reported the City was seeking federal funding as part of its United Front effort. Speaking to testimony advocating for the incorporation of public health considerations in City policies, Mayor Piercy noted the work the City had done to tie health considerations to its planning for land use and transportation. Speaking to the comments of Ms. Ging, Mayor Piercy noted that apartments were planned for the former Taco Time Building and former City Hall II, but she understood there was very little bank financing for condominium development at this time. MINUTES— Eugene City Council March 12, 2012 Page 2 Regular Meeting