Item A: EWEB Memorandum of Understanding

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Planning Process for Eugene Water & Electric Board Riverfront Property Meeting Date: November 21, 2007 Agenda Item Number: A City of Eugene Department: PDD Staff Contact: Nan Laurence www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5340 ISSUE STATEMENT During a joint work session of the City Council and the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) Commissioners on May 30, 2007, elected officials directed the City Manager and the EWEB General Manager, respectively, to draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with an outline of the steps leading to the disposition and redevelopment of the EWEB riverfront property (see Attachment A). The MOU was drafted as directed and subsequently reviewed by the EWEB Board on November 6, 2007. The draft MOU is attached to the AIS for council consideration and action (see Attachment B). BACKGROUND Discussions concerning the redevelopment of the EWEB riverfront site have been ongoing for many years. The most recent round of discussions began during a joint meeting of EWEB Commissioners and the City Council on November 15, 2006. At that time, elected officials from the City and EWEB identified the need for additional opportunities to discuss current and emerging issues, such as the future of the EWEB riverfront site. As a follow-up to that meeting, the councilors and commissioners met on February 12, 2007 to discuss the disposition and planning requirements for the riverfront property. The focus of the meeting was to identify areas of agreement and disagreement and to further a collaborative dialogue in the planning work for the site. At that meeting, the City Council directed the City Manager to bring back to a work session, a proposal that negotiates City acquisition of the property, in the event that it is declared surplus, and provide options for a City-managed master plan process and a co-managed master plan process, both of which are collaborative with EWEB. Each of the issues is considered separately below. Although EWEB Commissioners did not take formal action on February 12, 2007, they expressed support for a collaborative process completed in a timely way but expressed concern with a City-led or co-managed process. EWEB Commissioners met subsequent to the February 12, 2007 meeting, both in executive session and at a special board meeting on May 8, 2007, to discuss possible elements and opportunities for collaboration on a master planning process. An outline of a proposed process was unanimously approved at that meeting and is included as Attachment B. The outline includes edits made by EWEB staff based on board comments. F:\CMO\2007 Council Agendas\M071121\S071121A.doc