CC Minutes - 07/23/08 Work Session

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Ms. Bettman agreed that it was not anything but a language issue. She wanted language that would reinforce that it was staff’s obligation and that the CRB member would assist the complainant. The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. C. WORK SESSION: Exceptions for Tailgating Around Autzen Stadium City Manager Taylor invited Captain Pete Kerns of the EPD to address the council on education, enforce- ment and the changing dynamics around Autzen Stadium, especially during football season. Capt. Kerns noted that Chief Lehner, Senior Planner Linda Phelps, Building and Permit Services Division Manager Marsha Miller, and Ross Williamson from the City Attorney’s Office had helped with the proposed changes to the City ordinance. He recalled that they had first brought a handful of options before the council on February 26 to help address some of the problems around public drinking around Autzen Stadium on game days. He said those included the disparity of enforcement of the public drinking ordinance, as it was enforced effectively around the City except for on game day where it was violated “massively” at neighboring properties around Autzen Stadium. He stated that there was also a disparity between what was permitted on Autzen Stadium property and what was not permitted across the street. He recalled that staff had been asked to come up with solutions to address the problem behavior related to alcohol consumption in that area. He said staff left the work session with some direction to consider a permitting option that would permit property owners who wished to have pay-per-use parking lots to get an exception to the public drinking ordinance. He related that through discussions with the not-for-profit organizations that would be affected by the ordinance and through internal discussions, staff arrived at the proposal that was before the council. Capt. Kerns explained that the permits would provide non-profit property owners to provide pay-per-use parking lots by registering with the PDD and the PDD would develop a process by which they could register. He said they would be required to provide a handbill to every vehicle operator who parked in the lots, that signage be posted regarding what the permit-able hours of alcohol consumption were, the prohibition of both the provision of alcohol to minors and the sale of alcohol, that disorderly behavior would not be tolerated, and that violations of the ordinance would be reported to the City which would result in a penalty of $200 on the first offense. He stated that three violations in one year would preclude being able to apply for a permit in the next year. In response to a question from Mayor Piercy, Capt. Kerns affirmed that the University of Oregon had rules dictating that anyone who violated behavior expectations on the University’s property would not be allowed to return. Mayor Piercy said she would like to see that other non-profit property owners were also required to disallow anyone who was behaving badly. Ms. Ortiz remarked that she wished they could ban alcohol altogether. She thought that it impacted public safety “down the road” on game days. She felt the overtime hours that officers worked also put the community at risk. She said she could support the ordinance in order to place the adjacent non-profit agencies on the same playing field as the Autzen Stadium lot. Ms. Taylor asked if the University was subject to the same penalties as the private lot owners. Mr. Lidz replied that it was not because it was under State jurisdiction. MINUTES—Eugene City Council July 23, 2007 Page 10 Work Session