Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Councilor Taylor said she had been reluctant to delay the condemnation proceedings when it was last addressed. She echoed Councilor Bettman’s remarks related to the value of the properties as a natural resource. She called the purchase of the properties an investment in the future. Councilor Ortiz, seconded by Councilor Pryor, moved to extend the meeting by five min- utes. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Councilor Clark clarified that the council had contracted to have an appraisal done and the appraisal was complete. He said the City Attorney had indicated that the appraisal would be entered into any court proceedings no matter what. City Attorney Klein stated that the appraisal had been given in oral form to the council and had not been written into a report. He confirmed that the information would ultimately come out in court proceedings. Councilor Clark said it was too much money at a time in which the City could ill afford it. He believed such a large expenditure would violate the public trust. He related that many people indicated to him that they would refer this item out as a petition if it was passed. Councilor Poling wished to point out that there was not enough money in the Parks and Open Space bond to cover litigation fees and the property purchase. He stated that no federal grant money was available to property that was being taken by eminent domain. He said the cost of the land had increased as property values increased. He added that he was certain that the surrounding neighbors’ property values would increase if the land was turned into park land. He averred that this action did not serve the greater community. He opined that eminent domain was the wrong way to go about purchasing the properties. Councilor Zelenka agreed with councilors Bettman and Taylor about the value of the properties but he also agreed with Councilor Ortiz that eminent domain should be the last resort. Mayor Piercy felt that the council was protecting the Amazon Creek headwaters properties for future generations. She believed the Parks and Open Space Bond moneys were being used as intended. She said the City had tried hard to find willing sellers and had tried to work with conservation groups. She stated that so far they had not been able to push this forward. She thought it would be in everyone’s best interest if the City did not have to take eminent domain, but she was not certain that this was possible. She underscored her feeling that the properties were an asset for all of Eugene and not just south Eugene. Roll call vote; the substitute motion failed, 6:2; councilors Bettman and Taylor voting in opposition. Councilor Pryor commented that under normal circumstances he would be willing to postpone the discussion until the opportunity to try different approaches to resolve the purchase of the property without eminent domain had been exhausted. He said the reason he could not support Councilor Zelenka’s motion was that it included an authorization for proceedings of eminent domain. Councilor Clark asked if it was the intention of the maker of the motion that condemnation proceedings would begin at the deadline or that the council would reconsider those actions at that point. Councilor Zelenka responded that his intention was that should the parties not be in agreement by June the council would authorize the eminent domain proceedings at that time. MINUTES—Eugene City Council December 10, 2007 Page 19 Regular Meeting