Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

Home Browse Search

were. She found it suspicious that they were not in the public record. She asked how it could be determined if the appraisals were done in a fair and legitimate process. She asked if a comparative market analysis had been conducted. She wondered if the appraisals had looked into how much the property next to the Beverly/Green properties had sold for “a couple of years back.” She asked if anyone had spoken with the planners involved in the “denied” planned unit developments (PUDs). She wondered if anyone had factored in the potential for landslides on those properties. She wanted to see another appraisal, or “something transparent” that she could trust. Michael James , 1565 Polk Street, #6, stated that he was a geologist that had worked on the projects on both pieces of land. He thought the City needed to consider the risk factor related to the area developed above Dillard Road and the public services that go along Dillard Road. He believed it was a large risk as there was a big stability problem. He said this was why so many developers had left the property. He averred that the properties were excellent in terms of how green they were and their connection to the Ridgeline Trail. He thought the higher appraisal could be knocked down. He reiterated that the City should proceed based on risk. Kevin Matthews , PO Box 1588, called this a momentous occasion in a “string of momentous occasions around the ecosystem of Eugene.” He asserted that the Amazon watershed represented approximately 60 percent of the land area of Eugene. He believed that the majority of the people who had looked at the properties understood their “tremendous value.” He declared that the real issue was not whether to protect the properties but how they should be protected. He thought eminent domain proceedings were a last “and necessary” resort to protect the properties. He said he would be “delighted” to see the City proceed along those lines. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and called on the council for questions and remarks. Councilor Ortiz thanked everyone for their testimony. She thanked the people who testified on field burning and acknowledged that it was difficult to come out for a council meeting when one was not feeling well. Councilor Clark also thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. He wished to thank in particular the people who testified on field burning and Ms. Arkin for all her work on the issue. Councilor Clark said that he had taken his children to the Beverly/Green properties so that he could have a better sense of what was being considered. He addressed Ms. Warnes specifically, as he disagreed with conversations that made City staff into the bad guys. He believed that City staff did their best to do their jobs as directed by the City Council with the greatest amount of integrity. He appreciated staff’s work very much and did not believe staff had a “secret agenda.” Councilor Zelenka thanked everyone for coming, especially those who were not well. He said it was clear to him that there were bad health effects from field burning. He averred that he would ban field burning “in a heartbeat” if he could. Councilor Zelenka thanked all of the supporters for the Amazon Creek headwaters for coming to the council meeting. He had appreciated Mr. Matthews’ final comments that eminent domain needed to be taken seriously and utilized judiciously as a last resort. Councilor Bettman echoed the gratitude of her colleagues. She also thanked the people who had respiratory illnesses for making the effort to testify. She requested a council poll to have a work session on field burning so that the council could identify what leverage they had. MINUTES—Eugene City Council December 10, 2007 Page 6 Regular Meeting