CC Minutes - 02/11/08 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Paul Moore , 2586 Potter Street, spoke regarding Crest Drive road improvements. He requested that the council require that bicycle lanes be included in all of the uphill parts of the project. He said he had gone to a bicycle conference at which Michael Ronkin, former Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) bike/pedestrian coordinator, had made the point that more so than safety bicycle lanes were created to make a predictable and visible flow of bicycle traffic. He underscored that the Crest Drive/Storey Boule- vard/Friendly Street area contained significant grades and speed differences combined with poor visibility on curves. He reiterated that area residents who were dependent on bicycles for transportation had spoken to the Mayor and Councilor Bettman, representing over 100 signers on a petition, requesting bicycle lanes. He also submitted a petition signed by three-quarters of the people who had attended the Bicycle/Pedestrian Summit and approximately 40 people who attended the climate gatherings in the previous week at the University of Oregon. He commented that in his experience the council’s constituents overwhelmingly approve bicycle accommodations. He recommended the councilors go to the area and look into it themselves either on a bicycle or in a car. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and called on the council for questions and remarks. She thanked everyone opposing the construction of the seven-story building in the University neighborhood for coming and involving themselves in a civic discussion. She said the building presented tough issues for considera- tion. She noted that Councilor Taylor would put a motion in opposition to the WOPR on the table after the Consent Agenda item Councilor Ortiz thanked everyone for testifying. She appreciated the input given regarding the seven-story building. Councilor Zelenka thanked the University neighborhood residents for coming. He said the neighborhood was sincerely concerned about protecting the character and compatibility in their neighborhood. He felt this highlighted the need for the work that the Infill Compatibility Committee was doing and the need for refinement plans and the City creating ways to finance those plans. He also wished to call attention to the first page of the booklet they had submitted. He supported modifying the R-4 zoning so that it created a more “graceful edge” to the neighborhood. He intended to ask the council for a work session on this topic. He also thanked those present who had spoken in regard to the WOPR. Councilor Solomon thanked Ms. Assink for being the lone advocate for the WOPR. She stated that more than 50 percent of Oregon was owned by the government, which did not pay taxes. She declared that the county would benefit from harvesting trees as it would generate funds that would help people. Councilor Taylor thanked everyone. She appreciated the input from the University neighbors in opposition to the seven-story building. She hoped the City Council would pass the resolution she intended to place on the table. She said it was important to protect what was left of the old growth forests as it was critical to water quality, land stability, carbon storage, and quality of life. Councilor Taylor noted that Mr. Love’s son, Dr. Stanley Love, was in space on a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission. Councilor Bettman thanked everyone for their testimony. She remarked that there had been a point in time when the residential zoning designations had the ranges of allowable density changed. She asserted that currently R-2 “looked more like high density” and commercial uses were permitted within R-3 and R-4. She wanted to know when this change had occurred. She thought the proposed building was an example of the MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 11, 2008 Page 6 Regular Meeting