CC Minutes - 01/14/08 Work Session

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not require mutual approval of projects. He would support adding the Beltline Corridor Project to the federal priorities list as it was the top priority and reiterated his opposition to efforts to impose the council's authority on the United Front strategy. Mayor Piercy commented that she had participated in the United Front effort for the past three years and lobbying efforts were for the entire package of projects. She felt that it would be helpful to clarify the process as presenting the priorities as those of individual jurisdictions, not the region. Mr. Clark said he would move to amend the proposed motion to add the Beltline Corridor project. He agreed with any efforts at the federal level to increase the funding available to the region as it did not appear the County would be helpful on transportation issues. He agreed with Mayor Piercy and Mr. Zelenka that the council should view the process as a complementary, not a competitive process, that could enhance the region's resources through cooperative efforts. Ms. Bettman stated that the United Front list was presented as regional priorities agreed upon by all jurisdictions. She questioned why the City of Eugene would lobby for other jurisdictions' projects if the council had not approved them. She said the issue was one of transportation, and therefore land use policies on behalf of a jurisdiction, and the council had a right to see the entire list and determine if it really represented regional priorities. She was not certain she could support moving forward with Eugene's list. She asked if the Division Avenue Bridge, which was added to the Beltline corridor project at the last minute, could be removed without impacting the project. Mr. Inerfeld said the request could be for $2.5 million and language would only address problems in the Beltline corridor and the need for improvements to address safety and congestion issues without mentioning the Division Avenue Bridge. Ms. Bettman argued that the bridge could be brought forward during the NEPA process. Mr. Inerfeld pointed out that the NEPA process was designed to look at all alternatives and the Division Avenue Bridge was in TransPlan as a future project. Ms. Bettman remarked that she would support anything that moved the three priority projects forward. She asked why the Green property could not be substituted for one of the current Forest Legacy projects. Ms. Wilson explained that the application process to get a project on the State Forest Legacy list closed on October 1, 2007; the project would be submitted for the 2009 list, but there was no opportunity to submit or substitute a project at this point because the State's list had already been submitted to the Regional Office for prioritization. In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, Mr. Inerfeld said the Franklin Boulevard-Multiway Boulevard project would be a collaborative effort with Springfield and Lane Transit District (LTD) and the concept was a multi-way boulevard from the Springfield Bridge to Onyx Street, at which point it would become a streetscape enhancement project. He said the current request was for $5 million in NEPA funding. He said the partnership with Springfield and LTD made the project stronger and more appealing. Ms. Bettman stated that the United Front process did not reflect priorities and jurisdictions were proposing "half-baked" projects simply to request funding. She could not support the process. Mr. Zelenka observed that the NEPA process was intended to scope the alternatives and realize a fully developed proposal. He intended to offer amendments to the motion. MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 14, 2008 Page 5 Work Session