CC Minutes - 01/16/08 Work Session and Meeting of URA

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Mr. Clark concurred with Mr. Zelenka and would support the recommendation. He was not opposed to a park on part of the 10th and Charnelton site. He agreed that the election message was to move forward incrementally and effectively and was pleased that the downtown zoning review was under way. He said completion of that work could improve the chances for a successful response to the RFP. He asked if Beam was making progress on solidifying its relationship with a potential tenant, as the requested extension of 90 days would go beyond the expiration date for purchase options. Mr. Braud said Beam was anticipating commitments from tenants within 30 days. He said the March 24 deadline was to provide notice and the City would have 90 days from the point of notice to actually purchase the properties. Mr. Pryor said he preferred to move forward quickly, but would reluctantly support the recommendation to defer the RFP. Ms. Bettman asked if Beam had requested the delay in issuing the RFP. Mr. Braud said he did not believe that was the case. Ms. Bettman questioned the reason for delaying the RFP. Ms. Jones replied that the issue was lack of information on the Beam project. She said staff wanted to ensure success of the Beam project without having a competitive project that left insufficient resources to move forward. She said the delay would not stop activity and staff continued to evaluate interest in the 10th and Charnelton site on a case-by-case basis. Mr. Bettman asserted that Beam was aware of the resources that were on the table and the council could decide what other resources it wished to make available at a later date for a particular project. She said that no incentives would be promised in the RFP and resources were not a reason to delay issuing it. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to move forward with the RFP with amendments to include a list of nearby parking structures and available parking ca- pacity and to remove references to positive financial returns for the Urban Renewal District and that the City release the RFP on March 1, 2008. Mr. Poling thanked the ERAC for its work, but disagreed with its recommendation on the RFP. He said if there was currently interest on the site the RFP should not be delayed. He would support the motion. Mr. Zelenka expressed concern that the Beam project would use all of the available urban renewal resources and there would be no money for other projects. He felt that downtown projects from this point forward would all require some level of subsidy. He suggested that small incremental increases to the Urban Renewal District spending limit could occur as projects came forward. Ms. Ortiz said she would support the motion in the interests of maintaining momentum on downtown redevelopment. She agreed that any increase in the spending limit should be referred to the voters. Ms. Taylor said she would support the motion, but was concerned with completing the Beam proposal. She was disappointed with lack of support for a community garden. She asked if issuing the RFP would affect the Beam project. Mr. Braud said the RFP would not affect Beam. Ms. Bettman clarified that her motion to move the RFP release date to March 1 assumed that each date would be moved back a month and projects would be considered in July. MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 16, 2008 Page 7 Work Session