Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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what was said, if enforcement of the rules for driving was not important, Eugene could not call itself a progressive place. He opined that the automobile ruled in Eugene. Gordon Anslow , 4493 Paddock Drive, spoke in support of approval of the Multiple Unit Property Tax th Exemption (MUPTE) for the property located at 450 East 14 Avenue, the eighth item on the City Council agenda. He said he had lived in Eugene since 1976 and was currently co-chair of the Infill Compatibility Standards Task Team. He noted that he had previously served on the TransPlan Advisory Committee and had more recently worked on the Walnut Station mixed use area planning effort, among others. He held former Governor Tom McCall as a personal hero for his pivotal role for establishing Oregon’s “justly famous and widely respected” statewide land use laws. He believed that the urban infill projects were an appropriate step in an effort to preserve farm and forest lands. He averred that in the current “post-peak oil era” projects that provided decent housing close to school, work, and shopping were needed to limit local dependence on oil-intensive transportation. He said good urban planning had a role in limiting environ- mental impact. He commended Mr. Hansen, calling him “exactly the sort of customer we like to see.” He felt Mr. Hansen valued good design and was sympathetic to efforts to build economically viable projects that could still be considered compatible with the neighborhood. He stressed his company’s emphasis on building projects that were in line with the older houses that remained in the neighborhood. He pointed out that though it would have made economic sense to raze the existing structure to build more units and establish more parking, they had decided to retain and upgrade the original house and build new units behind it. He stated that the West University Neighbors (WUN) had conveyed their unanimous support for the project. He related that they had proposed considerable additional landscaping and a number of new trees. He said it would provide 15 parking spaces though the requirement was for six and security would be built into the building. He asserted that the tax relief provided by the MUPTE allowed the project to be more responsive to neighborhood concerns and to provide a higher level of architectural quality. He urged the council to support the MUPTE application. He provided his testimony in writing. Zachary Vishanoff , somewhere on Patterson Street, provided a handout. He believed that the street maintenance backlog had arisen from projects that qualified for a MUPTE. He declared that the density the projects provided had worn out the streets. He opined that a lot of deforestation had been brought about by MUPTE projects as well. He also opposed allowing the rents to increase for the apartments that Mr. Weiner had spoken about. Mr. Vishanoff commended Mayor Piercy, calling her a “great candidate for Mayor.” He was pleased that she had been willing to start a conversation about the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) property. He thought whatever happened at the EWEB property would benefit from the public conversation. Mr. Vishanoff asked the council to Google an article called U of O Seeks Fast Track for Builder of Arena. He predicted the State Board of Education would “rubber stamp” the application and this would allow them to go with their “good old boy forums” that were involved with problematic projects, lawsuits, accidents, and “boondoggles” around the world. Dean Hansen , 2917 Powderhorn Street, wanted to speak in favor of the application for a MUPTE that he th had submitted for 450 East 14 Avenue. He noted that he had lived in Eugene for more than 35 years and had worked at a bank and his wife taught at Lane Community College. He underscored how much he cared for his community, adding that he had served for ten years on the Fair Board, was currently on the United Way Board, had served on the Kidsports Board for over 20 years, and currently sat on the Lane Community College Foundation Board of Directors. He shared that he had been “pleased and excited” when the WUN had unanimously approved the recommendation for his application for a MUPTE. He related that the WUN had liked the fact that the project had many sustainability features and included ample parking. He MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 14, 2008 Page 3 Regular Meeting