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reported. He predicted this would have no bearing on the new fee structure. He said it seemed to the chamber that the City would want more information for the public and for itself prior to holding this public hearing. Zachary Vishanoff, Patterson Street, wished to register his concern about the proposed power plant for the City of Coburg area, noting that it had been down-sized from what had originally been proposed. Mr. Vishanoff related that he read a story in the newspaper regarding college student loans and saw that the wastewater capacity for Coburg was being upgraded. He alleged this could be related to the power plant. Mr. Vishanoff reiterated his concerns regarding the University of Oregon's proposed construction of a new basketball arena. He wanted more public debate about it. He asserted that the University of Oregon Foundation was thinking of purchasing a former used car lot. He felt that given that the Williams Bakery site had been purchased, the University could end up owning property up to Fairmount Boulevard. He said the University must be "contained." He repeated that homes owned by the University on Moss Street were still being kept empty although people needed places to live. Terry Froemming, 2886 Bailey Lane, chair of the Harlow Neighbors Association, said he had been asked by the Chase Garden Node Subcommittee to represent it in asking for City Council help and consideration. He related that the Chase Garden Node was the association's number one priority for the coming year. He stated that mixed-use development had not contained much in the way of retail services and the node contained some of the densest concentrations of population in the City. He said the neighborhood had a number of doctors' offices and no "grand store." He asked the council to support holding a work session on mixed-use development and underscored that it was an important topic for the Harlow Neighbors. Janet O' Bryant, 85 North Madison Street, submitted copies of AIRS and CAD records regarding train accidents from Blair Boulevard through High Street to the City Council. She reported that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) had increased the decibel level at which train whistles can blast. Because of where she lived she heard loud train whistles in her house many times per day and this caused real livability issues for her. She recommended placing safety barriers at intersections so that the trains would not feel the need to sound their horns. She said the barriers cost $13,000 apiece, and emphasized that an investment of $100,000 or less could bring peace and quiet to a lot of neighborhoods. Rob Handy, 455-½ River Road, quoted from a speech that River Road/Santa Clara Transition Manager, David Reed recently gave before the City Club. Mr. Reed said the neighborhood had a history of mistrust of the City of Eugene and a history of rapid development and that some felt this caused chaos. Others felt this could be fertile ground for development of an entirely different relationship with the City of Eugene and other service providers. Mr. Reed had suggested a transition plan that was smooth and transferred responsibility for urban services within a Heritage Strategy, which would describe the route for management of urbanization and of future annexation in ways that preserved community and neighborhood values, retained, where feasible, community institutions, and forged new and creative practices for the most effective and efficient delivery of urban services. He suggested this plan should accomplish all this in the most practical and equitable manner and with the least community discontent as possible. Mr. Handy commented that the Emerald Park and Recreation Center was the core community institution of the River Road neighborhood and its tax base was being squeezed. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 24, 2005 Page 4 Regular Session