CC Minutes - 06/12/06 Work Session

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Mr. Kortge noted the difficult process the LTD board went through in evaluating routes on an annual basis. Mr. Kelly acknowledged that situation, noting that before he joined the council, he lobbied the board with regard to Laurel Valley service. In response to Mr. Kelly’s comments, Mr. Pangborn concurred, and noted that demand in Cottage Grove for more services resulted in the addition of articulated buses along that route, which were consistently full, with standing room only for buses leaving Creswell. He agreed that more revenue was needed for LTD to provide more service. Walnut Street Station Kurt Yeiter of the Eugene Planning and Development provided an overview of the Walnut Street Mixed Use Development Project, which was named for one of the two EmX stations that will serve the area. He introduced Planning Commissioner John Lawless, a member of steering committee overseeing the project. Mr. Yeiter called board members’ and councilors’ attention to the packet materials provided for the meeting, which included a map showing the project area. He noted the many stakeholders in the process, including public agencies, the business community, and residents, and emphasized the collaborative nature of the project. Mr. Yeiter reviewed the phases of the project, noting Phase 1, which resulted in an “emerging vision,” recently ended. He anticipated that future phases would allow flexibility for new options and approaches. Mr. Yeiter noted the other projects affecting the area, such as the replacement bridge over I-5, the proposed basketball arena, the Agate Street Study, and LTD’s EmX project, and said that the area was ripe for redevelopment. Several key properties were currently vacant. He said analysis indicated that 1,400 housing units were needed in the area, adding to the opportunity to create a mixed-use center at higher densities. Mr. Yeiter said that the City was considering “form-based” zoning in the area, which was a cutting-edge planning concept. Mr. Yeiter anticipated that traffic in the area would increase about 50 percent in the next 20 years, and it would be a challenge to create a pedestrian-comfortable neighborhood that accommodated cars and future needs. He suggested that cutting-edge street design and different ways of thinking about traffic could help to accomplish the goal of a pedestrian-comfortable neighborhood. Mr. Yeiter thanked LTD for its contributions to the project and its support of the recent speaker series that brought in outside experts to discuss new trends and approaches. Mr. Yeiter called attention to a list of issues to be addressed in the second phase of the project. He invited questions. Mr. Papé referred to a memorandum included in the Agenda Item Summary entitled “Walnut Street Station Mixed Use Development Project,” which discussed the planning process and indicated the process fell short of identifying the goal of a preferred alternative. He asked what the specific goal was, and what gap existed in meeting it. Mr. Yeiter responded that one goal was for a more specific, defined plan. That did not occur by the end of the first phase, so a range of options continued to exist, the number varying by topic. He cited the issue of the street treatment as one example, where no consensus could be reached about a proposed boulevard approach. Mr. Papé asked if the street treatment would guide other outstanding decisions. Mr. MINUTES—Eugene City Council June 12, 2006 Page 3 Work Session