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Councilor Taylor asserted that people pay property taxes wherever they live. She thought the idea that a <br />MUPTE was an investment in tax revenue that would otherwise not be collected was erroneous. <br />Councilor Taylor said that new housing just moves tenants from one place to another. Mr. Weinman <br />responded that the population was growing by two percent per year and the need for housing was <br />increasing. He reiterated that increasing the level of development increased the property tax rolls. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey supported the concept of home ownership and incentives that promote home ownership in <br />all areas and in the University area in particular. He recommended ';thinking outside the box" and <br />allowing, for instance, the co-housing development to qualify for the MUPTE. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman reminded the public that taxing jurisdictions including schools now forego revenue <br />when property is exempted from taxes for ten years. She opined that people would not support forgoing <br />money that would pay for school and core essential services in order to support student housing in the <br />West University neighborhood. <br /> <br />Mr. Weinman, in response to Councilor Kelly, affirmed that the council could only approve or reject a <br />MUPTE and could not grant a partial MUPTE. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman predicted that residential housing would be displaced should a developer build on a <br />site. She asked staff to bring back an amendment to delete the expanded district south of 13th Avenue and <br />west of Lincoln Street. <br /> <br />Councilor Pap6 asked if an applicant could reapply should the City Council mm a MUPTE down. Mr. <br />Weinman replied that it could. <br /> <br />In response to a further question from Councilor Pap6, Mr. Weinman stated that the land on which a <br />development was being built would remain on the property tax rolls during the ten-year exemption period. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey closed the hearing. <br /> <br />6. PUBLIC HEARING: An Ordinance Adopting Amended Riverfront Urban Renewal District <br /> Plan Adopted by Ordinance No. 19352 on September 11, 1985 <br /> <br />Mr. Taylor stated that Mr. Weinman would briefly outline the changes that were proposed to the urban <br />renewal plan and that were the subject of the hearing before the council. <br /> <br />Mr. Weinman underscored that this was a public hearing on amendments to the Riverfront Research Park <br />Urban Renewal Plan and that the council had discussed it six times during 2003. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. <br /> <br />Betty Thompson, 1644 West 19th Avenue, commented that, at present, many taxpayers were almost <br />being taxed out of their houses. She said this also impacted renters as the landlords passed tax increases <br />on to them. She asserted that, since the district would not produce revenue, it represented excessive <br />spending in this time of recession. <br /> <br />Ms. Thompson expressed concern that the project would exacerbate traffic congestion on Franklin <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 9, 2004 Page 10 <br /> Regular Meeting <br /> <br /> <br />