05/08/1972 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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G. Third Action Year Application, Danebo NeighborhoodDeve~opment Project- David Hunt, executive director for. Eugene Renewal Agency, said community-wide use can be made of Federal Neighborhood Development P':Eoject funds. ,.The action program' differs from the conventional urban renewal projects in that annual approval of expendi tures and performance is required for the action programs. The current project in the State Streets area is virtually completed, ab~ut all 'that remains is administrativ€;l phasing out. Mr. Hunt said he is, not certain Federal planning funds can be obtained under, this program, r~ferring to the suggested considera- , tion of the northcentral area as a project area, but the idea of a community.pro- gram to determine,priorities would give a better indication. of which funding, wouEd apply. He said the Federal people have indicated'$500,dOo will 'be avail- abl,e, whi ch is more than needed to complete the Danebo project. Tpe possib.:j.li ty of using those funds for the area defined in the Social Goals Committee project will be investigated. . Mr. Hunt distributed to Council members copies of a summary of activities in, the Damebo Neighborhood Development Project and explained in detail the work done in that area and the proposed budget for the coming year. He said the $30,000 in- cluded as a City budget item will be for additional work in the park within the project area. The grant application provides fqr $134,000 from the Federal govern- ment and for $206,000 loan. The loan comprises primarily land inventory carried forward and financed until sold. He said the Agency is desirous of closing out the project this year; there is no change in plans for the area and no publi c ,hearing is required. He as~ed C;o un ci 1 , s apprqvaL of the budget as presented, required by Federal regulations. Mr. Hunt said the Agency would work with City staff on the possibility of obtain- ing planning funds for the area immediately west of the central business district. However, the Agency is concerned because of limi ted resources and the obvious long- range need for funding if work is started on an action program in< that area. ',.- '- Councilman Bradshaw asked where the responsibility lies for solution of problems created by the renewal programs such as the need for mass transit. He said thE! State Streets area is now more or less isolated and PE!ople have no way of getting to commercial or recreational areas. Mr. Hunt said the nature of the action pro-, gram is such that it will create othe$roblems because 'funds are not available to the Agency for expenditure for some of the things wl?ich are tied in with renewal. He said part of the contract with the City and Planning staff was to work with the Transit District on problems created by inqreqsed volume of traffic. Mr. Mohr asked whether work done by the City in improv:ing Bqrger Dr.i,ve and provid- ing pedestrian and bj,cyqle paths cquld be credited against another prqject. Mr. Hunt said work has to be within or adjacent to the project area., HUD regulations set a definite legal boundary within which work for credit is to be performed. Manager said the staff ~s now working on a report for the Council tfith regard to better pedestrian and bicycle transportation in that area. Councilman Mohr asked if the Agency could do other types of.planning for the balance of the year if the Danebo project is closed out. Mr. Hunt replied that the Agency feels it should be looking at the whole area around the central business dis- trict from the University to downtown and f:r;om Jefferson north to t,he River. How:ever; it is not certain money can be obtained under the Neighborhood-Development Prograin. He said there are programs. providing 100% of funds for in-depth planning and ,there may be a chance to' encourage Federal funding.of a planning project in Eugene. He said the Danebo Neighborhood Development Program is an "action" program wherein actual renewal work is accomplished and planning funds are not i,ncluded. . Mrs'. Beal asked if further development is already planned for the next action year. Mr. Hunt said the Agency will work with the Planning Commission on the northcentral area, but they have funds for only two years and it is certain that work in the northcentral section would go beyond that length of'time. After more ,deta,il is available through neighborho.od analysis, he said, he will check to see, if planning funds can be included in the Neighborhood Development Program or Community Renewal Plan grants. Mr. Tea,gue moved seconded by Mrs. Beal to approve the ,application as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Comm Approve 5/3/72 H. RideStop Proposal -, Planning commission recommended approval of concept of the proposed supplementary transportation system for the metropolitan area. Copies of a report prepared by the Urban Planning [)epartment of th,e university of Oregon. were distributed to Council members. Marvin Gloege, advisor f.rom the Urban, Plan- ning Department, said the proposal is based on hitchhiki,ng and provides for a . system of stations and sign~ lpcated at points along arterial routes pear ~~udent population concentrations (University of Oregon and Lane Community College) where . Id7 5/8/72 - 6