06/15/1972 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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\ tion of the study on which the plan is based, including transportation ~tudi~s and planning, and said there is still going to be a problem .faced in moving tra;ffic unless some facility is provided for that movement. Endorsement of this concept seems to.be the best way at this time to bring about an integrated approach to the problem. . Councilman Bradshaw said the public will be asking why the County building~ and the auditorium are .not located on the Belt Line or in those areas where there is existing transportation, and he suggested the -Council should be prepared to answer these questions. . 'Manager said joint utilization of space is one consideration. Mr. Bradshaw asked if new State construction will be balanced by that, or mass transit construction. Mayor Anderson said there is also the commitment to revitalize the downtown. area.; . work is in progress to change .the character of downtown to combine professional, retail, financial, and government functions. Any change at.this point would not only prove costly but would. perhaps tend to compound errors already made. Councilman Williams asked if the planners wouldstill.be of the opinion that this center should be built should the Skinner's Butte freeway or some other facility not be permitted. Manager said he doesn't think there is an ans~er at this point, that he feels the planners assume that a solution will.be found which will be ac- ceptable. He said he doubts that agencies with plans to locate buildings in, the proposed design plan area will abandon those plans at this stage. Mr. Williams com- mented that the only real queston then is, planned or unplanned; whether there will be congestion or something done to handle th~t congestion. Planning-Director said he feels there will be congestion no matter where any central administrative . area for government is located and_ there are various alternative ways of handling the problem so far as . governmental employes are concerned - work shifts, poo.ling; etc. - that can't be done with the private sector. Manager confirmed Mr. Teague's comment th~t endorsement;: of the design plan con- stitutes recognition of the problems but at this time the Council isno~ saying how they will be handled. Mayor Anderson commented that as a governmental.body it may l?e necessary ~t some time to define "congestion" since things seem to be going in the direction of con- centration of activity in the downtown area and this will have to ~e accepte~ as a trade~off for what is wanted in the outlying a~eas. Councilman Mohr said he thinks one problem to be faced is that this report comes without benefit of public hearing and a thorough understanding of what is proposed. Mrs. Beal asked whether it would be a matter of public hearing, or an item for I approval on the consent calendar. Mayor Anderson said he doesn't fwel the resolution demands a public hearing, that I it merely sets policy this Council will use in making decisions in the future with respect to the civic center. He said every item before the Council is open to public comment, but if the Council wants a full-blovyn public hearing he feels it . would lead to some real " tunnels ," particularly various things which would be brought in supplementary to the discussion. It amounts to accepting some decisions made by other people in the past and is really reserving the right to comment and evaluate certain condi tions that might develop in the future. I Mrs. Beal moved seconded by Mr. Teague to adopt the resolution approving the Civic Center Design Plan, with stipulations recommended by the Planning Commission. Mrs. Campbell asked about the procedure for the recommended street vacations, if the downtown merchants are aware of that and,-whether it will involve them. Manager said each street vacation will go through the normal public hearing procedure. At this time the plan is generally. schematic and when different elements are put together each part will have to be considered at. that time. 'He said there is no answer as to whether any specific street closure will be acceptable. Mrs. Beal said it is probably acJmowledged that nothing can be done about plans of the Federal government with regard to their building and co-ordination with other buil dings. Manager said every encouragement has been given to. the Federal people by this body, the County, and others invol ved in the ci vi c center concept to use that location. .. Councilman Bradshaw noted that his comments were npt in opposition to the design plan or concept, but that he was trying to assess trade-offs. Comm 6/7/72 Vote was taken on the motion as stated, and_ motiop carried unanimously. Approve H. Vacation, Center Way 493 feet more or less south of Martin Street (Brant Enter- prises) - Planning Commission May 22/23, 1972 recommended approval. Public Works Director said the street was surveyed before the property was subdivided. This /70 6/15/72 - 5