07/14/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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is part of the Amazon diversion channel which goes to the Fern Ridge Reservior. He said the City has ignored the toxic waste issue and has e permitted toxic wastes to be dumped into the Amazon diversion channel. He discussed industries that produce toxic waste and laws that regulate them. He read part of an article from the New York Times of July 28) 1986. Jude McNesby) 2638 Hawk ins Lane, represented S.O.S., Inc. (Save Our ecoSystems). She said Valley River Center applied for a permit to fill the wetlands along the Wi11amette River with 50,000 cubic yards of miscellaneous material. The wetlands are in the Willamette Greenway. She said neither State nor Federal policies permit the use of wetlands for private commercial use and the case will be lost in the courts if it is pursued. She said the wetlands are sensitive waters that belong to the people of Oregon and are needed by wildlife. She said approval of the permit will result in the destruction of the Wi1lamette River wetlands. Ms. McNesby said officials of Valley River Center want to fill an area used by beavers, nutrias, raccoons) muskrats) oppossums, and many waterfowl. She said one of the largest Blue Heron rookeries is in the area. She said the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife does not approve the project. Howard T. Bonnett, 1835 East 28th) submitted written testimony. He said he disagrees with the conclusion in the Periodic Review that the Willamette riverfront area has not changed. He said the University applied for and received a conditional use permit in 1980 to construct four playing fields and other sport facilities on about ten acres along the ri verfront. He discussed statements in the staff notes for the e conditional use permit public hearing. Mr. Bonnett asked if any testimony was presented that indicated that some other location met the need for.the sporting facilities in the Wi11amette Greenway. He said the conditional use permit was extended to January 1987 and there was testimony that the facil ities are needed. He sa i d no specific place to relocate the facilities has been cited. He concluded that a need for the facilities exists and no other site for them has been i dent ifi ed. Mr. Bonnett said the plan for the Willamette Riverfront has been changed because the City did not properly evaluate the riverfront according to the LCDC criteria for Statewide Goals 5, 8, and 15. He said the University of Oregon community needs the Wi11amette Riverfront for open space. He said 17,000 students and other members of the community use the open space now and more people would use it if it were maintained better. Summarizing) he said the land is valuable for open space and is fulfilling a need established in a public planning effort) no findings have indicated that the uses can be fulfilled at another site, and the site has not been adequately inventoried under the Statewide Planning GoalS criteria. He recommended that the council rescind its actions concerning the Riverfront Research Park) complete an inventory of Goal Five open space, and use the LCDC Goals and Guidelines to determine the best use of the site. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council ' July 14) 1986 Page 14