02/23/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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-- Mr. Stewart said the City began developing the 1990 Plan shortly after the Awbrey-Meadowvi ew property was purchased and the 1990 Pl an changed the designation of the property from industrial to agricultural. He said railroad representatives backed away from working with the property owners and the property owners began the protracted process of changi ng the 1 and IS designation. Mr. Stewart said the property owners are very frustrated from trying to work with the City about the designation on the property. He said the Awbrey- Meadowview property has certain characteristics that the community needs and which are acknowledged in the Alternative Industrial Growth Areas Study. He said the property owners have spent years discussing process without being able to discuss the merits of the property. Now, the Planning Commission recommends that the discussion of the property's merits be put off for another two-and-a-half to three years. Mr. Stewart said the property owners find it frustrating to repeatedly state that they are willing to have the Awbrey-Meadowview site annexed to Eugene, that they are willing to do whatever City officials wish, and that they are willing to pay for extending services to the property. He said all they want is the opportunity to provide industrial development that will benefit the community. e Mr. Stewart said it is frustrating to be asked and expected to support community projects such as the Metropolitan Partnership, the 6th and 7th Avenues improvements, and the airport expansion, without being able to get beyond a discussion of the process for considering the Awbrey-Meadowview site. He said Lane County officials indicated support for the development of the site by formally asking that a Metro Plan amendment be initiated for it. He said he understood that the Springfield Planning Commission indicated there is a need to increase the inventory of heavy industrial lands. Mr. Stewart read a quotation from Governor Goldschmidt and said Eugene could join Governor Goldschmidt's action plan by directing that a Metro Plan amendment for the Awbrey-Meadowview site be initiated now. He said the site is needed for industries that use railroads and no other sites in the metropolitan area are like it. Mayor Obie said the proponents of the Awbrey-Meadowview site said they had not had an opportuni ty to address the council previ ously. Consequently, he invited them to speak this evening. He pointed out that the council will not make a decision on the issue tonight. Ms. Anderson said the Metro Plan policies were very important in her decision about when an amendment for the Awbrey-Meadowview site' should be considered. She said the question is whether the best time to consider changes to the existing Metro Plan policies is during the Metro Plan Update or when one amendment is considered. She said the existing Metro Plan policies indicate that a new type of heavy industrial use was not envisioned for the community. She said the existing heavy industries and the need for their expansion was recognized in the 1990 Plan but a conscious decision was made not to provide for new types of heavy industrial development. She said there may be good e MINUTES--Joint Eugene City Council/ February 23, 1987 Planning Commission Dinner Session Page 3