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----- Downtown Commission views the Urban Renewal Plan as the implementation plan for the goals for downtown. The updated plan reflects the work of both the e Downtown and Planning commissions. She said that she welcomed any questions from councilors, and that she appreciated the council's review and comment on the commissions' recommendations. Mr. Gaydos said the two commissions have worked closely on the project of updating the Urban Renewal Plan. He said the project was very much an educational process. He mentioned that many Planning Commissioners initially opposed the proposed opening to traffic of Willamette from 8th to 10th; however, after reviewing the information and discussing the issue, the Planning Commission decided to recommend that Will amette be opened to vehicular traffic from 8th to 10th. He said a similar shift in opinion occurred after the commission reviewed and discussed the issue of whether to expand the Urban Renewal District. Mr. Gaydos emphasized that there was a definite give-and-take and a spirit of compromise between the two commissions as they worked to arrive at joint recommendations. He said there was near, but not complete, unanimity on the joint recommendations. Ms. Wooten asked staff to recap the number of opportunities the public has had to comment on the Urban Renewal Plan update. Ms. Stewart said an information session was held in October 1986, followed by a public hearing and joint meeting of the Planning and Downtown commissions. A community forum was held in February 1987. Ms. Stewart added that all of the Downtown and Planning commission meetings were open to the public. Mr. Holmer asked whether, in the process of updating the Urban Renewal Plan, the commissions considered the possibility of not using the urban renewal e process. Mr. Gaydos said this issue was discussed somewhat, but not in a thorough fashion. He said there are City-owned properties downtown that need to be marketed and sold. He said the assumption has been that the public sector will be needed to stimulate private investment downtown. Ms. Bennett said the Downtown Commission's effort is to encourage private development downtown. She said the commission feels that public investment is needed to do this. She said that given the City's current budget, and given the demand on General Fund dollars, the urban renewal process is the best means by which to encourage private investment downtown. Mr. Rutan said he understood Ms. Bennett to be saying that the focus of the updated Urban Renewal Plan is to encourage the private sector to develop the downtown; however, he said the updated plan gives the impression that the public sector will be playing the more active role. Mr. Byrne said he would respond to this concern in more detail when he discussed the properties owned by the Eugene Renewal Agency. B. Councilor Bennett's Potential Conflict of Interest Mr. Bennett announced that he may have a conflict of interest on the Urban Renewal Plan update because he owns a business on 10th and Willamette. He said he has asked Tim Sercombe of the City Attorney's Office to help him make a decision regarding what his position should be on this matter. He said he has also discussed the issue with his private attorney. Mr. Bennett said he would e MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 24, 1987 Page 2