07/08/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Department staff Elaine Stewart, Greg Byrne, and Bob Hibschman; and Planning Department staff Susan Brody, Pat Decker, and Kirk McKinley were at the e meeting in order to answer councilors' questions. Mr. Farkas summarized the six major aspects of the joint recommendations by the Downtown and Planning commissions regarding the redesign of Willamette from 8th to 10th and the Broadway/Willamette plaza. This information is also in a June 1, 1987, memo from the Planning Department to the Planning Commission entitled "Final Action on Urban Renewal Plan Update. II --Willamette Street from 8th to 10th avenues should be opened to vehicular traffic, with a strong pedestrian orientation, using the concept contained in the Eugene Downtown Public Spaces Study. --East Broadway should not be opened to vehicular traffic. --The Broadway/Willamette intersection should remain as a public plaza and should be upgraded; this redesign should include public rest rooms. --A design advisory committee should be appointed to develop a design for Willamette Street between 8th and 10th and for the Broadway/Willamette plaza. --Design parameters should be forwarded to the design advisory committee. For example, Willamette Street should have a strong pedestrian orientation and limited two-way traffic e with off-set drop-off and limited short-term parking bays; and the Broadway/Willamette plaza should have a design that is flexible to development, should maximize use of the available space, should accommodate outdoor performance and informal socializing, and should maximize the use of sunny areas. --The redesign and reconstruction of Willamette from 8th to 10th and the Broadway/Willamette plaza should be completed within an expeditious time frame that allows adequate time for a thorough design process and sufficient opportunity for public comment. The redesign should be implemented so as to avoid major impacts on the Eugene Celebration and downtown retail activity. The Urban Renewal Plan Update should reflect funds in fiscal year 1988-89 for design and preconstruction costs, and in fiscal year 1989-90 for construction. Mr. Farkas introduced Don Miles, who is president of Don Miles Associates and one of the leading experts on urban public spaces. Mr. Miles said the Eugene Downtown Public Spaces Study examined how people were using the downtown mall, identified which aspects of the mall were working well and which were not working well, and suggested improvements that e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 8, 1987 Page 7