07/29/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Holmer said he had obtained a table representing a rough draft of possible expenditures over the next 20 years under this plan. He said the first e expenditure was not scheduled to occur until FY90, when $150,000 was to be spent for sewers, streets, sidewalks, and alleys. He said another $100,000 was to be spent in FY92, with a total of $600,000 being spent through FY2003. He said he did not think staff felt the area was urgent for public investment and he had concerns similar to those expressed by Mr. Rutan and Mr. Miller. Mr. Far ka s said the primary advantage of having an i dent i fi ed expanded district was the ability to take advantage of economic opportunities as they presented themselves. He said that if an area was not identified as part of the district, a substantial formal process was required to expand the district and might not respond effectively and efficiently to proposed development. He said integrated parking and other development tools could be provided only to businesses within the district. Ms. Ehrman said she preferred to identify the area now, rather than to add increments. Ms. Bascom said the tour had piqued her interest in blight and underused parking in the proposed expansion area. She said expansion would allow needed improvements to alleys and sidewalks, adding that she thought it was an orderly way to proceed and that FY90 was not that far in the future. Mayor Obie said the expansion would take away from other funds available for next year's budget, and he asked the Council to consider whether the public interest was served by greater taxation. He asked about the possibility of removing some of the land that already had been developed as part of a e sunsetting process. He also asked about the amount of the cash drain the expansion was expected to place on the budget over the next ten years. Mayor Obie also said he had heard concerns about business tenants having trouble finding spaces to rent for a reasonable cost and he did not want to eliminate inexpensive business space. Ms. Wooten said she saw the urban renewa 1 expansion as another economic development tool and a means by which to encourage public/private development, not to discourage it. She said she also did not necessarily see the expansion as a drain on the General Fund that was any more harmful than a capital fund for sewer extension to Willow Creek or any other infrastructure investment made by the City in public life. She said the development, prosperity, and vitality of downtown had been among the Council's high priorities and goals for more than five years, she thought the expansion would enhance the public purpose, and she thought the district was less harmful than transferring funds from the General Fund to the Capital Improvement Program. Mr. Byrne said the projections would be redone and broken down to show the figures for the expansion area. Mr. Bennett said he thought downtown was different and substantially more important than other shopping areas in the city, and because of that he favored supporting it effectively and efficiently by the entire community. He e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 29, 1987 Page 5