08/03/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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addressed plans for the area when it had become entirely industrial, she explained. Ms. Jones also said the lack of sidewalks and other pedestrian e facilities on 22nd Avenue meant that people were forced either to cross the railroad tracks illegally at Henderson Avenue, which they did, or to use 22nd Avenue and Glenwood Boulevard, which did not have sidewalks. Ms. Jones said criteria to be considered in deciding on the vacation request included whether the vacation met public interest and whether it complied with an adopted plan. If the council determined that the vacation would meet the public interest, Ms. Jones said staff recommended retaining three easements: one for public utilities, one for emergency vehicle access, and one for a future pedestrian access. She said the council also could determine that the vacation request did not meet the public interest or the plan and could deny the request as premature and possibly reconsider it in the future. Ms. Jones also noted that councilors had received letters in opposition from Margie Marino, Paul Frith, Stephen Barton, and Jo Moynier, in addition to a petition signed by 15 persons opposed to the vacation. Mr. Rutan asked who owned the property south of the Southern Pacific tracks and east of Henderson Avenue. Ms. Jones said that was vacant property owned by Dale Fischer, and according to the news article distributed, it was the planned site of Farwest Rebar, which was to be moved from Springfield. Mr. Rutan asked when the property had been rezoned. Ms. Jones said she thought that most of the area had been rezoned industrial when it had been annexed, but a port ion of the area east of Henderson had been rezon_ed industrial a couple of years ago, by the County and before annexation. e Responding to Ms. Ehrman's question, Ms. Jones said the portion of Henderson Avenue under consideration already was closed to auto traffic. Ms. Ehrman asked whether retaining the easements and accesses would change the situation from what now exi sted. Ms. Jones said Henderson Avenue currently was accessible to pedestrians, with barricades in place only at the railroad tracks. She said that if the vacation were approved, the right-of-way and pedestrian easement could be fenced off, cutting off all pedestrian access. Ms. Wooten asked whether residents had been promised continued pedestrian, bicycle, or emergency access when auto access had been closed. Ms. Jones said she had heard such claims, but her research of Lane County records during 1979 and 1980 indicated that the Public Utility Commissioner who had made the decision had retained no accesses. She added that the area was not improved for access. Ms. Wooten asked whether pedestrian access had been addressed by specific language in the refinement plan. Ms. Jones said refinement plan policies stated generally that pedestrian access to the area was important and that attention should be paid to the use of the Henderson rail crossing for pedestrian access. Ms. Bascom asked whether any acceptable treatments for pedestrian access had been discussed. Ms. Jones said no unofficial treatments had been discussed, and she added that a path was used at present. She said some discussion had been held with representatives of Southern Pacific and the Public Utility Commission about 1 ega 1 pedestrian crossings, all of which were quite expensive. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 3, 1987 Page 3