01/20/1988 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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~ II. SUMMARY OF 1987 ANNEXATION LEGISLATION City Manager Mike Gleason introduced the item. Susan Brody, Planning Department, and Steve Gordon, L-COG, presented the staff report. Mr. Gordon said the past several years have proven interesting regarding annexation because of land use laws and comprehensive plans. He said annexation is the only way a city can geographically expand other than merging with another city. Land use laws and annexation laws are not compatible. Mr. Gordon said there is also friction in the Legislature over Boundary Commission law. He said the main problem is that cities have good tools for annexing vacant land, and not insufficient ways of annexing developed land. e Another issue being challenged in the Legislature and through the court system is whether there should be a right to vote on every annexation. The triple majority law was challenged but currently remains intact. The Legislature added the double majority method where the majority of the owners and the electors can petition to process the annexation and thereby avoid a vote. There are efforts, however, to challenge the double majority law as well as the island annexation law. Mr. Gordon said most of the annexations approved by the City in the River Road area are being challenged at the State Court of Appeals. He said the appeals are based on arguments that the residents have a proposed city in the area. Mr. Gordon advised the council that the legislators on the House Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Elections and Government Operations Committee are important to the interests of the City. He said Glen Otto sits on a legislative interim committee that is considering putting the Portland Boundary Commission under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Service Oistrict. He urged the council to work with the League of Oregon Cities and other cities during the next legislative session. He said the City of Eugene continues to be where the majority of the work is done by the Lane County Boundary Commission. Ms. Bascom asked if any part of Item 4 in the staff report applies to Highway 99. Ms. Brody said there is an ambiguous provision in the legislation relating to the assessed value and water and sewer lines. She said the provision has not been interpreted by the state Attorney General's office. Ms. Brody said there has been no intent to annex the affected industrial firms along Highway 99 without their consent. Ms. Bascom asked what is included in the districts cited in the report. Mr. Gordon said the term district refers to agencies such as water districts, rural fire protection districts, and park districts. e Ms. Bascom asked if the City should try to use double and triple majority strategies in its annexation efforts. Ms. Brody said it is inadvisable MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 20, 1988 Page 8