02/08/1988 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Mr. Farley said he felt it was easy to make piecemeal changes to plans, and the first speaker had referred to the change as "rather modest.1I He said that was the desired perception--that the change would have a modest effect on the environment, yet seemed to have an overwhelming, possible positive effect on the economy of the area. Mr. Farley suggested that many people had moved from areas where they had seen what those changes lead to, for example in the Beaverton area, which he said had changed from a rural area into continual development, with the detriment to wildlife and environment. Mr. Farley said he had been impressed with the local approach, for a plan update every 13 or 14 years. He said he understood that the City had been considering doing an environmental evaluation and wetlands review of the area, and although it had not yet been concluded, he had been invited to consultants' presentations and was aware of the plans and research for the project. Mr. Farley said he believed the best way to proceed was to review everything comprehensively at the same time. ~ Mr. Farley said the Lane County Audubon Society recently had been involved with two similar issues, concerning a housing development near Goodpasture Island Road and development on Confluence Island, both of which he said eliminated or threatened heron rookeries. "Always, itls seen that, well, maybe there's not a good chance that the effect will occur, or it's a small effect, but indeed, over a period of time, when you make these piecemeal changes to the plan, you find that, surprisingly, the environment is radically changed. Eugene is not a town that has herons along its river, that has many birds around the backyard. Itls livability as well as economy that we1re looking for." Mr. Farley asked that the council wait until a full evaluation of the annexation could be made. Wendell Wood, 1161 Lincoln Street, representing the Oregon Natural Resources Council, spoke in opposition to the amendments. He said he thought it would come as no surprise that the ONRC did not support the designation as special heavy industrial for the Awbrey-Meadowview site. Mr. Wood presented the council with copies of contribution reports indicating that Mayor Obie had received $1,225 and Roger Rutan had received $450 from property owners and their close relatives. He said the ONRC protested their continuance in the hearing, as members did not believe it contributed to an impartial tribunal. Mr. Wood said ONRC opposed expansion of the urban growth boundary and the rezoning of the parcel from an agricultural to a special heavy industrial designation for several reasons. He said demonstrated need for the change had not been established, and speculative demand was not enough on which to base a plan amendment this radical and a land designation change this major. Mr. Wood said the appropriate time for thorough analysis and consideration of this proposal was during the metro plan update process. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 8, 1988 Page 6