09/12/1988 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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At this point, Ms. Wooten asked for summary views from councilors on this e particular configuration. Ms. Bascom said she is not ready to embrace this area and would like to have more discussion. Ms. Schue said she has mixed feelings, She said she was not sure that parking was a crisis at this time and noted that things are happening now without urban renewal. She said she would rather see the unused property in the current district developed and is not sure if the 5th Avenue area needs urban renewal to keep present development going. Mr. Gleason said that once the density is above two floors, there will be a need for more parking. He said that any surplus parking would allow for entrepre- neurial spin-offs and would prevent choking out that entrepreneurial spirit. Ms. Ehrman said that she is interested in dropping and adding the above-men- tioned blocks and is also interested in parking concerns. Mr. Miller said he favors the northeast expansion and he is not closed to having a separate district, but he is concerned with the time frame and the lag time that would not allow the City to act when it is necessary. Mr. Rutan said that an urban renewal district is not going to create development. He said it is nice to look ahead but it is going to be the private side economics that will create development. Ms. Wooten said the Downtown Commission initially reviewed opportunities for the urban renewal plan and expressed interest and concern in blighted areas. Ms. Wooten said there is the possibility that the matter "be tabled due to lack of interest. She said she thinks that the north and the east are ready to go with some facilitation and words of encouragement from the City. She said this may not happen yet, but it may be a way to expand without turning our backs on the core area. e Ms. Wooten asked how many of the councilors would be generally interested in phased pay parking programs. Ms. Ehrman said the parking would pay for itself if administration, public safety, and marketing were not added. Ms. Bascom said she would like to hear from the retailers. The council expressed a consensus interest in the topic. Mr. Bennett said the transition to paid parking is necessary because free parking is based on the assumption that traditional retail could be done downtown, but the new type of multi-tenant, mixed use, specialty shops lend themselves to paid parking. He said he is also excited about the movement to the north and the east, but he is not willing to forget about the central Eugene district. Mr. Holmer agreed that the north and the east are important but commitment must be kept to the central core. He said the north and east development will help the downtown area because specialty shopping appeals to people and will create and generate interest in the other areas as well. Mayor Obie asked if it would be useful to have a public hearing on the size and location of the district. Councilors agreed that a suitable working area should be determined first. Ms. Ehrman said she is intrigued by the idea of a separate district, yet she does not want to spend the central core money and not hold to the 20-percent limitation. Ms. Wooten asked if it is possible to initiate a third district. Mr. Rutan remarked that the council has always shied away from special dis- tricts and sees that as the same. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session September 12, 1988 Page 5