04/12/1989 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

~ Mr, Holmer agreed with Mr. Bennett that reopening Willamette Street is essential to the vitality of the downtown. He felt that the updated renewal plan should provide for council action to reopen Willamette Street using urban renewal revenue or, at least, for referral of the matter to the voters. Mr, Boles said he shares Mr, Bennett's aesthetic and economic interest in repairing the downtown mall. He said this will probably involve sharing space between pedestrians and other forms of transportation and that he would support referring the matter to the voters. Mr, Bennett said he would support expansion of the urban renewal district. He said the existing renewal district is not large enough to generate the money to pursue needed improvements. Mr. Bennett added that the areas to the north and east of the current renewal district boundaries are ripe for development. He felt by including these areas in the renewal district, the downtown as a whole will be able to take advantage of this development, Mr, Boles expressed concern that an expansion of the district to include the northeast quadrant will absorb the existing resources by providing some support for parking in return for new development, He also said he remains unconvinced that expansion of the district would not damage the downtown core by removing the focus from the very real problems being experienced there, e Mr, Hibschman reviewed a map of the proposed expansion area showing which properties might be included in an expansion of the renewal district and which could be deleted to stay within the 20-percent limitation. He said the recommended deletions were made based on whether the property has been developed and whether the owner indicated a desire not to be included. Properties which are currently vacant, or for which the property owner has development plans, were included in the proposed expansion. Mr, Hibschman stressed that while the proposal does stay within the 20-percent limitation, it is not ideal, He said leaving holes in the renewal district creates programmatic problems if there is a desire for land assembly in the future. Also, future development on these sites will not benefit the district, but these developments will benefit from improvements undertaken by the district, Mr. Gleason said staff is recommending expansion of the district, although all of the options have positive and negative facets. He cautioned the council that once the district has reached its 20-percent limit, it cannot be expanded further. Mr. Boles encouraged the council to remember that there are more options than expansion and/or creation of a new renewal district. He felt the council should explore the use of an assessment district to address parking and other needs in the quadrant to the northeast of the current district, Mr, Boles added that he does not consider the area to be blighted, Ms. Ehrman said the council asked staff to come up with this proposal during its last discussion and that she has not changed her mind. She said she e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 12, 1989 Page 6 ~