05/08/1989 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e 2) Establish paid parking in high demand areas to promote turnover. 3) Convert the remaining free parking spaces (approximately 1,000 spaces) to a three-hour free parking limit with citations thereafter. 4) Reduce the Gross Receipts Tax by 20 percent. S) Review the district and its programs within two years of implementation. There being no questions from members of the councilor commission, Mayor Miller opened the public hearing. Margaret Wilson, 223 Conestoga Way, opposed the elimination of free parking in high demand areas downtown and said that doing so would encourage customers to use Valley River Center and the Gateway area instead of downtown. e Tom Slocum, 1950 Graham Drive, encouraged the council to eliminate free parking altogether. He said that the parking district benefits retail business and that the expense of supporting it discourages professional and other business development in the area. Mr. Slocum suggested that those who are employed downtown are downtown retailers' best customers. He referred to the Pankow development as an opportunity to bring more people downtown. Calling the reduction of the gross receipts tax a mistake, Mr. Slocum supported a reduction in the ad valorem tax. Sam Frear, 4734 Brookwood Street, spoke as a representative of the Friends of the Downtown. Mr. Frear described urban renewal and the free parking program as attempts to compete with Valley River Center and said the recommended parking plan will hasten the decline of downtown as a viable retail center by putting merchants at a competitive disadvantage. Mr. Frear suggested that if downtown employees abuse the parking program, regulations should be developed to discourage that misuse. Bill Sweet, 65 West 26th Avenue, spoke as a former downtown business owner and said he had not paid the gross receipts tax because a portion of the tax was being used by a private entity (Downtown Eugene, Inc.), which Mr. Sweet considered inappropriate and possibly illegal. Mr. Sweet expressed concern regarding the use of private security in public areas. He supported the three-hour free parking restriction. Mr. Sweet recommended voting against allowing the ODD to collect taxes. Mr. Sweet referred to lease-holds in the area beneath the Dverpark and asked how the City uses the income from those leases. Referring to surface parking lots at 8th Avenue and Willamette Street and at 11th Avenue and Willamette Street becoming parking structures, Mr. Sweet asked if any City staff member or elected official in the past five years has any direct connection with any company that builds parking structures. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 8, 1989 Page 2