06/21/1989 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Ms. Decker reviewed Option 1 for addressing sewer and annexation issues in River Road/Santa Clara. She said Option 1 provides for sewer availability to all properties in the River Road area in the near future. In addition, Option 1 gives residents an opportunity to vote on issues, provides for lower sewer assessments because of the large-scale annexation, generates tax revenues which could be used to fund police services in the area, and provides for public hearings before the Eugene Planning Commission, Eugene City Council, and the Lane County Boundary Commission. Ms. Decker added that Option 1 would be based on a tax differential system and would provide for a gradual phase-in to the City tax rate. Ms. Decker noted that if the council chooses to proceed with Option 1, some type of fall-back strategies should be developed in case a remonstrance is filed and the election is lost. She said possible strategies include moving on to Option 2 and working with the County and Springfield to make the changes necessary to allow connection of existing development to sewers prior to annexation or utilizing the election results to process small annexations. Ms. Decker said staff has also developed an Option lA, which incorporates an advisory vote conducted by Lane County. She stated that asking Lane County to schedule such a vote is the only way to allow for a vote prior to the initiation of the annexation. Ms. Decker reviewed Option 2, which would: establish the inevitability of sewers; extend sewer availability to existing development in the near future; allow the connection schedule to be met; and would separate annexation and e sewer issues. Ms. Decker mentioned several drawbacks to Option 2. These included: financing of the sewers would not be backed by the full faith and credit of the City; other needed urban services would not be provided; and, the approach would require changes to the Metro Plan and the County Service District Agreement. Ms. Decker emphasized that Option 2 would provide for sewer connections for existing development; new development would still require annexation. Ms. Decker said staff examined several alternative methods for addressing sewer and annexation concerns in the River Road/Santa Clara area. These alternatives included an incremental annexation process, island annexation, returning River Road/Santa Clara issues to the County, repayment of the grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, and small area annexation elections. Ms. Decker said staff did not feel any of these options were worth pursuing. She reviewed some of the difficulties with these alternatives (see memorandum dated June 21, 1989). Terry Smith, Assistant Director of Public Works, described the logic behind staff's recommendation. He said there are two ways to approach annexation. One of those is the belief that in order for annexation to succeed, it must be done at the lowest possible expense. The second approach takes the view that annexation will succeed if services that people really want are offered in a cost-effective manner. Mr. Smith said what cities do best is provide cost-effective services. He said the City's ability to deliver cost-effective police service is one of its strengths, and should be used in e MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 21, 1989 Page 3