09/11/1989 Meeting (3) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e III. PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE GRANTING AN EXCEPTION FOR OUTDOOR BURNING IN THE WILLOW CREEK NATURAL AREA City Manager Mike Gleason introduced the topic. Jim Croteau, Planning and Development Department, reported that in 1982 the council adopted the Willow Creek Study which set land use decisions for an area south of West 11th Avenue. Part of that study dealt with the Willow Creek natural area. Subsequent to the study's adoption, the Nature Conservancy, in cooperation with the property owners, assumed management of the natural area which contains at least one Federally endangered species. Since that time, two burns have been conducted to remove non-native vegetation. The ordinance before the council would allow an exception to the City's burning regulations and would allow a management burn to occur before October 20. The Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority has granted a burning permit for this activity. Mr. Croteau pointed out that since the 1983 involvement of the Nature Conservancy, the area has been burned twice. As the burns are successful, it is hoped that they will become less frequent. Answering a question from Mr. Holmer, Mr. Croteau explained that the Nature Conservancy's contract for management of the area is with the property owners and while the City is an interested party, it is not party to that agreement. e Catherine MacDonald, representing the Nature Conservancy, added that the agreements with the land owners assume that the lands within the natural area boundary will be donated to the City or to the Nature Conservancy at the time the uplands are developed for residential uses. Mr. Holmer questioned burning an ash forest area when there is a mandate to preserve the ash forest at the Spectra Physics site. Ms. MacDonald responded that the wetland community at Willow Creek and at the Spectra Physics site are at different successional stages. The area presently proposed for burning is a grassland community that harbors several rare species and without fire it will succeed to an ash forest. She added that the wetland component connects the two areas mentioned by Mr. Holmer. Mayor Miller opened the public hearing. There being no requests to speak, Mayor Miller closed the public hearing. CB 4158--An ordinance granting an exception to the application of Eugene Code, 1971, Section 6.200; and declaring an emergency. Ms. Bascom moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, that the bill, with unanimous consent of the council, be read the second time by council bill number only, and that enactment be considered at e MINUTES--Eugene City Council September II, 1989 Page 3