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<br /> e continually have the same arguments about downtown. He felt the task force's <br /> work could be beneficial to the community as a whole. Ms. Bascom asked Mr. <br /> Bennett if he recommended backing off on the Olive Street issue until the <br /> task force makes its final report. Mr. Bennett said that was his <br /> recommendation. He added that downtown's perimeter development might make <br /> the opening of the street more of a necessity, but noted that the necessity <br /> of opening the street to traffic for traffic circulation has scarcely been <br /> addressed tonight. <br /> Ms. Bascom said the issue of reopening Olive Street had been sent to the <br /> Downtown Commission by the council after community rejection of opening <br /> Willamette Street. It was her recollection that the issue of frustration <br /> with access was raised by citizens. Community frustration with downtown <br /> circulation continued to be a problem. Ms. Bascom said that at the time, the <br /> council was told that Olive Street would be too difficult to reopen. It <br /> appeared to her that it would be worth finding out if Olive Street could be <br /> reopened, and what it would cost. Ms. Bascom said the council still needed <br /> this information. She would be interested in knowing basic design schemes <br /> and cost estimates for the reopening of the street. Ms. Aspinwall-Lamberts <br /> said in order to reach this point, it did not make sense for the commission <br /> to work in isolation. Now was the time to call in other significant players <br /> and develop a vision for an open Olive Street. Ms. Bascom said she was <br /> comfortable with passing the issue to the task force to consider. Mr. Boles <br /> said the task force has a lot of work to do. He did not think that the task <br /> force, as presently scheduled and staffed could address both retail <br /> management and access and circulation in any rapid time frame. Mr. Boles <br /> e said the council could increase the membership of the group, divide it into <br /> two groups, and set the groups on parallel courses to examine the two issues, <br /> or constitute an entire new group to deal with access and circulation. <br /> Mr. Bartel said he did not think that retail management and access issues <br /> could be separated. He said while the City Council has a goal to make the <br /> downtown a place where office and retail development occurred, on the other <br /> hand, it continues to approve the development of retail shopping centers on <br /> the urban fringes. The council, in its Metro Plan Update, needs to stop <br /> development Mr. Bartel termed "willy-nilly." <br /> Mr. Green said due to the time constraints faced by the Retail Task Force, <br /> the council should be prepared to receive a less-than-comprehensive, though <br /> nonetheless informative, study. The council must be prepared to make a <br /> decision based upon that study. He felt that if the issue is brought to the <br /> public as part of a comprehensive, uniform study, the community may be more <br /> receptive. <br /> Ms. Morrow suggested that the task force address the issues of tenant mix as <br /> though all the streets were open. At the same time, the Downtown Commission <br /> could take a broad look at street designs for the reopening of Olive Street. <br /> This information could be forwarded to whatever group the council deemed <br /> appropriate. <br /> e MINUTES--City Council/Downtown Commission-- October 9, 1989 Page 8 <br /> Dinner/Work Session <br />