11/06/1989 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Council Bill 4175 was read the second time by number only. Mr. Bennett moved, seconded by Ms. Schue, that the bill be approved and given final passage. Mr. Boles disagreed with Mr. Holmer's earlier statement and stated his support of the language proposed by the Cultural Affairs Commission. Roll call vote; the motion carrying 6:1, with Mr. Boles voting nay, the bill was declared passed (and became Ordinance No. 19647). V. PUBLIC HEARING: UPDATE OF THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN FOR THE CENTRAL EUGENE PROJECT City Manager Mike Gleason introduced the topic. Abe Farkas, Planning and Development Director, presented an overview of the urban renewal program. Urban renewal and tax increment financing (the dedicated source of funding attached to urban renewal by State statute) provide a means of reaching the goal of urban revitalization. That goal is recognized in the Downtown Plan, the Economic Development Strategic Plan, and the Metropolitan Area General Plan. Urban renewal is used as an economic development tool in 35 states and over 20 jurisdictions in Oregon. Renewal was introduced in Eugene in the late 1960s and was accompanied by Federal assistance. Since that time, e Federal funds to cities have been seriously eroded and the burden for revitalization is now on cities, with limited state assistance. The recession of the 1980s has slowed the urban renewal plan's progress that was anticipated in the late 60s. Renewal is not focused on downtown alone; Eugene has had four renewal districts, with two of them currently active (the Downtown District and the Riverfront Research Park). A district in the Bethel area focused on housing rehabilitation for lower-income households and one in the university area assisted the University of Oregon with needed expansion. At this point, Mr. Farkas presented a slide show depicting some of the results of urban renewal over the past 20 years. Bob Hibschman, Planning and Development staff, reviewed the process involved in updating the urban renewal plan. The updated plan represents a significant amendment to the old plan and recognizes that the program is incomplete, with seven of the eight objectives of the original plan already being addressed. Still to be accomplished is the disposition of two-and-a-half blocks of Urban Renewal Agency-owned, assembled sites. The plan focuses on the development of the sites and additional parking to support them. Three of the five parking garages envisioned in the 1968 plan have been built. The original plan was specific in terms of sites that needed to be acquired, cleared, and redeveloped. The amended plan is less specific and is designed e MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 6, 1989 Page 4