11/15/1982 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. ~ Lindberg said he is interested in the Downtown Commission sinking their teeth into the vagrancy issue. Mr. Skeie said the safety issue is a catch-22. If e enough people are downtown, the crime element is washed out. Now there is not enough business to wash the criminal elelment out. It takes a lot of people to fill the big streets. Ms. Bennett said it had been mentioned at Downtown Commission meetings that if Eugene becomes vital with color, action, and lights, the vagrants will be there but they will not be as noticable. Councilor Wooten asked for statistical information. Councilor Lindberg said on November 24, he would be submitting a 10-page report on vagrancy and said the solution may be at hand. Mr. Filer said the Whiteaker Neighborhood had voiced concern that the downtown not push the element out of downtown and into the Whiteaker area. Mr. Filer said the downtown parking program was identified as a downtown problem to be considered early. Shortly after the goal-setting session, the tenants of the Medical Arts Building on Broadway raised concerns about removal of a service- free lot from the program since it affects availability of handicapped parking. A subcommittee was formed October 1 and commissioners listened to description of policy, background behind the parking program, legal aspects of the tax structure, and legal aspects to an alternative tax structure and program use patterns. A decision on the parking program is due in two weeks. A problem exists with needing to make decisions but with having no plan context in which to make them. Early action is expected that would not attempt to revise conceptual foundations of the program but would address immediate problems. Mr. Neustadter said the subcommittee is not sure that they are in total agree- ment with the council on the T-2000 Plan that states free parking for shoppers is a priority. Mr. Schott said the single best definintion of the current e parking problem was stated by John Porter, who said, liThe parking problem is that there is no parking problem.1I Mr. Filer added that the current parking program was developed under a much different notion of what downtown should be like. Free parking for consumers which excludes employees could use some revsion. The downtown is for a variety of uses and employees use the downtown. Mr. Skeie said the Overpark is not as popular as the Parcade. An analysis is being made on why people leaving the Overpark feel more vulnerable. Mr. Lindberg reported that the head of a senior citizens' group had called about her concern that merchants were not catering to the needs of many of the senior citizens who live close to downtown. Senior citizens were discouraged that shops were not addressing their merchandising needs. Mr. Schott said the legitimacy of the Downtown Commission has been questioned. The enabling legislation that wrapped up urban renewal and caused the Downtown Commision to exist put the urban renewal authority with the City Council. The Downtown Commission needs City Council support during the formation stages, if it is to be an effective commission. Councilor Ball said the Downtown Commis- sion will have the support. Councilor Miller said people can be invited to field decisions to City Council. Councilor Wooten said city council needs to find ways to promote the Downtown Commission. The Downtown Commission and Planning Commission are the highest ranking advisory bodies in the City of e MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 15, 1982 Page 5