01/23/1984 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Pat Decker of the Planning Department clarified several pieces of misinformation, stating that the Design Review Committee's work would lessen the impact of the widening project so that 137 trees would not be removed. She said the State was making a "good faith" effort in the weave proposal by which 21 of the 27 trees in the downtown section could be retained. In regard to the issue of 6th and 7th Avenues becoming a freeway in the downtown, she stated that many sections of the streets are already 40 feet wide and the project would widen them only 6 feet more. She added that some of those sections already carry four lanes and the project would only make those lanes the standard width to safely carry traffic. Responding to the concerns about buildings abutting the right-of-way in the High to Washington Street area, Ms. Decker said only two buildings were in that situation. She said the DRC has identified areas where sidewalks will be only five feet wide, which is the width of a standard City sidewalk. e Mr. Farah, commenting on the minutes of the Planning Commission public hearing on January 12, 1984, stated that Harold Chapman stated in his testimony that the 6th/7th Project will be replacing the Roosevelt and the Amazon Freeways which were part of the ESATS process. He stated that the T-2000 Plan took those projects to balance the facilities and it was decided that the 6th/7th Project would be the best method of establishing an east/west corridor while minimizing the impact on the community. Councilor Hansen stated that one stumbling block for the Design Review Committee was how to address the one block on 6th Avenue which has maple trees on both sides. He said Mr. Bauske's presentation to the council involved the discussions of the DRC. He said some of the DRC members had apparently voted on their own because he said he had no knowledge of any vote on the issue, although consensus was reached on all other issues. He asked staff to provide an update on the trees in that block. John Etter of the Parks and Recreation Department stated that some of the trees in that block were sampled and found solid. He said the City's arborist visually assessed the trees several months ago and listed three of the four trees on the north side of 6th Avenue as in fair to poor condition, with expected life spans of eight years given the current maintenance level. The other tree was rated in good condition and is expected to last 20 years. Of those on the south side of the street, one tree was rated poor, with an expected life span of four years, and the other three as fair, with expected life spans of fourteen years. Mr. Etter said the arborist suggested performing maintainance every two years, rather than every five years, to reduce the weight on weak limbs and to guy branches together. Of those trees on the north side of 7th Avenue, he stated that three were asssessed to be in good condition, three in fair, and two in fair to good condition. He stated that these trees would live from four to twenty years depending on their condition and the level of maintenance. In' response to a question on types of trees, Mr. Etter said that considerable difference in trunk size exists, possibily due to some trees being replaced 10-15 years after the initial planting. <. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 23, 1984 Page 20