09/12/1984 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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;' . Councilor Ehrman suggested that letters of appreciation be forwarded to e Senator Packwood and Representative Weaver for their assistance in acquirfng thi s grant. Roll call vote; the motion carried unanimously, 8:0. v. STATUS REPORT: HISTORIC TREE BALLOT MEASURE (memo, background information distributed) City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the agenda item. Dave Reinhard of the Public Works Department briefly reviewed the September 4, 1984, Public Works and Planning Department memorandum which provided the definition of a historic tree as used in the Historic Tree Ballot Measure and the areas and proposed projects which would be impacted by the measure. He summarized that the ballot measure would add another step and related delays to the implementation of transportation projects and the requirement of funds to be set aside for tree maintenance. City Attorney Tim Sercombe explained that the ballot measure would not affect the first phase of the 6th/7th Avenues Widening Project because the City's participation in that project was complete. He said. the charter amendment will prospectively affect the City's participation in the second and third phases because no contract wit~ the State for use of the right of way has been signed. While the ballot measure proposes to retroactively affect City measures, he said the City Attorney's Office felt that the measure could have little effect on the first phase of the 6th/7th Project which contained most e of the trees defined as historic by the measure. In response to a question by Councilor Hansen, Mr. Sercombe said the ordinance would require a vote of the people to approve any transportation project including a historic tree. Councilor Holmer suggested that a subcommittee be established to develop a possible counci.l position on the ballot measure. . In response to a question by Councilor Ehrman, Mr. Gleason stated that a separate election would cost between $15,000 and $20,000. He fe1 t that the real cost to the City would be in the sequencing of transportation projects. He explained that the State was required to develop an environmental impact statement (EIS) prior to any project and that alternatives must be considered prior to approving any alignment. He said the measure's requirement for the citizens to vote on the alignment would create a complex situation that would effectively negate any future transporation plans. Al though the charter amendment would allow the City to perform some preliminary engineering steps before a vote of the people, Mr. Sercombe said the EIS performed in the preliminary analysis would then have to be restudied based on the public vote. He said that the delay between the original and final EIS may cause the loss of State or Federal funding. Councilor Bascom said she was committed to both the city transportation system and the trees in the area. She said she will present a proposal to the e MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 12, 1984 Page 6