10/31/1984 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Mayor Keller said he had viewed the develofment of the mall and felt the key issue was that the trial period for the ma 1 had extended longer than the recent recession. He said he would support the motion because he had not observed any significant improvements in that section of the mall. He felt that the City staff could develop cost-saving measures to reduce the financial impacts of the reopening. Mayor Keller felt that the proposed reopening was a wholesome exercise that would be a positive move by the council and by staff. He agreed with Ms. Schue that retail development was moving toward the north, adding that the movement could be viewed as support for that reopening. Roll call vote; the motion carried, 6:2; Councilors Obie, Wooten, Ball, Bascom, Hansen, and Holmer voting aye; and Councilors Ehrman and Schue voting nay. In response to a question by Councilor Wooten, Ms. Decker stated that the last portions of item d. and e. had been deleted by the motion so that the council could consider them separately. Ms. Wooten suggested that the the latter portions of items d. and e. be deleted entirely from the plan. In response to a question by Mr. Holmer regarding item d., Ms. Wooten said she wished to foreclose the option of any further reopening of Willamette Street. Mr. Obie said he preferred not to foreclose the option but to mitigate it in some manner. Ms. Bascom said she wished to have more discussion on the issue of the turnout. Mayor Keller stated that the council would first consider the latter portion of item d. as a separate item. Ms. Wooten moved, seconded by Ms. Schue, to delete the following e language from item d. of Implementation Strategy 5.1 in Option 2 of the Downtown Plan Draft: lIand consider further opening of Wi llamette Street between 8th and 10th avenues. II Councilor Obie said he was not predisposed to any further opening, stating that he felt that foreclosing the option was too stringent an action in light of the City's desire for commercial development in the downtown. He felt that the option should be studied and discussed by the Downtown and Planning commissions. He stated that he would oppose the motion based on those factors. In response to a question by Councilor Bascom regarding the inclusion of the option in the plan draft, Ms. Decker stated that the Downtown Commission had discussed the issue of reopening Willamette Street from 11th to 8th Avenue but had decided that there was insufficient information on the impact on the downtown to support that recommendation. She said the commission decided that the impact of the reopening between 10th and 11th avenues should first be studied before any further reopening was considered. Mr. Hansen questioned why the council should be afraid to consider the option. He fe 1 t tha t the further reopening should be considered if the initial reopening was successful. Ms. Wooten responded that she was not fearful of the study but stated that a study gave momentum to any issue. She felt that the council was sometimes required to take action on any issue studied; she did not feel the council was in a position to initiate the study at this time. - MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 31, 1984 Page 6