02/13/1985 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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. e - Mayor Obie asked if the eity would have to buy all the property of the Texaco Station and Midas Muffler Shop. Ms. Andersen said the owners indicated they would like to remain on the site. Relocation on the same site is usually expensive for the City, but it is an option a property owner may choose. If the street does not weave to save trees, the City will not have to acquire additional right-of-way. Discussing 6th Avenue in front of Gray's Feed and Seed, Mr. Hansen said the street could be widened within the existing right-of-way and the trees on the south could be saved if a planting strip is eliminated along about 36 feet and a six-foot sidewalk is constructed. He pointed out the weave design puts the street within two or three feet of some apartment buildings. Ms. Andersen said the City might cause damage to the use of the apartment buildings and have to construct a barrier to mitigate such problems as noise. Mayor Obie suggested councilors discuss their observations one by one. He said the council must make a difficult decision. The decision should be clearly in the interests of the whole community. Mr. Rutan said the widening of 6th and 7th avenues was one of the first projects he considered as a member of the Planning Commission; consequently, he is very familiar with the project. The project is extremely important to the transportation system of the community. The eity has listened to and reacted to the concerns of citizens. The obligation to plan a far sighted transportation system which reflects concepts in documents such as the T-2000 Plan has been lost in the attempt to respond to the Historic Street Tree Charter Amendment and community concerns about the protection of historic trees. The council needs to show the kind of vision that built the Hult Center for the Performing Arts during a depression. The recommended weave alignment compromised the project in order to save trees. For the community, the adverse impact on businesses would be greater than the loss of the trees. He would support a design within the existing right-of-way. Mr. Holmer said a community consensus should be attained, if possible, and the council must make choices. The testimony indicated that the weave design recommended by the Design Review Committee did not persuade many people who had opposed the project. The weave design would cause many costly problems. Many people would question the council IS judgment if it authorized additional expense. All three phases should be approved because they are needed and because business people need to know what will happen. Ms. Bascom was mYstified by the division the project had caused in the community. She thought the project is "pro-Eugene." It will increase the livability of Eugene. It will rebuild a bumpy, tired section of the street into a smoother, safer section. The widening will be minimal because each lane will be narrower than most cities require. The narrow lanes will provide space for planting street trees on both sides of the streets the full length of the project for the next generation. In 1972, as a citizen working on a transportation plan, she realized the rebuilding of 6th and 7th was a key to a livable city and would make it possible to avoid a new freeway. eoncentrating traffic on 6th and 7th avenues will make the other streets safer for bicycles. She could not understand why some people think the project is ugly MINUTES--Eugene eity eouncil February 13, 1985 Page 6