12/04/1985 Meeting (3) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Jeff Stier, 958 West 11th, representing the public interest, said he e questioned the assumption that the population goal of 293,000 people would be met by the year 2000, adding that he understood the most recent population growth projections were contained in an L-COG document completed in 1978. He said he thought updated projections were needed, noting that the MAPAC slides had included the same population assumption, which he emphasized was not known. Mr. Stier also referred to the proposed addition of a new fundamental principle #7 of the Metropolitan Area General Plan (vol. II, section II, Page 4), stating that the population level, rather than a specific year, was the basis for the plan. He said the amendment should not be characterized as adding needed flexibility to the plan, but rather as begging the essential question--when the improvements would be needed, if ever. He said he supported Councilor Wooten's comment of the previous evening, that capital improvements could not be planned for using such an ambiguous timeframe. Mr. Stier also said the question of funding would become acute if the expected number of people had not come into the area to help pay for the IIwish listll of projects. He read a statement from the introduction to the Financial Element (Page 26) that improvements outlined in the TransPlan could only be completed by expansion of existing, or development of additional revenue sources. He said potential sources of revenue included fuel taxes, utility taxes, a sales tax, payroll tax, or income tax, etc. He also said the expected deficit for the 15-year construction schedule was $117.5 million and would require presenting a strong case to voters. e Mr. Stier mentioned the issue of air quality, noting that the metro area was located in the bottom of one of the most persistent temperature inversions in the United States, which resulted in smoke, dust, and pollutants being concentrated in a small volume of air with no natural outlet. He said he did not feel that promoting or hurrying urban growth such as that envisioned in TransPlan was the business of government. He said he thought public money was being used in entrepreneurship and speculation, rather than in seeking to accommodate growth. He added that he thought the role was dangerous because too many of those involved in local government had sub- stantial financial holdings in the area and, even in unrelated areas, their judgment could not help but be influenced by those stakes. Mr. Stier cited the example of a public official with land holdings in West Eugene who naturally would favor investment of pUblic money in infrastructure in that area, even if it might not be in the best interests of the whole community. Jeri Cohen, 825 East Park, representing the Willamette Valley Company, 660 McKinley Street, said the November 7, 1982, memo in the packet described the reliance on the T-2000 Plan and Metro Plan in the company.s planning. She said the thrust of the company's challenge to the TransPlan involved concurrent public review of that plan and the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Sixth-Seventh extension project. She said both the T-2000 and Metro plans had delineated the Alternative 2 alignment proposed by the EIS, and the company was highly suspicious of the change in delineated routes to the EIS's Alternative 1 route. She said staff had responded that the e MINUTES--Joint Elected Officials Hearing--TransPlan December 4, 1985 Page 7