12/16/1985 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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received preliminary evaluations before they were discarded. Mr. Gleason said e ODOT must produce an analysis of testimony received in its public hearing (a Hearing Study Report) in time for the council to call for an election in March. If the council asks for much more information from ODOT, the analysis may not be produced in time. The election must be held in March if the 6th/7th extension is to be considered for inclusion in the 1986 update of ODOT's Six-Year Plan. Answering a question from Councilor Holmer, City Attorney John Arnold said the City Charter requires a vote on the specific route of a limited access highway. Responding to questions from Ms. Ehrman, Ms. Andersen said ODOT will hold public hearings on the Six-Year Plan in March and April of 1986 and the plan probably will be adopted in June or July. The present draft of the Six-Year Plan includes only the "development" of the 6th!7th Extension. If it is not changed, only the design of the highway will be completed in the next six years. No right-of-way acquisition or construction will be done. The City hopes to get the project moved up in the Six-Year Plan so that right-of-way can be acquired and construction begun. To accomplish that, a successful election is needed. Mr. Gleason said the "development" designation is a way to avoid doing something on the project. The 6th/7th widening project is in the first year of the draft of the Six-Year Plan. The project is designed and the voters approved it. Councilor Rutan wondered why councilors had asked so many questions about process. He wondered why they were not discussing the alternatives. e Councilor Bascom said the council's options were: (1) to choose the best of the alternatives or (2) to wait at least two years until the next Six-Year Plan update. Ms. Andersen agreed with Ms. Bascom. Answering questions from Councilor Miller, Ms. Andersen said the council will not have to call an election in March. However, if the council does not make a recommendation so that ODOT can prepare the final Environmental Impact Statement, there will be at least a two-year delay in the project. Mr. Gleason said ODOT will not design the project until it receives a higher priority than "deve10pment" in the Six-Year Plan. Ms. Brody said ODOT will address the concerns raised in the public hearings between now and when the final EIS is presented. If a re-evaluation is needed, another public hearing might be held. The council will have about a month to discuss the ODOT recommendation after the Hearing Study Report is received. The council's decision can be changed any time before an election is called. Answering a question from Ms. Wooten, Ms. Andersen said money for a "development" project wi 11 not be spent until near the end of the Six-Year Plan if right-of-way acquisition and construction are not included in the pl an. A project can retain the "development" designation for many years. In this case, the City will have to urge a higher priority for the 6th/7th extension in two years if it is not approved this year. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 16, 1985 Page 5