12/22/1980 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

, Paul Williamson, 1740 West 14th Avenue, representative of Whiteaker Energy, said minimum weatherization should be the right of a homeowner buying a house. Badly . weatherized homes cause the rates to increase and affect the health and welfare of occupants. Time is not on the side of the best solution as fuel costs rise. In the time of crisis, quick solutions will appear attractive. Conservation takes time. He would like to see water pipe insulation under floors added to the prescriptive standards. Once the underfloor is weatherized, the heat that keeps the pipes from freezing in the winter is eliminated. He hoped heating ducts would include return air ducts. Doug Mansfield, 309 West 22nd, Chairman of the Energy Conservation Committee, Lane County Builders Association, said they were not in unanimous agreement about the mandatory aspects of the proposal. They had worked with Greg Page and the ordinance is the culmination of much thought. If EWEB financing does not go into effect, the proposal should be reconsidered. He urged the council to make provision for it beforehand. The ordinance needs more public hearings after the holidays. Shawn Boles, 105 North Adams, Executive Board of Whiteaker Community Council, supported the weatherization standards. The proposed standard represents the first implementation of Housing Policy 6 of the Whiteaker Refinement Plan. The implementation of the standards is adequate to ensure that those who weatherize can take advantage of the current and impending financing. The standards are sensitive to the needs of the rental housing and the importance of protecting property owners from undue economic burdens. The adoption of standards for existing residences will provide a sound foundation for future conservation measures for other types of structures. One concern of the Whiteaker Community . Council is the extent to which the weatherization costs will be passed through to low-income renters. Carl Hosticka, 2420 Emerald, argued that the free market should rule. People acting on their own good will do the social good, but he pointed out 49 percent of the Eugene housing is rental housing. No economic incentive exists since the tenant pays the energy costs. He urged the City Council to interfere in the free market in this instance and pass the ordinance. Don Corson, 2076 Alder, Energy Consultant to the Department of Energy, the Energy Extension Service, the Solar Utilization Network, supported the ordinance, as a reasoned, needed, and fair ordinance. Over the past year, it has been a source of public discussion. It is straightforward, effective, and at a modest cost. Public financing proposes that all people will be able to do it. Mariam Russell, 1185 West 13th, a widow on Social Security, spoke of the problems of a renter 1n an unweatherized duplex. She urged passage of the ordinance. Those speaking against the proposal: Laura Johnson, 1810 Fairmount Blvd, objected to subsidizing industrial growth if they would weatherize in order for more industry usage in the city. She objected to spending $30 million to reduce electric usage one and one-half to five percent. She advocated postponement of the measure. Voluntary measures will work although they are waiting to see what the legislature and BPA will do. She . urged an authentic survey by an unbiased organization. (In the survey cited by MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 22, 1980 Page 15