CC Minutes - 07/14/03 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council President Pap~ opened the public hearing. Terry Connolly, 1401 Willamette Street, stated that, consistent with the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce priority to support public policies that will lend to the revitalization of downtown Eugene, the chamber was also supporting the item that this public hearing was considering. He asserted that commercial activity would be well-supported by increased commercial development partnered with increased residential development. Michelle Emmons, 861 Ivy Avenue, spoke on behalf of Downtown Eugene, Incorporated, in her capacity as Advocacy and Marketing Director, conveying support for the vertical housing development zone. She said that the City needed tools such as this, stating that without such tools, planning was merely visionary. She stressed that, after ten years, the City would be receiving the higher amount of property taxes that a developed site would provide, rather than a lower amount from an undeveloped lot or a site in need of redevelopment. She noted that an added benefit would be the provision of affordable housing for the residents of Eugene. She remarked that the City needed to create a tangible future for the downtown area by supporting the vertical housing development zone and the MUPTE. Council President Pap~ closed the public hearing and opened the floor for comments from the council. Councilor Meisner requested information from staff providing more detail on whether an application for the vertical housing development zone was granted automatically or whether the public benefit of it was evaluated first. He also asked whether the public would be given the opportunity to comment on it. Councilor Kelly commented that he supported the idea of the program. He asked staff to clarify, at a future work session, how it would be insured that a site would not receive both the MUPTE and the vertical housing development zone exemption. He noted that the resolution language needed to be reviewed as it indicated that 2nd Avenue was the northernmost boundary when it was, in fact, never farther north than 3rd Avenue. 6. ACTION: Metro Plan Text Amendment and Goal Exception for 1-5 Detour Bridge; an Ordinance Amending the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan Text, Chapter III, Section D., Policy #13; Adopting an Exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 Willamette River Greenway; Adopting a Severability Clause; and providing an Effective Date Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved that the City Council adopt Council Bill 4841, an ordinance concerning a Metro Plan text amendment and goal exception for I-5 detour bridge. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 14, 2003 Page 17 Regular Meeting