CC Minutes - 10/27/03 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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the scenarios would be made available for public review and comment, probably in early 2004. He announced that there would be a meeting on November 5, 2003, of the West University Neighborhood Association and, for the first time in a decade, a new board would be elected. City Manager Dennis Taylor stated he had distributed a copy of a letter from the GSA regarding the remaining issues with the federal courthouse project. He reported that his meeting with GSA representatives was productive and the primary concern expressed by GSA related to pending federal funding to the City for the necessary road work around the courthouse site. He said the GSA was seeking from the City a clear alternative strategy for funding the roads in the unlikely event that federal funding was not forthcoming in a timely manner. He acknowledged the City's limited financial resources and explained that urban renewal district funds could be used to articulate an alternative to federal funding. He urged the council, when it met as the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency, to consider the proposed projects and amendments to the Riverfront Research Park Urban Renewal Plan and the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan, which included the courthouse area transportation improvements and potential use of urban renewal funds bonding, as an alternative funding strategy to address GSA concerns. Ms. Bettman asked Mr. Taylor if the City had fulfilled its obligations under the contract with the GSA to purchase the courthouse site. Mr. Taylor replied that the City had responded to the GSA with a letter outlining how it had met its obligations. Ms. Bettman stated that the contract terms had been negotiated in an executive session and now the GSA was asking for an additional $7 million in commitments from the City, which translated into requesting a discount on the cost of the project after the fact. She asked why those changes were not negotiated in a closed session as they modified the terms of a land sale and whether the contract had been written to protect the City. City Attorney Glenn Klein stated that the contract, which was a memorandum of understanding, stated that the GSA had to purchase the property, but did not specify when the purchase had to occur. Mr. Taylor said that the GSA could argue that purchase could be delayed pending congressional action on transportation reauthorization and Lane County funding priorities for Eugene. Mayor Torrey suggested that comments from the council and mayor be concluded and then the issue of the courthouse project could be addressed in greater detail when the council convened as the Urban Renewal Agency. Mayor Torrey congratulated Ms. Bettman for her presentation at the Yolanda King event. She thought the City should be gathering suggestions for future street names. Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting of the City Council and opened the meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency. B. WORK SESSION: Proposed Riverfront Research Park Urban Renewal District Projects Urban Services Manager Richie Weinman explained that the purpose of the work session was to discuss projects for inclusion in the Riverfront Research Park Urban Renewal Plan update, which had been previously discussed by the council in January, February, and April 2003. He said that staff had responded to the council's requests to consider projects and provide concepts for expanding the Urban Renewal District. He illustrated the additional potential areas on a map of the district. He said the new project ideas MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 27, 2003 Page 3 Work Session