CC Minutes - 11/10/03 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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identified at which the project would be abandoned if requests for funding at the federal, state, and local levels were denied. He said he did not want to reserve in perpetuity the swath of land through the court- house district that would be required for daylighting the Millrace. He added that the daylighting proposal could raise questions about the proposed starting point at Broadway and Mill Street and the fact that a portion of the Millrace would not be daylighted. He asked staff for an analysis of the point raised by the Planning Commission regarding the environmental problems presented by daylighting and for a cost estimate. Ms. Bettman agreed with Mr. Meisner's request for additional information. She also raised the issue of pollution in the Millrace impacting the river and salmon, which might bring other resources to the project. She said the cost of $6 million for the second option to create water features seemed unjustifiable and was less likely to be supported by the community than daylighting an historical Millrace, which, if supported by the community, could be funded through a bond measure. Ms. Bettman commented that the daylighting option could possibly fulfill multiple objectives by providing a pedestrian connection to the district, potentially leveraging economic development funds along with other resources and a bond measure, and accommodating the General Services Administration's (GSA) desire for pedestrian infrastructure. Kurt Corey, Public Works Director, replied that he was hesitant to state that a walking path along a daylighted Millrace would fulfill GSA objectives. He said the below-street level envisioned for a daylighted Millrace would entail getting up and down to access the water and could be considered additional pedestrian access through the courthouse site, but not the primary pedestrian access to the redeveloped area. Ms. Bettman remarked that it appeared daylighting was the only option for a vision the community was likely to support through a bond measure and was an amenity to development in the redevelopment area. She said if brought to fruition, the project could provide a long-term benefit to the community. Mr. Kelly expressed appreciation for the comments from other councilors supporting the larger vision of daylighting the Millrace and endorsed the idea that there should be a point at which the project should be abandoned if funding could not be obtained. He agreed that while the pedestrian access along a daylighted Millrace might not meet GSA requirements, it was a great pedestrian connection through redevelopment, particularly the route beneath the railroad tracks. He remarked that the San Antonio Riverwalk was also below street level and worked very effectively to connect people to businesses with a series of stairways, ramps, and visual connections. Mr. Kelly said daylighting the Millrace was a big vision, a big attractor that could spur redevelopment, and potentially a symbol for downtown. He said one of the businesses the council should be in, occasionally, was dreaming big and the daylighted Millrace was a big dream. He complimented Mr. Hostick for his work on the Millrace options. He urged the council to give direction to the staff to pursue the full daylighting option and agreed with Ms. Bettman's suggestion that other funding sources could be available to support the project. He added that community fundraising from the private sector was also a possibility. Ms. Nathanson echoed Mr. Kelly's remarks about fundraising and financing options for the project. She expressed reluctance to approach the voters at the present time to request money for a Millrace project when there were urgent needs related to public safety and transportation. She said the daylighted Millrace could benefit both residents and visitors and stated she was glad to see such a vision for the community. She MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 10, 2003 Page 8 Work Session