Agenda Packet 2-19-19 Work Session

Home Browse Search

MovingAhead 2018 Outreach Summary 60 Atrium Building 99 W lOth Ave. Eugene, OR 97401 Zach.A.Galloway@ci.eugene.or.us Dear Ms. Luftig, Mr. Henry, and Mr. Galloway: This firm represents Cowboy's Savannah LLC, the owner of the property located at 74 E. 181 Ave. in Eugene. As the owner of real property located at 74 E. 181 Ave. Eugene, Oregon, our client received a letter dated June 27, 2018 from the MovingAhead Project Management Team. The letter stated that the MovingAhead team wanted the opportunity to speak with those property owners that may be affected by potential roadway changes. However, very little to no substantive information was provided in the June 27, 2018 letter. It was not until July 11, 2018 during a phone conversation with a member of the MovingAhead team that it was made known that LTD and the MovingAhead team was proposing the use of its eminent domain powers to take part of our client 's property located at 74 E. 18th Ave. As described over the phone to our client, the potential impact to the property in question would be roughly 0.014 acres, over 600 square feet. Because of the nature of the property, the impact will be significant and the associated cost to LTO in an eminent domain action may be much greater than LTO currently anticipates. The placement of any bus stop, requiring the taking of private property, would without question be far more expensive for LTD than constructing the proposed stop at any number of more viable sites in the immediate vicinity of 74 E. 18th Ave, including at an already existing stop. Not only would the impact to the local community, businesses, and property owners be drastically reduced by placing the new stop across 18th Ave., but such a decision would also save LTD and the MovingAhead project a significant amount of money. As part of any taking through eminent domain powers, LTD would be required to pay the fair market value for the portion of the property taken. The property in question is situated in such a way that the proposed taking would result in a partial taking of the structure itself, requiring significant construction and rebuilding to meet city zoning and safety requirements. Any and all costs associated with such work would of course make up only one component of what LTO would have to pay in a condemnation proceeding. In addition to the fair market value and construction costs, LTO would be on the hook for any and all lost profits associated with the taking. It can reasonably be anticipated that the property would face a serious loss of business and profits as a result of any reduction in office space, as well as the general loss of business due to the increased noise, smell, and unwanted activity on the property that is associated with a bus stop being built immediately in front of a professional office building. February 19, 2019, Work Session - Item 1