CC Minutes - 05/23/05 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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David Monk, 3720 Emerald Street, called LRAPA an "exceedingly important player in the community" for long-term economic development and the quality of life. He said it appeared Eugene would have full representation on the LRAPA Board for the first time in five years. He felt it was an important time for the agency, as the director had recently been let go and new members with little experience with air quality had recently been appointed. He urged the council to support the Mayor's nomination of Drew Johnson for the LRAPA Board, as he had a lot of experience. Paul Nichols on, 1855 East 28th Avenue, stated that, from an economic point of view, it was important to protect the McKenzie River. He explained that he was a small business owner in the city of Eugene who founded Unique Eugene, an organization of local small businesses. He said the small business owners depended on the kinds of assets the McKenzie River and its beautiful recreational opportunities provided. He asked the council to support the resolution to preserve the river as it attracted people to the area. Moshe Immerman, 1290 McLean Boulevard, suggested that people needed to ask if decision-makers who did not live in the area loved and understood them. He felt the decision to log along side the McKenzie River was made by people who did not live here or who did not stay long. He asserted that area residents needed to protect the river as old growth trees help to maintain the watershed. He said when old growth trees were logged it altered the biological balance of soils and increased sedimentation in water. He predicted that reforestation would be made more difficult by the lessening of the snow pack that was occurring due to global warming. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum. She thanked Mr. Petkun for his service as University of Oregon student body president. She also clarified that she was a willing participant in a forum on the arena but, given that the University of Oregon owned the property it was slated to be built upon, she was not able to do more than that. She opened the floor for councilor comments and questions. Councilor Bettman apologized for limiting testimony to two minutes. She said it was encouraging to see the democratic process was alive and well in the City of Eugene. Councilor Bettman wished to highlight two pieces of the Monroe Street Cafd discussion and flag them for the City Council: 1) mixed-use and incompatible mixed uses in neighborhoods, and how mixed-use interacted with preserving residential uses; and 2) whether the City might need to consider a buffer between smoking areas and adjacent residential properties. She said it seemed the City might have an opportunity to weigh in on the renewal of the OLCC license. She asked if the council could have a "quicker turnaround" and wondered why, given that the neighborhood had been addressing this issue for a year, neighbors were forced to bring it to a City Council meeting. Councilor Taylor said the initial vote on limiting the time created a dilemma for her as she was always opposed to doing so, but given that it was partnered with an extension of the time she voted in favor. She thanked everyone for speaking eloquently. She congratulated the people of Santa Clara for standing up for their issue. She commented that they were evidence that "democracy does work sometimes." She wished the neighbors of J.H. Baxter & Company and the Crest Drive Citizens Association the same sort of success. Councilor Taylor likened being asked to protect the McKenzie River to being asked to save one's own life. MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 23, 2005 Page 6 Regular Session