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CC Minutes - 01/09/02 SOC
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CC Minutes - 01/09/02 SOC
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City Council
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balance livability and quality of life with economic development and the ability to earn a living. He did not <br />think the community had done a good job in achieving that balance yet, and suggested some of the City's <br />planning efforts had unintended consequences that needed to be addressed quickly. He noted that 83 percent <br />of the respondents to the community survey had indicated Eugene should offer assistance in business siting, <br />development, and permitting. In addition, 78 percent indicated the City should take an active role in helping <br />businesses create new jobs, and 72 percent indicated the City should help outside firms locate to the <br />community. He emphasized the importance of creating family-wage jobs, not just minimum-wage jobs. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey said the community needed to consider fundamental issues such as the supply of commercial and <br />industrial land. The Chamber of Commerce had commissioned a study that indicated there were only 48 acres <br />of constraint-free commercial land available in the community. There were 484 acres of constraint-free <br />industrial land. Mayor Torrey said that Eugene could not enhance its economic well-being without addressing <br />that issue. He said that Eugene must find a way to overcome its reputation as a community that was not open <br />for business. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey related an anecdote shared with him by a developer about the extra effort a City employee put <br />forth to ensure a development application was properly processed. He commended the work done by City staff <br />in resolving conflicts that arose from the recently adopted Land Use Code Update and the work done by the <br />Planning and Development Department in the courthouse siting issue. Mayor Torrey said that he also heard <br />critical comments about the time it took the City to process applications and about the fact that nonlocal <br />companies were not interested in relocating to Eugene because of its anti-business attitude. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey noted the four companies moving from Eugene to Springfield, but said Springfield was a <br />tremendous neighbor and no jobs would be lost as a result of the moves. However, Eugene would lose tax <br />revenue to Springfield as a result. He said that the people who live in Eugene and work for those companies <br />would continue to expect Eugene to deliver services it would have less money for. He asked what Eugene <br />could do to retain existing businesses and attract new organizations, private or public, to create quality jobs. <br />He extended the question to all citizens. He wanted local governments to join together to develop a <br />questionnaire to give to businesses and public organizations to learn from them what their perception of <br />Eugene was and what needed to be done to retain them or attract them. Mayor Torrey suggested the survey <br />results be shared with all citizens to begin a community-wide discussion on what Eugene was prepared to do to <br />enhance its economy. After that discussion, the elected officials could make a conscious decision about how to <br />move forward. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey emphasized the need for the community to have quality education to attract those who wish to <br />create quality jobs. He said he was convinced that Eugene could have an open for business attitude; it would <br />require, however, a cultural shift on the part of all the elected officials and key staff members. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey quoted from Robert Frost's The Road Less Traveled: <br /> <br /> The woods are lovely, dark, and deep; but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey thanked those in attendance. <br /> <br />VIII.ADJOURN <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 9, 2002 Page 4 <br /> State of the City <br /> <br /> <br />
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