CC Minutes - 01/28/02 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilor Meisner opined that it would be valuable to consult with 4J again. City Manager Johnson noted that 4J had given its concurrence then and therefore it was not necessary to consult with them again, and that the school districts now received their funding from the State. In response to a question from Councilor Pap~ regarding whether other cities had similar exemptions, Mr. Weinman noted that Salem and Portland had similar exemptions. In response to a question from Councilor Pap~ regarding whether there were figures to support lifting the moratorium on property tax exemptions in the core area of downtown, Mr. Weinman reiterated his earlier statement that there had been no new development since the moratorium was enacted in 1996. He stressed that the idea of the ten-year property tax exemptions was to forgo revenue in the shod-term for increased revenue in the long-term. In response to a question from Councilor Nathanson regarding whether the developments would be supportive of transit, Mr. Weinman noted that the core area of Eugene's downtown was close to major bus lines and added that Eugene's exemption used the same requirements as the State definition. Councilor Nathanson raised concern that stimulating growth in the core area of Eugene's downtown might discourage housing rehabilitation elsewhere in the City. Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. Terry Connolly, Eugene Chamber of Commerce, supported lifting the moratorium. He said it would be consistent with Eugene's stated growth management policies. He said the chamber supported the staff recommendation. Tom Slocum, 1950 Graham Street, supported the staff recommendation. He said it was important to the downtown area because otherwise it would be difficult for that area to compete with the rest of the city. He suggested that the application time be cut from 180 days to 120 days. Russ Brink, speaking for Downtown Eugene Incorporated, supported the staff recommendation. He urged quick action by the council and reiterated Mr. Weinman's earlier statement that no housing development had been done since the moratorium had been enacted in 1996. David Hinkley, 1350 Lawrence Street, supported the staff recommendation. He suggested that the Downtown Plan needed to be updated before allowing more exemptions and emphasized the importance of limiting projects to the downtown core area. He also remarked that it was too easy for developers to get the "points" needed for the exemption. Hugh Pritchard, 101 East Broadway, supported the staff recommendation. He stressed the importance of getting the support of local investors. John Belcher, Eugene Planning Commission, made himself available for questions from the council regarding the Planning Commission requests. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 28, 2002 Page 4 Regular Session