CC Minutes - 10/23/06 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilor Kelly said he had submitted minutes corrections electronically. Mayor Piercy deemed the corrections, without objection, approved. Councilor Bettman indicated she had submitted a minutes correction electronically. Mayor Piercy deemed the correction, without objection, approved. Councilor Solomon noted that the Tentative Working Agenda still indicated a meeting scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving. City Manager Taylor responded that the meeting had been rescheduled to Monday, November 20 at 5:30 p.m. but the working agenda had not been corrected. Roll call vote; the motion to approve the Consent Calendar passed unanimously, 8:0. 3. ACTION: Exchange of Real Property Interests on Franklin Boulevard City Manager Taylor asked Mark Schoening, City Engineer for the Public Works Department, to discuss the exchange and the additional information that had been requested. Mr. Schoening clarified that the width of the Tedron property was 20 to 40 feet and the length was approximately 725 feet. The acreage was a little over half an acre. He said that the median on Franklin Boulevard prevented access to that parcel from east-bound traffic and the Interstate 5 off-ramp prevented safe or legal access for a motorist traveling on west-bound Franklin Boulevard. He related that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) viewed the off-ramp as extending to the traffic signal and would not entertain jurisdictional transfer of anything east of the west side of the Walnut Street/Garden Way intersection. He added that to formally apply to ODOT for access to that parcel would cost between $2,000 and $5,000 for an access permit. After discussion with ODOT staff and a review of the Oregon Highway Plan and the Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) regarding access, City staff concluded that ODOT would not grant access to the property. Mr. Schoening acknowledged that Councilor Papé had been correct in stating that the width standard for bicycle paths was 12 feet. He noted that the TransPlan indicated the bicycle path would be located on the north side of the Millrace between the Millrace and the railroad. This would be on railroad property. He said more recently the possibility of locating the future bicycle path on the river side of the railroad tracks had been explored, but in either location the City would have to negotiate with the railroad. He related that staff was optimistic given the University’s success with in negotiating with the railroad in regard to its Riverfront Research Park land. He pointed out that there was not enough room on the south side of the Millrace to build a bicycle path; additionally, the slope was steep. He added that many properties had developed to the Millrace and even across the Millrace. He thought there was a possibility that there would be connecting trails to the bicycle path and the easement would grant the City the opportunity to construct them. Mr. Schoening stated that the public purpose of the easement was similar to what the City gained when it undertook riparian corridor acquisition; it would protect the resource and enable the City to enhance the resource in the future. He said there was potential, depending on how the Walnut Mixed-Use Node Plan developed, that the Millrace could be an amenity to the plan and it would be beneficial for the City to have control over that area. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 23, 2006 Page 3 Regular Meeting