6.12.2019 City Council Work Session Minutes

Home Browse Search

Council Discussion • Councilor Syrett - expressed appreciation for the options and the way they're laid out; talked about the City's challenge to find Rest Stop locations; said the current sites have been very successful with little impact on surrounding communities; said she would like to expand the program; said that the City should have the option to provide funding for sanitation and security, including neighborhood matching grants; talked about wanting to see the elimination of residential requirements and school requirements; • Councilor Z elenka - talked about the perception of Rest Stops and the reality of Rest Stops; expressed wanting to spread positive stories about the Rest Stops and figure out a better way to tell the story; expressed interest in passing Option C for 2, 3, and 4; asked about the differences in options for Item 1. • Councilor Pryor - talked about how City Council had proceeded cautiously as this program began, but can now make changes as more is learned; talked about people using unregulated camping as a baseline for Rest Stops; said Rest Stops have proven to be a workable, viable model and an alternative to unregulated camping; expressed interest in proposed options as long as concerns are mitigated. • Councilor Clark - said that the original Rest Stop idea is not what they have become; urged councilors not to lift the criteria related to residential neighborhoods and schools; said that education efforts won't necessarily change people's opinion; talked about the meeting about the proposed car camping area in Santa Clara and the anger in the room; said he does not want to create unnecessary conflict. • Councilor Taylor - said she has heard of increased garbage and vandalism near Rest Stops; said that many people are too afraid to air their concerns because they don't want to seem intolerant; concerned that Rest Stops are being regarded in a more permanent way when they should be transitional; said she does not want to relax requirements around residential areas and that the City should not start paying for rest rooms or garbage for Rest Stops. • Councilor Yeh - said she was in favor of having more flexibility in Rest Stop siting because neighborhoods are looking for sites and they have felt limited by the regulations; said she would like neighborhoods to have more options, so they can compare different alternatives; supported the effective mitigation language; asked about any incentives for private property owners to host a Rest Stop. • Councilor Semple - asked how long people can stay at a Rest Stop and if they are still transitional; said she would like to allow Rest Stops in residential areas and create incentives for private property owners to host as long as mitigation is done to address community concerns; asked about the difference between potential options around residential requirements. • Mayor Vinis - talked about conversations with 4J School District about the opportunity for a Rest Stop restricted to families near a school, noting there may be potential for coordination there; talked about how the location of Rest Stops are more permanent, but the residents are not; reminded everyone about the differences between Rest Stops and car camping. • Councilor Syrett - talked about the original Roosevelt Rest Stop and how adjacent businesses had reported reduced vandalism and theft after the Rest Stop opened; pointed out that the program is more effective than car camping because there are requirements put upon individuals in the program; said that if City Council decides to remove the residential and school siting requirements, they would still have an obligation to address community concerns. • Councilor Semple - said she was very interested in having Rest Stops near schools if kids in the program go to the school; interested in creating more lenient rules, because City Council would still have the ability to tighten how they are applied. • Councilor Zelenka - expressed interest in relaxing criteria around schools; noted that Representative Fahey recently reported that 12 percent of Bethel students and thousands in MINUTES — Eugene City Council June 12, 2019 Page 4 Work Session