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The council offered comments on themes. <br /> <br />Mr. Fart referred to the Arts Neighborhood concept and said he was intrigued by the concept. <br />Eugene had many talented artists in the community and there was an opportunity to establish a <br />cultural center in downtown to take advantage of the many performing venues in the core. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly offered advice to staff on packaging the council's comments, suggesting it would be <br />"neat" if staff synthesized the comments into proposed modifications to the document so the <br />council could approve a modified document. <br /> <br />Regarding the summary of the first work session prepared by staff, Mr. Kelly did not want the <br />council's discussion regarding the opening of Willamette Street at the Hult Center to be <br />misconstrued as support for a full standard street. He suggested that perhaps it could be sized to <br />allow passage of a shuttle bus. Regarding the summary statement that the council expressed <br />concern about the compatibility of private uses adjacent to Broadway, he asked if that was related <br />to the design standards or overlay zones suggested in the key next steps. Mr. Farmer said yes, <br />adding that the council indicated that opening the street was not a panacea, but it was important <br />that if it was opened there be good store fronts, mixed uses, and attention given to private <br />development responding to the street scape. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly noted the reference in the summary to the council's concern that the opening of the <br />Millrace include a connection of the existing section of the Millrace to the east, suggesting it <br />implied a pedestrian/bicycle path. <br /> <br />Referring to the theme Connect Downtown to the River, Ms. Bettman said she was glad to hear <br />staff was looking at the riverfront in a fish-friendly manner. She wanted to ensure that the City had <br />adequate buffers and setbacks for development before it moved forward. Regarding the last key <br />next step, Update Riverfront Urban Renewal Plan, she asked what the committee was thinking of <br />when it made that recommendation and how staff interpreted it. Mr. Farmer said committee <br />members felt that since the district was a tool already in place it would be a good way to state a <br />strong public policy direction for the area in question when developing a new plan to implement <br />the federal courthouse neighborhood concept. Ms. Nathanson added that the specifics of the <br />plan were what would happen in Phase 2, when staff would analyze the plan and make <br />recommendations to the council for areas to modify. She thought a district plan should be <br />reviewed and updated periodically to ensure it reflected the uses the council felt were important <br />for the community. Because there was a more comprehensive vision in place now, she thought it <br />was appropriate to update the plan in the same way a refinement plan would be updated. Absent <br />such direction, development would happen solely at the wishes of the developer. Mr. Meisner <br />added that though there were members of the committee who wanted to renew the district, the <br />committee agreed that the district should be matched to the purposes of the study and it should <br />be used effectively while the district existed, which was for five more years. <br /> <br />Mr. Rayor said he had a series of amendments related to bicycle facilities and bicycle access he <br />would like to include in the report. He wondered when it would be appropriate to offer <br />amendments to the document. Mr. Farmer suggested the council consider amendments at a <br />fourth work session. He said that amendments could be clarifying direction for the next phase of <br />implementing the vision. He invited councilors to submit any amendments they wished to suggest <br />to the staff. <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 21, 2000 Page 4 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />