CC Minutes - 05/14/01 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

for more public involvement in the future. Mr. Brandt asked the City Council to move forward with the tree preservation ordinance, saying "trees were under assault in so many different ways." He also asked the council to continue to funding the NeighborWoods Program. Kevin Matthews, PO Box 1588, spoke in support of the City's stormwater acquisition activities. He thanked the council for protecting two of the three stream corridors on the Beverly property. He thought the property had critical value because the Amazon Creek ran through the wetlands and it was an important community resource. He described the location of the Beverly property and said he would demonstrate with evidence the property was hydrologically critical to the Amazon system. The property was a critical lynchpin in the parks system and was appropriate for a trail. He said that the organized neighborhood group could work creatively with the City to find matching funds to leverage funds and protect the property as a community resource. Mr. Matthews noted that there was a rumor about a road being built through the property. Councilor Rayor referred to the council's decision made about the Bus Rapid Transit earlier in the evening. He said he had considered the issue at great length. He said that he had pushed to increase the viability and future build out for BRT through TransPlan, and had concluded that the community had to start somewhere. He wanted BRT to work. He said that fear of taking the first step should not be reason for not starting. Councilor Rayor said that the community could build critical mass behind the system. He did not think that LTD had the money to make BRT "everything to everybody" in the first system phase. Councilor Rayor said that his vote was a "leap of faith" that LTD would make the federal funding go as far as possible. Councilor Kelly agreed with Councilor Rayor that the council's vote in support of BRT was to some extent a leap of faith. The amendments the council made to the resolution regarding BRT had done a great deal to allay his concerns. He would not be fully comfortable with the project until future phases were built. However, he agreed with Councilor Rayor that the system must have a start. He encouraged the citizens offering testimony on the subject to continue to stay involved and be the council's "eyes and ears" for the project. Councilor Kelly referred to the Amazon headwaters and said staff would continue to bring various funding ideas to the council for an enlarged purchase, but there were also other community resources all over the city being threatened by development. The council must balance those threats with the opportunities that arise. Councilor Kelly encouraged the Southeast Neighbors to partner with former Councilor Barbara Keller on the larger acquisition of the headwaters area. Councilor Pap~ agreed with the comments of Councilor Rayor and Councilor Kelly regarding BRT. Councilor Bettman appreciated the audience's comments on BRT. She said that the more the council was willing to accept an incomplete plan, the more it could be sure it would receive incomplete plans and projects. She did not think that was a responsible way to run a city. Councilor Nathanson said that the decision on BRT might feel rushed to some, but the project had been contemplated for years in the planning process, which included extensive public involvement through the Planning Commission and City Council. At some point the planning must stop and the project is either done or not. Tonight a majority of the council agreed to join LTD in saying it was time to start the project and stop "gnashing our teeth." She said that there were many issues that must be balanced. Councilor Nathanson agreed with a remark previously made by Councilor MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 14, 2001 Page 3 Regular Meeting