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MINUTES – Eugene City Council September 11, 2019 Page 1 <br />Work Session <br />M I N U T E S <br />Work Session of the Eugene City Council <br />Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />September 11, 2019 <br />12:00 p.m. <br />Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Claire Syrett, Chris Pryor, Greg Evans Councilor Taylor opened the September 11, 2019, Work Session of the Eugene City Council in Mayor Vinis’ absence. <br />1.WORK SESSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Ferry St. Manor – Application for Multiple-Unit <br />Property Tax Exemption for Mixed-Use PropertyBusiness Development Analyst Amanda D’Souza, Community Development Director, MichaelKinnison, and Economic Development Planner, Anne Fifield, presented information to councilabout a request for a Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption for the Ferry St. Manor project, aproposed multi-unit housing development located at 1040 and 1050 Ferry Street.Discussion <br />•Councilor Semple – inquired about the boundaries of the MUPTE; inquired about parkingfor the building associated with the MUPTE; expressed concern about the plan for FerryStreet Manor and Eugene Manor to share parking; expressed opposition to parkingsituation and inquired about alternatives; asked how developers will emphasize alternativemodes of transportation, what month construction would begin; and what would happen ifdevelopers don’t maintain the rates during the exemption period; asked about risks for theCity regarding rental rates and potential upcoming recession; asked about a response to theminority report; expressed appreciation for project but hesitancy about investment andparking; expressed concern about tax exemptions. <br />•Councilor Clark – expressed appreciation for Councilor Semple’s comments; discussedcouncil development of public benefits criteria and how this project fits within thosecriteria; asked how the project tests concepts developed through conversations withneighborhood association and local developers. <br />•Councilor Pryor – discussed rent control bill restrictions to allay fears of increasing rents;discussed work in rewriting MUPTE requirements (public benefits) and support for MUPTEbased on compliance with rules developed; expressed confidence in developers; sharedconcerns related to parking downtown but said it should not stall the project; discussedwhat could be developed on the lot instead of housing. <br />•Councilor Evans – inquired about the tax history of lot related to revenue the City hasreceived from the lot. <br />•Councilor Syrett – asked if tax dollars are given to developers, whether the current propertytax would continue to be paid during the exemption period, and if the developer would paySystem Development Charges for parks, transportation and infrastructure; inquiredrhetorically if project would take away from ability to pay for subsidized affordablehousing; noted general community disapproval of MUPTE and other tax breaks in light ofcommunity needs; expressed reasons for approval of project and MUPTE. <br />•Councilor Zelenka – asked how student housing provision works for project; expressedsupport for the student housing provision despite lack of faith in that particular test; <br />ATTACHMENT C <br />September 14, 2019, Meeting - Item 2A