AMENDED2 Agenda packet 11-12-19 Meeting

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MINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session October 14, 2019 Page 2 3.WORK SESSION: Riverfront and Downtown Urban Renewal OverviewPlanning and Development Director Denny Braud and Community Development Director MichaelKinnison provided a high-level overview of projects in two urban renewal districts.Council Discussion •Councilor Taylor – Supported the use of the Montgomery Ward Building as a day center andhomeless shelter; inquired about and discussed the cost of each quiet zone; expressedappreciation for discussions with a local business owner about opening the walls of buildingshe owns near Kesey Square. •Councilor Syrett- Asked if, in upcoming agenda materials, staff could provide for each urbanrenewal district the related cost of each project as well as current capacity of district; discussedthe difference between the current idea for use of the LCC building as compared to previousdirection given by the URA board; asked if the board would need to take action if visionschange; expressed appreciation for vision of workforce housing in that space but need to ensurethe board is in compliance with previous approvals. •Councilor Zelenka – Asked how the downtown high-speed fiber service area was determined;reiterated Councilor Syrett’s comments regarding the difference in vision of innovation spaceversus workforce housing; inquired about upcoming conversations about the Town Square;raised concerns about the timing of development of Town Square and City Hall and expressedhis desire to discuss City Hall funding strategies. •Councilor Clark – Discussed desire of staff to incorporate needs of public in development ofmarket square space; reiterated Councilor Zelenka’s comments about the high-speed fiberconnections and inquired about the next steps for expanding the footprint of high-speed fiberdevelopment; discussed use of private/public partnerships in development and expansion ofthe fiber optics technology. •Councilor Pryor – Discussed list of questions related to needs, capacity, and timelines of theproposed projects. •Councilor Syrett – Reiterated Councilor Clark’s comments about building out the fiber opticnetwork; discussed next steps of developments and expressed concerns about equity ofdevelopments in certain areas of town. •Councilor Zelenka – Appreciated Councilor Syrett’s comments about equity, inquired aboutservice of fiber within a particular area; discussed intentions for initial infrastructure to servehigh speed fiber and challenges in development; inquired about the slide showcasing uploadand download speed of high-speed fiber optics in downtown; discussed the impact of high-speed internet connection on economy and employment. •Councilor Clark – Discussed downtown developments and successes, including historicalamenities that enabled cities to succeed; discussed idea of leveraging this tool to increasesuccess of city, especially in underdeveloped areas and expressed desire to hear more. •Mayor Vinis – Continued Councilor Clark’s comments about focusing more on underdevelopedareas, including using the building out of those areas to install fiber optics infrastructure duringconstruction. •Councilor Pryor – Discussed global methods for installing fiber optics in economical ways anduse of creativity to make development happen cheaper and faster; discussed use of fiber opticsinstead of 5G for connection to the internet. Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency and reopened the meeting of the Eugene City Council. November 12, 2019, Meeting – Item 3A