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approximately 400 feet of the ditch had been filled as part of a mitigation project intended to <br />direct water to the southern part of the site. <br /> <br />Mr. Bj6rklund said that the staff recommendation was based on examination of Hyundai's request <br />as well as examining the objectives that the Eugene and Lane County planning commissions <br />were trying to achieve, and trying to balance the two. He added that staff had tried to maximize <br />developable acres while minimizing impacts to wetlands, habitat, rare plants, and wet prairie. He <br />said that staff's recommendation was a development area of 6.9 acres with a total wetlands <br />impact of 1.4 acres (in addition to what the Planning Commissions recommended). He noted <br />that it avoided impacting rare plants and avoided development in areas that were recommended <br />for protection. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Mr. Rayor regarding the part of the ditch that was filled, Mr. <br />Bj0rklund said that it was the upper 400 feet of the area. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Mr. Kelly regarding the reasons why the staff recommendation <br />changed, Mr. Bj~rklund indicated, on the map, the area that the two planning commissions had <br />evaluated to determine whether allowing fill and development in the entire area was consistent <br />with the wetlands plan. He said that the conclusion of the planning commissions and staff <br />analysis was that fill and development of the area was not consistent with the wetlands plan. He <br />said that the main reason for that conclusion was the amount of wetlands (14 acres) that would <br />have been impacted by the development. He also noted that the proposed development would <br />have only left a narrow area that was not sufficient to maintain the corridor from the Willow Creek <br />natural area to the east with the protected area on the site. He added that there was a <br />significant difference between the wetlands north and south of the east/west ditch. Taking all of <br />those factors into account, Mr. Bj~rklund said that staff had come up with a changed <br />recommendation. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Mr. Fart regarding the condition of the restored area in the staff <br />designation, Mr. Bj~rklund said it was a field with tall grass. He noted that the land had a past <br />history of agricultural use. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Mr. Fart regarding the condition of the east/west ditch, Mr. <br />Bj~rklund said that, in summer, it was a dry waterway that was a few feet across. He noted in <br />winter it would contain flowing water. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Mr. Fart regarding where the water in the ditch accumulated from, <br />Mr. Bj6rklund said that, according to the hydrological study submitted by Hyundai, the water <br />flowed from southwest to northeast along the field. <br /> <br />In response to a question regarding whether the ditch was a natural waterway, Mr. Bj0rklund said <br />that the ditch was manmade. <br /> <br />Mr. Fart commented that there were four issues to deal with: protecting the wetlands to the east, <br />addressing the endangered plant species to the west, addressing the restored area, and dealing <br />with the ditch itsself. He said that the restored area had been mitigated in the staff <br />recommendation, rare plant species had been addressed, and that only left the other two to deal <br />with. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 28, 2000 Page 2 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />