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the primary difference between public and private streets was the connectivity standard. Responding to a <br />follow-up question from Mr. Zelenka, Mr. Corey concurred that if private streets built under current <br />standards were “to revert back” to the City, they would not require much in improvements in terms of their <br />structural integrity. However, Mr. Corey pointed out, City assumption of responsibility for such streets <br />would require a right-of-way transfer, installation of curbs and gutters, and the installation of sidewalks, and <br />there might also be drainage issues to address. He believed that those private streets built to current <br />standards did not create an additional liability for those purchasing property in such developments. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka raised the issue of the potential conversion of mobile home parks to subdivisions, and asked <br />what would happen to the streets when that occurred and the low-income residents had no money to bring <br />the private streets up to standard. Mr. Corey said there would be a cost associated with that and suggested <br />it could involve the creation of a local improvement district. He thought the design standards would be <br />fairly nominal and low-cost. He noted that the City had a low-income grant assistance program for <br />assessments and other mechanisms available to “soften the blow.” Mr. Zelenka asked if the City could <br />exempt such subdivisions from the street standard. Mr. Klein did not know if the current code would allow <br />such an exemption, but suggested the council could amend the code. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka asked what happened when a private development abandoned its assets, they turned into a <br />nuisance, and the property owner then deferred the problem to the City. He found that to be the most <br />compelling issue in regard to the topic. Mr. Zelenka said he did not mind private development but objected <br />to such a development throwing its problems onto the public. <br /> <br />Speaking to Ms. Ortiz’s comments, Mr. Poling said the two gated communities of which he was aware, <br />Quail Run and Lakeview Estates, were built on a limited amount of space and the density involved was <br />much more than a traditional subdivision. The goal of those developments was to increase density. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling noted that in the past he had heard the City Manager admonished for not getting something on <br />the council calendar fast enough. There were no items scheduled for the work session until the two items on <br />the agenda came up. He suggested that the manager and mayor were “damned if they do and damned if they <br />don’t.” Mr. Poling said a scheduling opportunity had arisen and the manager had been attempting to meet <br />the council’s needs. <br /> <br />Acting City Manager Jones apologized that the item was on the agenda as she had judged it significant <br />enough to get it before the council prior to the March break. The item had been pulled previously, and she <br />considered it a high priority to get it on an agenda soon, and particularly when Ms. Taylor was available. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark acknowledged the concern expressed by Ms. Taylor and Mr. Zelenka in regard to the level of the <br />City’s responsibility for private property. He asked how many of the private gated communities had <br />clubhouses and pools. Mr. Corey did not know. He said that the Public Works Department received <br />periodic inquiries, perhaps once or twice yearly, about caring for private infrastructure, but he had not been <br />presented with any requests related to pools or clubhouses. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark asked staff if it was the City’s goal to create equal density throughout the community, or if its <br />goal was to create higher densities downtown. Principal Planner Steve Nystrom said that given the choice, <br />he would say downtown was where the City planned to concentrate more density. He said that the City’s <br />planning documents do not take a uniform approach to achieving grow throughout the community. Those <br />plans do identify downtown as a focus. Mr. Clark determined from Mr. Nystrom that it was the City’s <br />policy to create a higher density downtown than at the edges. Mr. Nystrom said the City took a more <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 28, 2007 Page 8 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />