City Council Newsletter - 07/05/07

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pedestrian passage, and building stormwater swales with curb extensions at Emerald, Onyx, and Harris. th Also as part of the East 18 project, Agate Street will be repaved from 13th to 22nd avenues. That work th includes reconstructing the intersection of 19 Avenue and Agate Street, which means that intersection will be closed to through traffic for at least one week, tentatively beginning July 24. The work on East th 18 and Agate Streets is scheduled to be substantially completed by mid-September. th The two projects on 18 Avenue are among 10 asphalt overlays being done around the city this summer as part of Eugene’s pavement preservation program. The total cost of this summer’s pavement repair projects is estimated at more than $5 million, funded primarily by Eugene’s local motor vehicle fuel tax, a portion of the fees paid by new development in Eugene, and a one-time infusion of $1.5 million from the th City’s general fund. For more information on the West 18 project, call Project Manager Steve Gallup at th 682-8460. For more information on the East 18 project, call Project Manager Matt Rodrigues at 682-6036. Minor Code Amendment Roundtable Scheduled The City of Eugene Planning Commission will be hosting its second roundtable event to discuss the next step in the Minor Land Use Code Amendment process. This event is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, 2007, from 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Campbell Center, 155 High Street. Public open houses have been held over the last several months to ask the community how they think the land use code can be further improved and subsequently, how best to prioritize the more than 200 suggested amendments. The primary objective of this meeting will be to refine the suggestions to a manageable list of amendments. The Planning Commission will be soliciting ideas from the public and providing guidance on which of suggested code amendments to move forward in this process. The roundtable will provide an informal, interactive opportunity to discuss these issues. For more information on the City of Eugene Code Amendment Project, visit www.eugene- or.gov/codeamendments, or contact Steve Nystrom, project manager, at 541-682-8385 or steven.a.nystrom@ci.eugene.or.us. West Broadway Consultant Selected The City has selected HDR Town Planning, a Portland firm, to serve as consultant with the West Broadway redevelopment efforts. HDR Town Planning will work with ECO Northwest and Venerable Properties to assist City staff and the West Broadway Advisory Committee with five key issues in the redevelopment concept: preferred design elements, mix of uses, public open spaces, options for parking, and a transition plan for existing businesses. In addition, the consultants will conduct market analysis and economic feasibility studies related to the redevelopment. As part of the West Broadway redevelopment effort, the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) directed the Agency Director (the City Manager) to secure the services of two types of firms, a qualified urban planner/facilitator to oversee the public process for the West Broadway development, and a qualified consultant to perform market analysis and economic feasibility studies. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was issued on June 4, 2007, to solicit responses from consultants to serve in those roles. Four qualified responses were received on the due date of June 21, 2007. Two firms were shortlisted, based on an evaluation process that included the co-chairs of the West Broadway Advisory Committee, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Eugene Redevelopment Advisory Committee, Citizens for Public Accountability, and City staff. After reference checks were conducted, the City selected HDR Town Planning. HDR Town Planning will assist staff with facilitating the citizen committee formed to examine several key areas of the West Broadway redevelopment, as stated above. Mayor Piercy appointed the 11-member West Broadway Advisory Committee as part of the public involvement component for the West Broadway Redevelopment Project. The members of the West Broadway Advisory Committee held their first meeting in late June, and will be meeting regularly over the summer. It is anticipated that HDR Town Planning will assist the committee in developing general public input sessions in July and August of 2007. More information about the West Broadway Redevelopment Project can be found on the City's web site at: www.eugene-or.gov/downtown. For additional information, contact Nan Laurence at 682-5340. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 July 5, 2007