Item B: City Council Goal - City Hall Complex

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Previous research on Potential City Hall Sites A site for a new city hall was the focus of two Community Forums held in 2006. Forum #3 involved an extensive examination of more than 25 sites. Forum #4 examined how the concept designs worked on the two sites forwarded by Council, the Rock N’ Rodeo/ Butterfly Lot site and the Existing City Hall site. Close to 100 people attended Community Forum #3 on August 24, 2006 to discuss potential sites for a new Eugene City Hall Complex. Twenty-five downtown sites were examined by the Forum participants after a presentation of criteria and factors to consider (a map of all 25 sites is included at the end of this attachment along with the tally of support for each; to review the criteria and factors for the sites, refer to the Forum #3 presentation available on the project website at www.eugenecityhall.com). Forum participants expressed strong preference for a full-block site over a half-block site. Reasons included wanting a lower-scale building, space for horizontal expansion, more open space, and better potential for sustainable design. In addition to the 25 sites examined, the group requested that an additional site (combination of #17 Broadway/ Charnelton & #19 former Sears) be added for group consideration as Site #26. By request th near the end of the forum another vote was taken on a combination of sites #3 (6 / Willamette) & #4 (County Health Building), called Site #27, that resulted in nominal support by a show of hands (a count by clicker technology could not be established on site #27 due to technological constraints). Three sites were clearly ranked above all others to carry forward into concept design with each receiving over 50 votes (the next highest grouping received votes in the 30’s). The sites that received the most support were: Site #9 (existing City Hall) 54 carry forward 19 remove Site #8 (Rock N’ Rodeo/Butterfly Lot) 54 carry forward 20 remove Site #26 (Broadway/ Charnelton & former Sears) 52 carry forward 21 remove In the fall of 2006, Site #26 became the subject of a multi-use development project. Because the site was being reserved for this purpose, the Project Team explored concept options on the other two sites (#8 and #9). At the November 20, 2006 work session the council removed site #26 from consideration to accom- modate the development project. nd Community Forum #4 was held November 2, 2006 and asked for further input on a site for a new city hall. The body of the meeting stimulated the Project Team to think about what distinguishes a City Hall from other buildings and gives it lasting value, and how the two sites forwarded by City Council (Existing City Hall and Butterfly Lot/Rock N Rodeo) compare in giving the greatest benefit for Eugene. The Rock N’ Rodeo/Butterfly Lot site was favored over the Existing City Hall site by a vote of 36 to 17. The Forum #4 presentation and report are also available at www.eugenecityhall.com. At the December 11, 2006 work session five councilors initially supported the Rock N’ Rodeo/Butterfly Lot site while three supported the Existing City Hall site in voting on an amendment to the motion for City Hall site selection. However, two councilors elected to change their vote on the final motion so that the final vote was 7-1 to select the Rock N’ Rodeo/Butterfly Lot site for use in ongoing planning and design for City Hall.