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2. WORK SESSION and ACTION: Broadway & Hilyard Property Disposition Deal Points <br />Amanda D'Souza gave a brief presentation on deal points for the City -owned property at the corner <br />of Broadway and Hilyard. <br />Council Discussion: <br />• Councilor Zelenka - expressed approval of the vision and plan and thinks it will be a great <br />addition for the community if it is built; stated the track record of people buying surplus <br />property from the City and following through with their plans is poor, and doesn't believe <br />anyone who has gone through this type of process (small parcel sales, alley vacations, etc.) has <br />ever done what they said they would do; said he believes this is because the City doesn't make <br />any requirements of buyers in the terms of the sale; suggested if the City is not going to add a <br />provision to the sale requiring completion of the improvement by a certain time or it reverts <br />back to City, then a different process should be used, such as selling the property to the highest <br />bidder; asked staff if any of the previous sales conducted with a similar process have fulfilled <br />their visions; stated the way we do the process is bothersome to him and doesn't result in <br />anything but people sharing ideas. <br />• Councilor Clark - asked why this parcel was not used for the improvements for which it was <br />purchased; stated the property is in bad shape and is not being well maintained, and those offering <br />to purchase it have motivation in the operation of their business to make it look better than the <br />City has; stated he is in favor of the sale because the net result will be the City receiving money for <br />property it doesn't want or use, and it will result in a more attractive entrance to the city. <br />• Councilor Pryor - observed the City has owned the site for over 10 years and has done nothing <br />with it other than build a piece of road on it; stated he knows Tom Connor and the work he has <br />done, and has high faith Mr. Connor will do what he says he will do; stated he believes the City <br />did alley vacations or property sales for Whole Foods, the Sth Street Market expansion, the <br />Woolworth Building and Matthew Knight Arena, all of which were built or are being built; said if <br />the City is going to be involved in property and development there is a risk, but overall he feels <br />the City's success rate is good. Stated he has confidence in Mr. Connor as he has control of the <br />adjacent property with plans to improve it, the Citywill receive $90,000 that it otherwise <br />wouldn't have, and the parcel will be improved; he is supportive of the project, thinks it has a <br />lot of promise and is comfortable taking the risk to see that vision pay off. <br />• Councilor Syrett - thanked staff for the presentation, stated she is supportive of the current deal <br />points and thinks a mural at this site will be a significant improvement; expressed <br />disappointment that Mr. Connor has not been able to secure the property to the west which <br />appears to be held by a family trust, and that it may remain vacant and undeveloped for years to <br />come in a major commercial corridor where improvements are being planned; recalled a <br />successful disposition of city property being the alley vacation by the jail; stated she doesn't see <br />any value in keeping the parcel and sees it rather as offloading a burden and gaining a small <br />piece of taxable property; said if the new owner can fulfil his vision it will improve the value of <br />the property and those nearby, all of which are net positives; asked if the parcel has pedestrian <br />but no vehicle access and if the plan calls for the new owner to make access for food trucks. <br />• Councilor Zelenka - stated he will vote for the proposal and that his comments were not about <br />this project as he hopes it will be built; his comments were about future projects and thinking <br />about ways to make the process have meaning and not just result in some nice drawings that <br />may or may not happen; clarified the projects he was specifically talking about do not include <br />the large projects that have large building components as part of them, they were the smaller <br />ones. <br />• Councilor Semple - reminded the council that this was the site of Whoville, which started out <br />being a decent place for homeless people to have a place to sleep; said she understands it is an <br />entrance to the city and $90,000 is a lot of money, but at the same time, more places to shelter <br />people are urgently needed. <br />MINUTES - Eugene City Council May 13, 2020 Page 2 <br />Work Session <br />