CC Minutes - 07/21/99 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Andrea Riner and John Etter, Public Works Maintenance Parks Planning, were present to answer questions about the proposed master plan repeal. Mr. Rayor expressed concern about the possibility that the boat ramp in West Alton Baker Park which had been included in the Parks & Open Space Bond Measure would be used for the launching of motor boats, to the detriment of other parks, such as Skinner Butte Park, Alton Baker Park, and Maurie Jacobs Park. He had received no assurances about the types of boats that would be allowed to use the ramp. Representatives of the McKenzie Fly Fishers and the East Alton Baker Park Committee had participated in the selection of the ramp site. The ramp is proposed to be designed to support use by fly fishers, and the water at the site was extremely shallow and probably not usable for motor craft. Mr. Rayor did not want work to proceed on the boat ramp until the City knew more about all relevant State, federal, and local regulations governed its use. He did not think that research had been done. Ms. Riner indicated that the work session was a preliminary step in repealing the master plan. Staff wanted to operate under the most recently adopted plans for East and West Alton Baker parks, and avoid the inconsistencies created by the master plan. She said that it was early in the implementation of the bond measure, and staff would do additional work with the McKenzie Fly Fishers, to whom it had made preliminary commitments for returning the boat ramp to the river, where there had historically been boat access. Mr. Rayor said he did not want to build a ramp if people were going to use it to launch motor boats and degrade the park. He recognized that the boat ramp was not part of the master plan repeal issue. Ms. Childs noted that the boat ramp would be required to go through a Willamette Greenway permit review and public hearing, during which time the issues raised by Mr. Rayor could be addressed. Mr. Rayor asked if the 1992 vote to maintain East Alton Baker Park in passive use was still in force if the master plan was repealed. Ms. Riner said that the East Alton Baker Park Plan was created in accordance with that vote, leading to the inconsistencies with the master plan and the proposal for its repeal. Public Works Director Christine Andersen said that the measure to maintain the park in passive use was a countywide measure because Lane County had jurisdiction at the time of the vote. The transfer of jurisdiction to the City eliminated the County's authority to implement the measure, but the East Alton Baker Park planning process was predicated upon its results. Mr. Torrey asked staff to seek a legal opinion on the question. Mr. Fart observed that the majority of motor boats on the river were jetboats that could travel from Browns Landing to Alton Baker Park within five minutes. Mr. Pap~ agreed. He suggested that the council might want to consider an exception for emergency craft. Mr. Kelly asked that the council be provided with copies of the West Alton Baker Park Plan prior to the public hearing. Mr. Kelly noted testimony offered by Catherine Larson before the Planning Commission and asked staff to summarize Ms. Larson's concern. Ms. Riner said that Ms. Larson had wanted to note that the University of Oregon uses of a portion of the site for event-related parking, which generates some revenue to the City. This is consistent with the 1986 Master Plan, which called for a portion of the site to produce revenue. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 21, 1999 Page 6 5:30 p.m.