CC Minutes - 04/13/98 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

was formed at a time when population was being lost and a recession was occurring. He said the goals of proximity to downtown, job creation, and revenue generation had not been realized. Industries locating in the park were already in Eugene. Mr. Urquart said that Eugene had lost valuable historic assets in the form of the EWEB pole yard and an old mill. He said that the University currently has the fewest athletic fields of any school in the PAC 10, and further development north of the tracks would exacerbate that situation. Hillary Johnson, 1290 East 25th Avenue, advocated for Option E, termination of the riverfront district. She said that the termination would free up funds for other City services such as the Eugene Celebration and recreation programs. She said that the City should not be spending money on what she asserted was an "unnecessary and unpopular plan" to develop one of the last remaining open spaces on the Willamette River for commercial development. She said that it should be developed as a real park that people can use. Ms. Johnson suggested that to preserve the area the City must terminate its financial assistance and amend the University's conditional use permit. Arthur Shapiro, 2742 Bowmont Drive, said that the hearing was not about the library but was about urban renewal. He said that the majority of people were unaware of the nature of tax increment financing. He said that the City was asking the council to approve a program that spent $34.3 million in the downtown district to this point and the area was still "decrepit." Mr. Shapiro said that the City paid $850,000 for the Sears building using urban renewal and $200,000 to determine what it could be used for, as well as money for options that had not been recovered. The City was now valuing the building at $500,000. He said that was not good administration of taxpayers' funds, and he did not think he could trust the City. Mr. Shapiro said that the City could put the library where residents wished for an additional $4. He said that he could not support a library constructed with urban renewal dollars. Ray Wolfe, 1473 Luella Street, concurred with Hillary Johnson, David Kelly, Gregory McLaughlan, and Linda Fuller and indicated his support for Option E. He said that regarding the downtown district, he hoped a library could be built without siting restrictions. He supported Option B because he believed an operating levy would be supported by the voters if they believed there would be a reduction in expenditures in the downtown urban renewal fund. Mr. Wolfe said that no more tax revenues should be directed toward speculative and unevaluated cosmetic changes in the district. He said that there were more important uses for such funds. William Eaton, 2311 Willamette Street, stated that he supported Option A. He asserted that the Urban Renewal Agency had been terminated as a distinct body from the council to allow the council to manipulate revenues from the district. He said that the library should be decided on an up or down vote of the people. He asked the council to pay off the district debt without delay. Pat John, 85114 Kensington Road, Pleasant Hill, said that she was director of the library at Lane Community College. She said that access to libraries and librarians was essential to sorting out all the data people received in the information age. Ms. John said that the current library was becoming a barrier to information. The current library does not provide free and open access to information. Ms. John urged the council to build a new library. The council recessed briefly from 9 p.m. to 9:10 p.m. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 13, 1998 Page 8 7:30 p.m.