CC Minutes - 03/02/98 Work Session

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MINUTES Eugene City Council McNutt Room--City Hall March 2, 1998 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Pat Fart, Tim Laue, Bobby Lee, Scott Meisner, Nancy Nathanson, Betty Taylor, Ken Tollenaar. COUNCILOR ABSENT: Laurie Swanson Gribskov; Mayor James D. Torrey. The Eugene City Council meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m.; City Council President Pat Farr presiding. I. WORK SESSION/PRESENTATION FROM CONVENTION AND VISITORS ASSO- ClATION OF LANE COUNTY OREGON (CVALCO) Ms. Nathanson, the council's representative to CVALCO, said the association's Executive Director, Kari Westlund, who was hired in November 1996, was taking the organization to a "new level." She expressed support for her work. Ms. Westlund provided the report and described CVALCO's job as promoting Lane County as a visitor destination. She reviewed the organization's funding, statistics on tourism, industry trends, scheduled activities and events, and its promotion campaign. Ms. Westlund noted that the council meeting packet included other information and invited input from interested parties, adding that she planned to report to the council on an annual basis. Addressing a question from Mr. Tollenaar, Ms. Westlund said the Hult Center was of great importance to the area--adding a sense of sophistication and balancing the outdoor/recreation genre. She noted that about $350,000 million is spent by visitors to Lane County each year and a majority of that is in the metro area. II. WORK SESSION: REVISIONS TO TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE Public Works Director Chris Andersen pointed out that the correct topic was "private property permitting ordinance." She acknowledged the presence of staff members Johnny Medlin and Scott Plamondon, and Jerry Lidz, who provided legal assistance. Ms. Andersen recalled that administrative support for the private property tree permitting program was eliminated as part of the City's budget reduction strategy last spring. She said that based on council concern and its subsequent discussion on add-backs, staff is operating under the following direction: the council continues to support the need for removing administrative costs for the program from the City's budget and staff's charge is to look for a way to continue the intent of the program without incurring administrative costs. Ms. Andersen said the proposed revised ordinance shifts the responsibility for permit review and development to the private sector by having registered MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 2, 1998 Page 1 5:30 p.m.