CC Minutes - 05/26/98 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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In response to a question from Mayor Torrey, Development Division Grants Manager Linda Dawson stated that public notification of a public hearing before the intergovernmental Housing Policy Board regarding a recommendation that the City acquire a site at 2440 Willakenzie Road had been properly made, according to standards of the City and of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. City Attorney Glenn Klein added that public notification of the public hearing before the City Council had also been properly made. Mr. Tollenaar stated that councilors had been informed of objections raised to the City acquiring the site in question to land bank for future Iow-income housing development-that the development would create traffic congestion, that school over-crowding would result from the development, that the land would be better used for a park, that creation of Iow-income housing on the property would violate the City's affordable housing dispersal policy, and that there was not adequate notice for the public hearings held regarding the purchase. Mr. Tollenaar said that he favored placing the property in land bank and that he believed the objections raised could all be addressed at the time it was developed. He said the property was zoned R-3 with a site review overlay to provide as much opportunity as possible for public input. Mr. Tollenaar moved, seconded by Mr. Laue, to approve the use of $400,000 plus closing costs in federal Community Development Block Grant funds for the acquisition of the 3.047-acre site at 2440 Willakenzie Road for placement in the Low-Income Housing Landbank Program. The motion was adopted unanimously, 6:0. II1. PUBLIC HEARING: DOWNTOWN URBAN RENEWAL PLAN AMENDMENTS Development Division Urban Services Section Manager Bob Hibschman reviewed information contained in a document entitled "Public Hearing--Urban Renewal Ordinance" distributed at the beginning of the meeting. He discussed outcomes of a proposed ordinance to amend the downtown urban renewal plan as follows: (1) Choose (grandfathered) Option #1 for collection of urban renewal property taxes; (2) Specify that the only new project for the urban renewal district would be a library; (3) Set a "maximum indebtedness" of $49,136,925; and (4)Automatically repeal the ordinance if voters do not approve a library funding levy within two years. He noted that the council would be required to act on the proposed ordinance by June 1, 1998, to enable State requirements to be met. Mayor Torrey explained guidelines for presenting testimony in a public hearing. David Kelly, 2988 Chandler Avenue, complimented the council on its decision to commit urban renewal resources to construction of a new library and to use a citizen vote on a Local Option Levy for library operating funds as the trigger to use the funds. He said he supported development of a strong central library and branches in north and west areas of Eugene. He said he believed development and operation of a branch system should be included in a Local Option Levy ballot measure. Bill Sullivan, 1958 Onyx Street, stated that he was the convener of the A Better Library for Eugene (ABLE) organization. He said he appreciated the support for a new library given by the council and suggested that its action was healing for the community--eliminating controversy over MINUTES--City Council May 26, 1998 Page 3 7:30 p.m.