CC Minutes - 09/14/98 Work Session

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MINUTES Eugene City Council McNutt Room--City Hall September 14, 1998 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Pat Farr, Tim Laue, Bobby Lee, Scott Meisner, Nancy Nathanson, Laurie Swanson Gribskov, Betty Taylor Betty Taylor, Ken Tollenaar. I. CALL TO ORDER The September 14, 1998, Eugene City Council meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m.; His Honor Mayor James D. Torrey presiding. II. PRESENTATION ON WILLAMETTE VALLEY LIVABILITY FORUM Mr. Tollenaar introduced Peter Watt, Manager of the Willamette Valley Livability Forum. Mr. Watt called attention to material in the meeting packet, particularly a questionnaire for the council to complete, which would reflect its vision for the valley. He said that the purpose of the Governor's Forum was to present choices to the people of the Willamette Valley. Mr. Watt said the forum was composed of 88 citizens; half of whom were ordinary citizens and half representing the private sector and nonprofit organizations. He noted that the forum was in a process of soliciting input from a variety of people such as Rotary Clubs and environmental groups. He presented a slide show that gave background information and described the forum's "Working Vision." The report defined a "core vision" and its "guiding principles for the future" in the following six areas: land use, transportation, water/environment, community, decision making, and economy. Mr. Meisner asked how the forum planned to "get valleywide decision-making and implementation that is consistent." He wondered if addressing the interests of such a diverse forum, the result might not be "pablum." Mr. Watt said the vision reflected a "qualitative" target and the next step would be to develop recommended actions that all could agree on to realize the vision. Mr. Meisner recalled that "Project Foresight," carried out about 25 years ago, included mandates but its specific impact was not clear as evidenced by the local jurisdictions with three vastly different set of community values as represented by council and board actions. Mr. Watt said the study did mobilize some public attention, which was translated through the political discussion in Salem and in part produced the Land Use Act. He said he believed there was a real interest among communities, including those in outlying areas, to work in a broader, regional level. Mr. Meisner ascertained that officials from the outlying communities were included in the forum. Mr. Watt suggested the work of the forum might become the legislative agenda by the governor or maybe the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) or the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) would amend their rules to encourage those kinds of framework plans in the major urban areas. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 14, 1998 Page 1 5:30 p.m.