CC Minutes - 08/08/05 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Ortiz asked if the City would offer a similar package of assistance to another private hospital. City Manager Taylor believed the City would offer a similar package to a development locating in an urban renewal district that would leverage at least $85 million in property tax improvements. He said the package in question was specific to the hospital at that site. Ms. Solomon said the council had been working on the issue for some time and it did not seem much progress was being made. She believed the City had done what it could, and it was up to the hospital and EWEB to resolve the site acquisition question. Ms. Solomon asked what the hospital’s “drop dead” date was, if the hospital had a “Plan B,” and if staff had discussed other potential sites identified by the City with the hospital. City Manager Taylor said that McKenzie-Willamette Hospital indicated its first choice site was the EWEB location. The hospital had not indicated to him or other City staff that it had any back-up sites. He acknowledged there was speculation about the fairgrounds as a possible site for the hospital, but he emphasized that was speculative. Another option was for the hospital to rebuild in its current location. Other than the EWEB site, representatives of the hospital had not been specific about other sites, and remained committed to making the EWEB site work. Ms. Solomon asked how long the hospital was prepared to wait for a decision. City Manager Taylor did not know. Mr. Kelly applauded the staff team for the thoroughness of its work. Mr. Kelly hoped that the EWEB commissioners became comfortable with the proposal as he considered that site the best available site. He said the “rumor mill” seemed to have quieted somewhat, but he wanted to be clear that McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center indicated that if EWEB fully or partially moved, it would make use of the EWEB headquarters building for medical offices and other hospital functions. Mr. Kelly spoke to concerns about the riparian edge, saying part of the plan was for the City to acquire a strip of property along the river to improve the native environment and bicycle access in the area. He appreciated the manager mentioning those points. Mr. Kelly referred to the Patterson underpass, and said that the previous fall the council looked at several options for required emergency access. One option involved extending Agate Street through the Riverfront Research Park. Several councilors, reflecting what he averred was community sentiment, suggested that the extension would complicate the issue by creating additional public controversy. Roy Orr of McKenzie- Willamette indicated then that if the Patterson extension was in place, that option could be dropped from consideration. Mr. Kelly acknowledged the lack of a council vote on the topic but said it seemed to be dropped from consideration. However, the packet included a map that showed a connection from Avenue A east to Agate Street. Mr. Kelly requested an explanation of the note. City Manager Taylor recalled that the council had previously seen the map in question, which was an example of a solution, though not necessarily the preferred solution. He asked Mr. Corey to speak to the issue. Mr. Corey said the extension was not “on the table” as part of the discussion staff was having with the hospital. He said the process had not progressed to the degree where the City had hired a consultant to examine options for crossing the tracks. The plans before the council were conceptual in nature. Mr. Kelly determined from Mr. Corey that it was not the City’s intent to connect Agate Street through the process. Responding to a question from Mr. Poling, City Manager Taylor recalled that the council set aside $500,000 as an initial incentive for a hospital to locate within the preferred area. If the real estate transaction between the hospital and EWEB did not come to fruition, he would return to the council to verify the City would continue to offer incentives within the preferred area. MINUTES—Eugene City Council August 8, 2005 Page 4 Work Session