Item 3A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Mr. Vishanoff stated that the West University Neighbors endorsed his resolution. He wanted an open microphone hearing to talk about the site of the basketball arena. Deborah Healey, 360 East 15th Avenue, stated that she had been a resident of the West University neighborhood for 12 years and wanted to address the park slated to be discussed in the September 28 work session. She wanted the park to remain. She noted that it was considered a pocket park and that Officer Randy Ellis said it would be impossible to keep such a park safe. She acknowledged that 12 years earlier, one could not be in the park without having to deal with unsavory people, needles, and dogs. She thought the solution would be to extend the park to where it was more visible at Patterson Street. She felt the land swap that had been proposed was a workable solution. She noted that 13th Avenue business owners and Officer Ellis approved of it. She hoped the council would support the resolution for the land swap. Paul Conte, 1461 West lOth Avenue, member of the steering committee for the Chambers Area Families for Healthy Neighborhoods (CAFHN), said CAFHN and the Chambers Node Revisited project worked over the past year to look at ways to develop infill standards that would meet applicable land use policies including those related to density and those requiring protection of neighborhood stability and character. He felt the effort had been successful as the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt zoning code to establish a Chambers Special Area Zone that would include standards that meet both obj ectives. He conveyed the full support of CAFHN for its adoption. He averred that this success was a "small piece of the large picture." He related that CAFHN tried to show in its research and proposals that protecting the character and stability of Eugene's close-in neighborhoods was an essential element of a realistic compact growth plan. Mr. Conte thanked Planning Commission Chair John Lawless, for his leadership in the public involvement process. He encouraged the council to solicit Mr. Lawless' assessment as part of the forthcoming deliberations. Michelle Welsh, 1997 Arthur Street, thanked the City for the work that was being done on the roads and for saving Whiteaker School. She wanted the City to continue working on community issues in order for the City to remain a safe place to live. She related that her daughter was autistic and she was concerned that Eugene would not be a safe place for her to live. She was acquainted with one of the victims of former police officers Magana and Lara. She opined that "things" had been swept under the table. Ms. Welsh stated that her partner had been shot to death on Garfield Street the previous year. She said there was no investigation and the grand jury decided not to indict anyone four days after the shooting. She related that the shooter still had a permit to carry a gun. She pointed out that her partner had a medal of honor for exemplary military service. She did not feel safe in the city anymore. Lisa Dunn, 2622 Edison Street, asked how the City could have let the abuse go on for eight years. She alleged that more police officers had been abusing her and when she complained, a police car parked by her house for three and a half weeks. She said the Children's Services Division (CSD) had taken her daughter and would not return her because they alleged that the police might try to harm her and the daughter's well-being. She averred that the CSD did not think she was a good mom because of her traumatic experiences at the hands of the former officers who were now in prison. She noted that the City recently paid approximately $10 million for a new firehouse but was only paying small amounts to the women who were victimized by the police. MINUTES-Eugene City Council Regular Session September 26, 2005 Page 2