CC Minutes - 10/13/08 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Paul Moore , 2586 Potter Street, wanted to discuss the plan for the Crest area that had been approved in April, which was a plan for two narrow nine-foot-wide traffic lanes on winding and sometimes steep upgrades in that area. He reiterated that testimony from the bicycling community there had been that it would be unsafe and unsuitable; 100 area residents had signed petitions requesting more space on those roads. He said 100 attendees of the Eugene Bicycle Summit had signed the same petition. He related that since then the cost of gasoline increased to more than $4 per gallon and more people than ever were riding bicycles. He stated that around the country things such as the Complete Streets Initiatives, which were planning initiatives supported by planners all over the country, to make streets complete for bicycling, walking, transit, and automobile usage, had proliferated. He stressed that Eugene was set to build streets in the Crest area that would last forty years, that did not provide bicycle amenities for the multiple cyclists who live in that area. He said the Oregon Bike Bill required that all streets that were undergoing a complete rebuild must include suitable facilities for bicycle usage. He noted that the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) funding bill, increased the focus on bicycling as transportation. He believed that respect for the future of the simple transportation needs of Eugene citizens called for taking a different approach on Crest Drive, Storey Boulevard, and Friendly Street. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum. Councilor Bettman thanked everyone for their testimony. She clarified that the language on the ballot measure would amend the charter and not the ordinance. She disagreed with Mr. Brown’s perspective on the auditor’s office taken from the NACOLE conference. She did not remember people saying there was any way to move forward with independent oversight without there being political issues. She asserted that the police union in Seattle, Washington, had sued its civilian review board to keep a report from being published. She declared that transparency and openness were the only powers in the oversight system. Regarding the WEP, Councilor Bettman noted that Mr. Torrey had sent an email regarding the August 13 decision. She disputed his argument that having no planned transportation corridor would affect develop- ment in western Eugene, declaring it to be untrue. She recalled that the recommendation from staff had been that the plan should include a footnote that basically said inclusion of the WEP in the plan could not be used for planning any development. Councilor Clark also thanked everyone for coming and testifying. He appreciated the comments regarding the Police Auditor. He supported having an effective police oversight system. He concurred that the Mayor and City Council should take a stronger leadership role with the auditor’s office. He felt the council could do a better job of communicating with the Police Auditor, noting that he had met with her earlier in the day. He related that they had a productive conversation about the sorts of things that would make for a more effective oversight office. He looked forward to the council as a whole setting up clear expectations for the office and more regular communication. Councilor Solomon observed that inflammatory and accusatory rhetoric would not help the Police Auditor’s Office improve. She hoped people would “tone it down” so that they could work together and arrive at a solution that would work for the whole community. Councilor Solomon commented that her recollection of the August 13 meeting regarding the WEP did not seem to be the same as Councilor Bettman’s. She requested that staff provide a memorandum regarding the consequences of that meeting and what can and cannot happen in the interim. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 13, 2008 Page 4 Regular Meeting