CC Minutes - 07/21/08 Public Hearing

Home Browse Search

using that experience and to engaging the neighbors to create a plan that addressed their concerns when the new arena was in place. Betty Snowden , 125 West Broadway, supported the proposed vacations. She asked the council to hold the vote in a timely way as the UO was ready to build. MacArthur Court needed to be replaced as it was old and expensive to maintain. She thought the new arena would be a community asset that created new jobs and would boost the local economy. She pointed out that no taxpayer money was being used to fund the arena. The arena would be LEED- certified, and she pointed out “we’re very big on that.” The arena would be used for many community purposes, increase the UO’s profile, benefit the academic mission, and attract more students. She said the UO would be winning championships. Ms. Snowden said “Go Ducks!” Marvin Roevell , 2924 Adams Street, hoped the council voted to support the vacations soon. He said several members of his family had attended the UO and the university meant a lot to his family. He considered the UO and the arena to be a sustainable business. He said he owned a multi-generational company that included his son and niece and the arena would benefit small businesses such as his. He said that the arena proposal was not just about sports and commencements, it was about sustainable business. Vin Lannana , a resident of the Fairmount Neighborhood and the Associate Director of Athletics, thanked the council, Mayor, and staff for the successful collaboration between the UO and City during the recent Olympic Trials, which were a success due to that collaboration. He said much trepidation had existed around the trials in regard to parking and accommodations, but community confidence made it a success. He thought a delay on the vote would be “a crime,” as much time and energy had gone into the proposal before the council. He said that the arena would be a spectacular community addition. He supported a council vote prior to the council recess. Tom Kammas , a local business owner, urged the council to vote on the arena right away to set a precedent and demonstrate to businesses, developers, and other employers who want to come to Eugene that it was possible to work with the City. Rick Satre , Satre Associates, 101 East Broadway, reviewed the applicable criterion, that of the benefit to the public. He suggested the council ask if the two right-of-way segments were needed by the public. He thought the council could demonstrate that the public interest was served both in regard to transportation access and emergency services and utility access. In regard to transportation access and emergency services, Mr. Satre noted that the City’s Public Works Department had stated that the vacations would not compromise public safety or services. The vehicular th access previously provided by East 13 Avenue was to businesses no longer there, and the applicant was proposing a blanket pedestrian access over the alley to improve existing pedestrian access. In regard to the alley, the businesses that used the alley in the past would all soon be gone, and abutting tax lots consolidated, leaving no reason for the alley and preserving the public interest. In regard to utilities, Mr. Satre said that the affected utility providers provided letters of concurrence for the vacation. Greg Rikhoff , UO Director of Community Relations, expressed the UO’s support for collaboration with the neighborhood. He described the UO’s engagement with the neighborhood association and its establishment of the Neighborhood Arena Liaison Committee in February 2008, to discuss issues related to the arena impact. The committee had made progress toward agreements that would help inform the conditional use process (CUP) and provide additional neighborhood protection. The UO was committed to ongoing dialogue with the neighbors for improved, refined solutions over time. He said the process did not end with those processes and he was confident collaborative solutions would be found to issues related to the arena’s impact. He said there was not consensus on all issues, but dialogue would continue and the result would be a better product. He asked the council to support the vacations. He indicated the UO’s support for the neighborhood suggestion that the money from the sale of the MINUTES—Eugene City Council July 21, 2008 Page 10 Public Hearing