CC Minutes - 01/12/09 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

5. ACTION: Adoption of Resolution 4961 Approving a Multiple-Unit Property Tax Exemption for Residential thth property Located at 435 East 15 Avenue, Eugene, Oregon (East 15 Townhouses; Newman Family Partnership, Applicant) Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Clark, moved to adopt Resolution 4961 approv- ing a Multiple-Unit Property Tax Exemption for residential property located at 435 East thth 15 Avenue, Eugene, Oregon (East 15 Townhouses; Newman Family Partnership, appli- cant). Councilor Taylor reiterated her opposition to the Multiple-Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE). She said she could not support any tax exemptions at this time given the current economic conditions and that so many people were losing their jobs and struggling. Councilor Brown echoed Councilor Taylor’s sentiments. He believed the MUPTE to be a good tool to stimulate development. He understood that it was intended to help promote development in undesirable areas. He could not recall the last time the University had built a dormitory. He did not believe the University area needed inducements for development as he felt it would occur regardless of whether projects there were given a tax exemption. He added that he thought Mr. Anslow was a responsible developer and that there should be more developers like him. Councilor Zelenka averred that both of the projects that were requesting a MUPTE were good. His objection lay in that the City was facing an $8 million deficit. He believed that tax exemptions would only make “the hole deeper.” He also believed that the projects would be built in the University neighborhood whether the exemption was granted or not. Councilor Clark stated that the application process asked if the exemption would be necessary for the proposed project to be successful. He appreciated Mr. Anslow’s testimony because he had highlighted that the process that had been created for the exemption included working with neighborhood residents and building a project that conformed to the environment it would be built in. He underscored that, by definition, the project before them would not be built without the MUPTE. He said instead something else would be built, something that the neighbors might not like as much. He agreed with his colleagues that it was important for the council to be cognizant of people who were concerned about their jobs. He pointed out that just one of the proposed projects would generate dozens of jobs. He questioned how they could, in good conscience, not promote providing people with high-paying family-wage jobs doing this type of work in the community. He indicated he would support the motion. Mayor Piercy respected the different points of view that were voiced. She wished to point out that all of the councilors cared very much about the tax needs before the City. She acknowledged that one person saw a loss of tax revenue and another person saw an increase in the work force. She reiterated that the council had supported the continued use of the MUPTE in the University neighborhood only several weeks earlier. She felt the MUPTE would be used to try to have the kind of housing the neighbors wanted in that area and to provide housing for a variety of people and for the students who came to live in the community. She indicated her support, given the staff finding that the projects could not be built without the MUPTE, the City’s other community goals aimed to provide housing so that people could “live, work, and play” in close proximity, and that the proposed project was aligned with City growth management policies. She felt the developers had gone to great efforts to work with the neighbors and had gotten their buy-in. MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 12, 2009 Page 4 Regular Meeting