Item B: Downtown Projects - Tools

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Downtown Projects – Tools Meeting Date: February 10, 2010 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Planning & Development Staff Contact: Jon Ruiz/Susan Muir www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-6077 ISSUE STATEMENT The work session is a continuation of the council’s discussion of downtown economic development and will specifically focus on the City Manager’s recommendation for downtown projects and funding options. This recommendation has been designed to optimize the use of funding tools for specific projects. The City Council will review the City Manager’s recommendation and consider options for next steps for funding specific downtown projects. BACKGROUND The council’s discussion of downtown revitalization is part of a larger conversation on local economic development actions. (See Attachment A for a summary of council discussions over the past year.) The overarching goal is to foster a vibrant downtown while boosting the local economy. The four strategy areas set out to achieve this goal are: jobs and redevelopment, safety, parking and attractions and amenities. Downtown is everyone’s neighborhood and it is the image our community presents to the region and beyond. The City Council’s goal of revitalizing downtown and boosting our local economy will not happen by itself or without public support. The City has done public outreach on the potential redevelopment of downtown including creating the Downtown Vision, Downtown Plan, and the West Broadway Advisory Committee Recommendations. Since August 2009, staff has compiled public input through a random sample telephone survey, outreach events, on-line surveys, and from various community groups. Results from the telephone survey conducted last fall mirrored the council’s desire to focus on specific projects as part of a downtown revitalization plan. Survey results indicated that 86% of respondents support the expansion of LCC’s downtown campus, 85% support a Veteran’s Medical clinic, and 70% of respondents support matching grants to improve local businesses. After hearing a specific list of potential downtown revitalization projects, 70% of respondents supported this form of economic development, and 53% reported supporting subsidies for economic development downtown. Other priorities for downtown revitalization mentioned in the survey included adequate/free parking, greater police presence, and easing regulations/providing incentives for locating businesses downtown. Staff held two open house events to share information and gather feedback on the potential projects (January 6 and 7) and gathered additional feedback through an online survey. The LCC project received the most support. The downtown parking improvements project received the least amount of support. (See Attachment B for the survey results.)