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EWEB Riverfront Master Plan Process <br /> <br />The joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) identified public engagement as an essential <br />component for developing a master plan for this special property. Since its inception, the <br />Community Advisory Team (CAT) emphasized the need for an active, genuine public <br />involvement process to create a master plan that has broad community support. To that end, a <br />thoughtful and thorough public engagement plan was developed and is being implemented. Staff <br />is pleased that through the efforts of our consultant team and the CAT, a tremendous level of <br />public participation, enthusiasm and interest has been generated. Process highlights include: <br /> <br />? <br /> <br />Individual and small group interviews with local experts on site constraints, opportunities <br />and relevant planning efforts. <br />? <br /> <br />Issue-specific focus groups (multi-modal transportation, site ecology, sustainable <br />urbanism, and arts and history). <br />? <br /> <br />An AIA-sponsored design charrette. <br />? <br /> <br />Sept 30 Project Kick-off event (about 150 people got ‘peek behind the fence’ site tours <br />and discussed “what would make this an active, vibrant people place?”). <br />? <br /> <br />Nov 10 Design Options event (nearly 250 people gave feedback on three designs to <br />identify features people liked and disliked, using clickers for electronic polling as one <br />means for input). <br />? <br /> <br />Organizational presentations (City Club, Rotary, etc.), tabling at community events <br />(holiday market, MLK celebration, etc.) and outreach to specific stakeholder groups (i.e., <br />accessibility community, youth, environmental/parks advocates) <br /> <br />Using a combination of local and national expertise coupled with broad-based community input, <br />the project team has generated a single design framework. The framework has been submitted to <br />University of Oregon Professor Bart Johnson for an evaluation of the proposed design from an <br />ecological standpoint and recommendations for improvements. The project team continues to <br />work closely with city staff on a number of technical issues, including land use and stormwater <br />management strategies, and will also begin checking back with many of the individuals who <br />were involved early in the visioning process to share the latest design and gather feedback. <br /> <br />A third public major event is scheduled for March 3, 2010, starting at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is <br />structured to help refine the single design, and provide feedback on issues specific to the MOU <br />requirements. Participants will have a chance to say if the project team “got it right” in regard to <br />the roads and open space framework, including the bike/walking paths and riparian treatment, <br />and weigh in on proposed uses, building heights and density. In anticipation that this third event <br />will attract as many (or more) participants as the previous one, the meeting was moved to a <br />larger venue at the Hilton. <br /> <br />The master plan process is on-time and expected to be completed in May. For more information, <br />please contact Mark Oberle (685-7121) or Nan Laurence (682-5340). <br /> <br />Fire Hydrant Replacement <br /> <br />Due to insufficient city funding, a growing backlog of deferred hydrant replacement has resulted <br />in an aging infrastructure system. There are approximately 4,000 public hydrants in the current <br />inventory. Most of the hydrants in this aging system are nearing the end of their useful lives (50 <br />to 60 years). Approximately 31% of the city’s hydrants are 50 years old or older; another 24% <br /> <br /> <br />