Item 1: Ordinance on Downtown Urban Renewal Amendment

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ûÈÈÛÙÔÏ×ÎÈù ORDINANCE NO. _________ AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AN AMENDED URBAN RENEWAL PLAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT. The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that: A. The Urban Renewal Plan for the Central Eugene Project (“the Plan”) was initially adopted on July 3, 1968, by Resolution No. 257 of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene (“the Agency”), and on December 19, 1968, by Resolution No. 1609 of the Eugene City Council. The Plan has subsequently been amended, most recently on September 13, 2004, by Ordinance No. 20328 of the Eugene City Council. B. The City Council’s 2009 Vision and Goals include a goal to foster a vibrant downtown. The City Council and the Urban Renewal Agency Board of Directors (“the Agency Board”) have determined that the following projects, using urban renewal as a financing tool, are consistent with that goal and will require an amendment of the Plan: (1) Lane Community College’s (“LCC”) new downtown campus. LCC wants to build a new state-of-the-art education facility on the vacant half-block located at th 10 Avenue and Charnelton Street, across from the downtown Eugene Public Library. The new green (LEED Platinum) education facility will include job training programs, the Energy Management program, business development and senior programs, and other LCC educational programming. LCC is also considering the inclusion of student housing in the project. Up to $8 million of urban renewal funds would be used to help LCC build the new Downtown Campus project. (2) Public safety improvements and increased police staffing. Public safety improvements are a key strategy to creating a vibrant and economically healthy place. Increasing public safety services and coordinating with other agencies will make downtown a more welcoming place for everyone. Downtown public safety, including additional police officers, will be funded from dollars freed up by using up to $4.9 million of urban renewal funds to pay off the debt (excluding interest) on the Broadway Place garages. th (3) Veterans Affairs (VA) Willamette Street Clinic. If the VA chooses the 12 Avenue and Willamette Street site for its new clinic, the facility will provide service to veterans in our community, fill a currently underutilized building, and create a medical sector hub for businesses and jobs downtown. The plan amendment proposes to expand the downtown urban renewal boundary to include the site and to spend up to $2.5 million of urban renewal funds to make improvements near that location. (4) Park Blocks improvements for the Farmers’ Market. Improvements to the Park th Blocks along 8 Avenue to make the location more attractive and functional for the Farmers’ Market will support a cornerstone of downtown activity and one of Ordinance - Page 1 of 3