Item B: City of Eugene Naming Policy

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Currently, there is no single official policy encompassing all types of naming requests and situations, but rather a mixture of processes and practices, some documented, used to name city facilities. These can be loosely categorized as “naming in recognition” or “naming in commemoration” opportunities. For example, the Eugene Public Library has developed an extensive list of “naming in recognition” gift opportunities. The Parks and Open Space Division has a set of guidelines and procedures in place to recognize monetary gifts in support of park facilities and/or amenities. Other departments have less formal practices and have made decisions to name subsections of facilities within the management structure of the department. “Naming in commemoration” refers to the practice of naming a City facility after a person who has made a substantial contribution to the United States, Oregon or local community, usually without any monetary gift to the City itself. In these cases, especially for large, visible and frequently used facilities, the City Council has taken formal action to name a facility. Examples of this include the 2003 council resolution to name the Willamette River bike path after former mayor Ruth Bascom, the council motion in the late 1990s to name the new pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Ferry Street Bridge after Representative Peter DeFazio, and the decision in September 2009 to rename the Autzen Footbridge in honor of Dave and Lynn Frohnmayer. Naming in commemoration is the process for which there is currently little policy or procedure. Preliminary research of practices in other communities shows that a number of cities have policies in place and these have provided a good basis for developing the proposed policy for City-owned facilities. The naming and renaming of streets follows policies and procedures set forth as regional guidelines and in Eugene Code provisions. It is recommended that these policies, which for renaming proposals include a public involvement component and a mechanism for Planning Commission and City Council review, remain in effect. The act of renaming a facility carries with it additional responsibilities. While the naming of a new facility or amenity may benefit from a structured process, renaming warrants its own policies and procedures and should include an analysis of any financial implications or other impacts before a decision by the City Council is made. Public involvement in naming and renaming facilities and amenities is another consideration. Some cities have created ad hoc groups to develop a set of names, others have created an initiative-type system and still others have handed off such tasks to a standing citizen advisory committee. There are a number of variations related to citizen involvement. RELATED CITY POLICIES The establishment of a City naming policy relates to the City Council goal of Effective, Accountable Municipal Government, a government that works openly, collaboratively, and fairly with the community to achieve measurable and positive outcomes and provide effective, efficient services. OPTIONS The City Council has several options with regard to the proposed naming policy: 1. Adopt the naming policy and procedures as proposed. 2. Amend the naming policies and procedures. 3. Direct staff to return with additional information. Z:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M100519\S100519B.DOC