CC Minutes - 11/09/09 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. Anslow explained that the project had not achieved the necessary MUPTE points because it was unable to meet the requirement to conduct a successful campaign to poll all owners, residents and commercial tenants of properties on the block -face occupied by the project and obtain a majority vote in favor of enrolling the block in the residential parking program (RPP), which would have provided an additional 60 points. He and his partner were willing to sign an irrevocable petition binding the property in favor of inclusion in the RPP, but since the block was not technically already enrolled in the RPP, no points could be claimed. He pointed out that the project received no credit for providing twice the required parking and could be increased to a 12 -plea from and S -plea; that would gain sufficient points to meet the MUPTE minimum requirement, but he preferred to retain the balanced neighborhood mix reflected in the current project design. He hoped the council would take into consideration the technical nature of the lack of points and approve the MUPTE application. Lisa Anderson, Arthur Street, Eugene, stated that she was a long -time business owner at 17 Avenue and Arthur Street. She noted that Eugene had recently been designated as a gold level community by the League of American Bicyclists. She was opposed to routing an EmX bus along the Amazon Creek./Fern Ridge bike path and urged that the option not be considered because it was not friendly to the environment, pedestrians or bicyclists. She invited councilors and City staff to walk that section of the bike path with her. Fenn Glenn, Arthur Street, Eugene, spoke in opposition to an EmX route along Amazon Creek and urged the council to eliminate that option. He had lived in the neighborhood for many years and moved there because of proximity to the bike bath. He said the proposed EmX route would go within ten feet of a low - income housing development and was concerned that the voices of those residents were not being heard. He supported public transportation, but preferred other alignment options. Amy Shoulders, ]Vest 13 Avenue, Eugene, spoke in opposition to an EmX route along Amazon Creek. She said children played in the neighborhood and along the bike path without fear of traffic. She said residents had already decided to prohibit motorized vehicles on bike paths. She identified the many species of animals and birds that lived along the creek and which would be driven from the area if it was a bus route. She said the density of the neighborhood made the bike path and green space especially important for residents. She urged the council to consider other options for EmX. Mary weatherhead, west 13 Avenue, Eugene, spoke in opposition to an EmX route along Amazon Creek. She said the bike path was an integral part of the neighborhood and contributed to the well -being of residents and routing a bus along it would destroy the neighborhood character. Diego Hernandez, Hilyard Street, Eugene, University of Oregon student, supported the Dream Act. He said many undocumented students who had lived in the United States most of their lives faced barriers to higher education. He hoped the council would pass a resolution supporting the Dream Act, as other communities had done. I ie distributed a fact sheet and invited councilors to a viewing of "Papers: The Movie," a documentary presenting the issue from students' perspectives. Kevin Matthews, Eugene, president of Friends of Eugene, said the organization did considerable work to support intelligent, accurate planning and he was pleased with the number of people who had spoken on the subject of an EmX bus route along Amazon Creek. He said Amazon Creek was a restoration corridor, not a transportation corridor. He said Friends of Eugene had given Lane Transit District information and asked that the Amazon Creek route be eliminated from consideration. He said City staff had made a code ruling in an attempt to enable motorized transportation along Amazon Creek and that was being appealed by a land owner. He noted that some of the actions before the council were environmental decisions, but felt that City staff had not highlighted those or provided environmental findings to inform decisions. MINUTES Eugene City Council November 9, 2009 Page 3