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<br />The council was joined by Parks Planning Manager Neil Björklund and Senior Planner Jeff Kroeger of the <br />Lane Council of Governments, who were present to request the council’s endorsement of the Willamette <br />River Open Space Vision and Action Plan. They provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the plan and <br />the partnership behind it. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark applauded the work behind the plan and expressed appreciation for the voluntary nature of <br />property owner participation. However, he was concerned that being overly specific about future property <br />acquisitions might require the City to pay more for land than it might otherwise. He determined from City <br />Attorney Emily Jerome that the City Council’s endorsement of the plan did not bias it or bind it in regard to <br />future land use decisions. Mr. Clark asked what value the council’s endorsement had. Mr. Björklund <br />suggested the value of the endorsement was that the plan provided a common framework for the participat- <br />ing agencies to work together, and it could be important when those agencies sought funding to realize the <br />vision in the plan. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark supported council endorsement of the plan, but he pointed out the council was considering some <br />competing values. While he thought that such coordinated planning was important and valuable, he believed <br />the City currently fell down in regard to many aspects of its river management, such as in how it managed <br />illegal camping. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy suggested the plan created a framework for future voluntary property donations and pointed <br />out that past donors had donated land not for profit but for the purpose of creating something good for the <br />community and future generations. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling hoped that the City did not take drastic measures to compel unwilling property owners to sell <br />their properties. He supported the plan with emphasis on the conceptual and voluntary nature of the plan. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka commended the report and the staff involved in its development. He said the plan provided an <br />important vision for the future and that vision would be useful when the City sought funding from the <br />federal government and granting agencies. He supported the endorsement. <br /> <br />Mr. Pryor also supported council endorsement of the plan and suggested its implementation would be <br />gradual. He further suggested that the Eugene council’s pace of action in that implementation would to <br />some degree dictate how the plan moved forward. He commended the vision in the plan and believed it was <br />already producing benefits. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark noted that the plan was very detailed and complex, and said he would like to see an economic <br />vision and action plan of the same magnitude following completion of the City’s joint elected officials <br />committee process. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark asked if mention of a specific private property adversely affected a property owner seeking to <br />develop and finance improvements on that property. Ms. Jerome said not at this time. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to endorse the Willamette River Open Space <br />Vision Plan and Action Plan. The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy adjourned the work session at 7:22 p.m. <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council July 12, 2010 Page <br />6 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />