Laserfiche WebLink
because of the issues that the renaming of a street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard had raised for <br />people. She felt there seemed to be a lack of understanding as to why the naming was so important. She <br />said it was a changing world, the demographics were changing, and young people would want to put their <br />footprint on the City. <br />Mr. Zelenka echoed appreciation for Ms. Forrest's work. He wondered if any jurisdictions just used <br />existing committees to work on naming as opposed to forming an ad hoc committee. Ms. Forrest <br />responded that she was not certain of the answer but she did know that one jurisdiction had a standing <br />naming committee. <br />Mr. Zelenka noted that the subsection of the policy regarding staff naming requests referred to renaming <br />subsections of city facilities. That seemed vague to him. Mr. Ruiz replied that he would consider a <br />library shelf or a chair in the Hult Center for the Performing Arts a subsection of a facility. <br />Mr. Zelenka asked if it was common for jurisdictions to require a little more than a simple majority to <br />rename something. Ms. Forrest replied that she did not remember seeing this clause, but given the <br />controversial nature that some proposals could have, this could be prudent. <br />Mr. Poling did not see why a simple majority would not be adequate. He suggested that the policy <br />regarding the ad hoc committee indicate that the committee should include representatives of the people <br />who proposed the naming and people who lived in the area where the changes were to occur. <br />Mayor Piercy suggested that the portion of the naming policy that recommended that names incorporate <br />geographic, historic, and geologic features also include demographic features. <br />Ms. Taylor did not think it would be appropriate to use the Planning Commission. She said public <br />hearings and actions of the City Council were more watched and monitored by the public than those of the <br />Planning Commission. She did not think a special committee was needed either; the council could serve <br />in that capacity. <br />Mr. Clark thought that financial impacts needed to be a specific part of the policy. He pointed out that the <br />name change to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard had external financial impacts to area businesses and <br />the council needed to be aware of these impacts during consideration of a name change. <br />Mr. Zelenka liked the idea of requiring more than a simple majority of councilors to approve naming. He <br />echoed councilor opposition to placing a naming item on the consent calendar. <br />Ms. Solomon thanked Ms. Forrest. She noted that it had been mentioned that there might be an upcoming <br />naming opportunity. She asked if the new bicycle bridge over Delta Highway was a federal or local <br />project. Mr. Ruiz said he would have to look into it. <br />Mayor Piercy commented that the last thing one would want if something was being named in their honor <br />would be a lot of fighting over it. She said the closer they could come to consensus on naming items, the <br />better it would be for the process. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council May 19, 2010 Page 4 <br />Work Session <br />