CC Minutes - 02/08/11 JEO Public Hearing

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MINUTES OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH EUGENE CITY COUNCIL, Page 11 METROPOLITAN POLICY COMMITTEE, AND LANE TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FEBRUARY 8, 2011 sold, and the money was used to buy land on the EmX route and the Joe Romania building. The neighborhood around the first EmX route is now vacant. The UO bought land for the arena. While talking about transit - oriented development, there was no evaluation for the Walnut Station. Mixed - use development near Walnut Station is linked to money laundering with the athletic department. EmX supports the good old boy network and the community is moving backward. Charles Hibberd, West 11 Avenue, Eugene, said that he owns a business on West 11 Avenue. He counts people on the buses, counting seven at the stop by Riley's Furniture and 13 people during the peak hour. He questioned the need for a bus that carries sixty people when the buses are empty now. He said that most people who support EmX are not from West Eugene. The people who live and work in the area pay the taxes and care about the future. Citizens know what they need, and LTD needs to reassess its analysis. Irving Weiner, West 11 Avenue, Eugene, has a small family business with 50 employees. LTD wants to impose a transit system that does not fit the needs of the community. LTD is planning a European parkway on West 11 Avenue through his parking lot. He said he feared it is a done deal and it is too bad that businesses have not been included in the decision. The businesses feel disenfranchised. Where are we going with Envision Eugene? The scheme may or may not work. He is not against government employees, but he needs to make a monthly payroll. People need to live by their whit. LTD and the City do not know what is good for business. He encouraged them to step back, rethink, and incorporate the ideas of all the people with the No Build signs, and comply with federal guidelines. George Cole, West 11 Avenue, Eugene, stated that he has been associated with property on West 11 Avenue for 60 years. He sees the planning and computer models as placeboes, with garbage in garbage out, and this is a way to make judgments. In 1997 LTD wanted to take his property for a Park & Ride. It cost him $160,000 to keep his property. He checks the Park & Ride at Fred Meyer every week. There are 43 parking spaces. Today there were seven cars there at 1:30 p.m., and the number of cars ranged from zero to nine. LTD staff made a mistake on the computer model for EmX. He supports mass transit and EmX, but not on West 11 Avenue. Zachary Start- MacMillan, Kincaid Street, Eugene, Student Senate president at the UO, said that the Student Senate represented 23,000 students and supported the extension of EmX. Thousands of students ride EmX daily to school and to access services at businesses in the community. The student government funds 3 percent of the LTD budget. The Senate unanimously passed a resolution in favor of urging the City Council and the mayor to support and approve the expansion. He had copies of the resolution for the officials. He said EmX is a valuable resource for the community. Speaking as a member of the Climate Justice League, he said that they are working for real solutions to fight climate change. EmX will help reduce carbon emissions and will help create a better community. Cortney Mild, (address not given), is a student at the UO and a member of the Live Move student group. She stated her support for the West Eugene EmX Extension on behalf of future students who will need transit services in West Eugene. People who are unable or unwilling to get out of their cars should be in favor of EmX because the more people ride EmX, the more space there will be for others to drive. Casey Gifford, Ferry Street, Eugene, is a student at UO and a member of the Climate Justice League. She said she came to tonight's meeting by EmX. She supports EmX for current and future students. Many students do not own cars, and businesses on West 11 Avenue are not accessible by bike. UO students will benefit greatly by EmX as other areas of the city become accessible to them. EmX is a long -term investment, and she has seen that development follow public transit in other cities.