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downtown and he agreed that was a good thing, but the council also recently heard that a requirement for <br />mixed -use downtown represented a barrier to development. Developers argued that a requirement for <br />commercial on the ground floor was a detriment to development, but the MUPTE encouraged ground <br />floor commercial development. Ms. Laurence said it was difficult to require ground floor commercial <br />because it represented added costs and it was often challenging for developers to fill the commercial <br />space. It was more expensive to build such projects, so the State modified the MUPTE to allow that <br />portion of the improvement to also be exempted from the property tax. <br />Mr. Brown advocated for the immediate end of the use of the MUPTE in the University area. He said the <br />MUPTE was intended to foster development that would not otherwise have happened, and the <br />development that was happening in that area would have happened anyway. <br />Mr. Clark supported extending the downtown MUPTE boundaries and looked forward to a discussion <br />about the use of the MUPTE near the University. He hoped the council remained open- minded pending <br />that discussion. He suggested the MUPTE had value in the University area because it allowed for <br />development that might not otherwise make financial sense. Mr. Clark believed the council needed to <br />consider all the factors involved in the cost of building inside and outside the MUPTE boundaries to <br />better understand whether something was more marketable because of the MUPTE. <br />Mr. Clark suggested that the MUPTE was also related to the type of development that would be built and <br />whether that development met the City's livability goals. He believed that developments built in that area <br />with the assistance of the MUPTE tended to be better supported by the neighbors and helped create a <br />more livable space. Mr. Clark anticipated that the neighborhood would continue to be develop in a dense <br />fashion but that development would not be high quality if the quality was driven by the market and not <br />incentivized by the City. <br />Mr. Clark supported the inclusion of the Trainsong neighborhood in the Transit Oriented Area. <br />Mr. Poling also supported inclusion of the Trainsong neighborhood. He agreed with Mr. Clark's remarks <br />about the application of the MUPTE in the University area. He pointed out that buildings constructed <br />with the assistance of MUPTE included green features and amenities that would not otherwise have been <br />included. In addition, the process included both neighborhood and council input. <br />Mr. Pryor also agreed about the addition of the Trainsong neighborhood. He appreciated the council's <br />support for the MUPTE as a tool. He suggested the council consider the MUPTE from the standpoint of a <br />return on the city's investment. The MUPTE had an impact on the neighborhood, the quality of the <br />construction, and on future growth patterns. He said all those impacts needed to be considered. <br />Speaking to the idea that the MUPTE be discontinued near the University, Mr. Pryor said he could <br />support that with the expectation that the council would discuss its applications in other areas throughout <br />the community. He suggested that without financial incentives, construction in that area would be larger <br />in scale and have more impact on the residents. He was concerned that the City Council would create <br />another problem while trying to solve another one. He supported the staff - proposed motion with the <br />expectation more discussion would occur. <br />Mayor Piercy wanted the council to reach the point where it was able to use the MUPTE more like a <br />scalpel than a hammer and refine it to be more useful in helping the council reach its goals. Speaking to <br />the suggestion that Trainsong could be added at this time, Mayor Piercy believed the council had time for <br />a fuller discussion about the merits of adding the neighborhood before the ordinance sunsetted. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council July 20, 2011 Page 6 <br />Work Session <br />