CCMinutes - 04/12/04 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

recognized by the City as being so unique. He said it called into question the City's ability to meet the principles of the practical use of context-sensitive design. He alleged there already was much traffic cutting through the area. Elizabeth Lorish, 897 West 36th Avenue, conveyed her concern regarding the reclassification if neighbor- hood streets into collectors. She stressed that opposition to this was unanimous and there were signs in every yard that expressed this opposition. While she recognized the need to repave the road, she thought widening it and straightening the curves would be ;%dicrous." She related that the neighborhood liked the curves and country ambience. She noted over 100 citizens had come to a public hearing on this item on November 4, 2003, and all were opposed to the change. She reiterated neighborhood concerns that environmental degradation would occur and property values would fall. Wendy Dudelheim, 3385 Storey Boulevard, asked the councilors to protect the antiquity of nature's design surrounding Storey Boulevard, Crest Drive, and Friendly Street. She said she moved to Storey Boulevard because it provided privacy and peace. She remarked that it was the reason she lived in Eugene. Councilor Bettman thanked those who testified, adding that it was wonderful to see so many people bringing their input to the council. She related she had been advised that speaking on Friendly Street could be a perceived conflict of interest, as she lived on the north end of Friendly Street and the proposed change may lower her property values. She recommended that staff sit with the community and come up with a community-sensitive design. She noted the public hearing was scheduled for May 10. Councilor Poling indicated he inadvertently cast a ;;no" vote to extend the time and corrected his vote for the purpose of the record. He thanked everyone who spoke at the Public Forum. Councilor Pap6 commented that he had not seen such a large turnout in a long time. He concurred with comments made by Councilor Bettman. He noted there was a work session scheduled for April 28 on the street reclassification. City Manager Dennis Taylor remarked that it would be beneficial to hear the background information on this issue. Councilor Pap~ said he was a proponent for the safety that sidewalks bring. He expressed there was a happy medium for pedestrian and bicycle travel on those roads. He looked forward to a process that would both satisfy the needs of the neighborhood and the need of the community for safety. Councilor Pap~ asked if it would be possible to have the work session on housing standards in the Bascom/Tyson Room in the Library, as per the request made at the Public Forum. Mr. Taylor agreed to look into it. Councilor Taylor apologized to those who spoke at the Public Forum for the two-minute limit. She felt it was difficult to change a three-minute presentation to two minutes on short notice and it hindered the ability of people to express their messages to the council. She thanked all those who testified for coming out and doing so. Councilor Taylor said she had walked the Storey Boulevard neighborhood and was familiar with the difficulties that it presented. She related that she had also attended the public hearing before the Planning Commission and had been impressed by the reasoning and passion expressed in the testimony. She hoped the public hearing before the City Council would be well-attended. She agreed the installation of more stop signs was a good idea and also that it would be difficult to widen streets without negatively impacting some of the homes.