CCMinutes - 04/12/04 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Solomon said the motion felt very anti-business to her. The council had a lot of work to do, and she was not anxious to add more to its workload. She pointed out that people outside Eugene also shopped at Wal-Mart. She believed that Wal-Mart provided a valuable service for many citizens in the community. Mr. Poling was concerned about the legal issues around the issue. He also noted the upcoming work session on the subject of big box retail, and considered the motion a way of circumventing the council's established process. Mr. Poling, seconded by Ms. Solomon, moved to table the motion to May 24, 2004. Mr. Poling said without more information, he was unprepared to move forward. He wanted to proceed in a legal and cautious manner. Ms. Nathanson also noted the upcoming work session on the issue. She said such a moratorium would affect any entity wanting to do business in Eugene, not just Wal-Mart. The moratorium would also proceed the council's work session, and she considered that to be premature. She recalled the council's recent discussion of council goals, and said it appeared work on those priorities would have to stop to facilitate work on the ordinance called for in Ms. Taylor's motion. Ms. Bettman believed the council's work session on big box retail uses would stimulate a flurry of applications and if the moratorium was not in place it would send a message that those applications should be made. She noted that other communities had adopted moratoriums, and they were not considered a ~taking." The community spent considerable time on economic development to create jobs, and she thought the council could take action to protect existing jobs. She pointed out the council was not taking action on an ordinance, but rather a proposal to place a moratorium on big box development until a policy was in place. Mayor Torrey supported the motion to table. He noted for the benefit of the public that the motion offered by Ms. Taylor would not affect the Wal-Mart expansion on 11th Avenue, and Wal-Mart would have the right to move forward and expand that store. The moratorium would apply only to future applications. Ms. Taylor said that the process of instituting such an ordinance took time, which was why she offered the motion now. The motion did not commit the council to any action. Mr. Meisner determined from Ms. Taylor the motion did not direct the manager to bring an ordinance back to the council's May work session. Mr. Papd noted that the issue had not made it to the top of the council's priority list for the Planning Division's work program. Mr. Kelly referred to the 45-day notice mandated by the State and determined from Mr. Lidz that it was 45 days from that notice to the public hearing. Mr. Kelly pointed out that time period would expire after the council's May 24 work session, so Ms. Taylor's motion merely %tarted the clock." City Manager Taylor reiterated his concern about the need for findings, and suggested the work session would provide more direction to both the council and staff. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 12, 2004 Page 3 Work Session