CC Minutes - 03/12/12 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES Eugene City Council Council Chamber —City Hall 777 Pearl Street—Eugene, Oregon March 12, 2012 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: George Brown, Pat Farr, Andrea Ortiz, George Poling, Chris Pryor, Alan Zelenka. COUNCILORS ABSENT: Mike Clark, Betty Taylor. Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the March 12, 2012, regular meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. 1. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Piercy reviewed the rules of the Public Forum. Lars Henke, Ward 1, advocated for improved skateboard facilities in Eugene, particularly around the University of Oregon campus, and changes to the City Code that classified skateboarders as cyclists rather than pedestrians to allow them to use bicycle lanes. He reported on student surveys that indicated support for his recommendations. Kortney Jolley, Ward 1, agreed with the remarks of Mr. Henke. She proposed that Eugene pass legislation modeled after Title 16 in the City of Portland's code, which reclassified skateboarders as cyclists. She anticipated that such an action would result in more places for skateboarders to ride lawfully and increased pedestrian safety. The revised regulations would be more enforceable. She hoped to see the changes create a more comfortable commuting environment for those who used skateboards. Judi Horstmann, Ward 3, urged the council to accept the Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) and direct the City Manager to incorporate it into the Transportation System Plan update. She urged that the BPMP be funded and recommended that the City reinstate the Sidewalk Infill Program. She also urged council support for a new street repair measure that supported active transportation and encouraged the council and staff to rethink the City's definition of collectors and arterials to include streets with high volumes of bicycle use. Irene Cardenas, Ward 1, advocated for a homeless camp so the homeless could be integrated into the socio- economic structure. She said there were successful examples of such camps in other communities. Joe Tyndall, Ward 1, discussed a recent incident involving a member of Occupy Eugene and an officer of the Eugene Police Department (EPD). He maintained the involved officer had perjured himself and asked what the City was going to do about it. Mr. Tyndall opposed other contemplated regulations that he believed were aimed against the homeless in downtown, such as a ban on dogs. He was opposed to tax breaks for the proposed Capstone development. Mr. Tyndall concluded by asserting that the downtown MINUTES— Eugene City Council March 12, 2012 Page 1 Regular Meeting