Item 2A: Approval of Council Minutes

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believed the additional of 1,200 students would be a boon to downtown businesses and the development would eventually add to the City’s tax base. Cindy Foster , Elmira, believed the proposed development would help revitalize downtown and led to new places to shop and eat. She was excited about the new developments occurring in downtown and believed that the project would do much to increase the feeling of safety downtown. Dustin Locke , Ward 7, believed the proposed development would benefit the economy, add to the housing inventory, and help revitalize downtown. He supported the MUPTE application. Carlis Nixon , Ward 8, opposed the proposed development because she believed the application was being rushed and the community was being pressured by the developers. She was also concerned about the developer being willing to include the standards of management into a future sale. She believed the project was too proximate to Olive Plaza and too dense and she was concerned about its impact on the residents who lived there. Walter Hunt , Ward 3, supported the proposed Capstone development as helping to fulfill long-held City goals. He pointed out that similar tax breaks were granted to other projects. He believed the City could require the applicant to include the standards of management in a future sale. He perceived the development as an important step forward. Jack Roberts , Ward 5, supported the application because he believed the proposed development would help revitalize downtown and would help connect the downtown and UO. Rueben Mayes , Ward 5, encouraged the council to approve the MUPTE and the alley vacation. He believed the project was aligned with the Seven Pillars of Envision Eugene Pillars. He noted the management commitments that the developer had made and suggested the development might be the tipping point downtown needed to attract new businesses and people downtown. Amy Perkins , Ward 4, supported the proposed development and MUPTE application. She believed more students living downtown would be a positive change. Mitra Chester , Ward 1, supported the proposed Capstone project. She emphasized the importance of the project’s timing as it related to other downtown development. She said that downtown residents would attract more commercial enterprises to occupy redeveloped downtown spaces. She also thought the development would have a low impact on residents and the majority of traffic would travel down an already commercial street. She advocated for a focus on the big picture and what the development brought to downtown Eugene. Larry Newby , Ward 6, supported the development proposal. He was concerned about parking and recommended that the council remember that students would bring their cars to Eugene. He believed that Capstone Collegiate Communities proposal kept those cars off the street. He hoped the council supported the MUPTE application. Jennifer Sutton , Ward 7, suggested the proposed development would create jobs. Many would not last past the development but their contribution to the economy would last a life time. Lillian Parker , Ward 1, did not object to the proposed development but wanted to ensure that the City addressed the problems that the development might pose for residents. She was particularly concerned about the sidewalks and asked for well-publicized signs on the sidewalk at eye-level prohibiting bicycles MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 23, 2012 Page 6 Regular Meeting