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College Hill Reservoir. He maintained that EWEB staff was wrong and the reservoir did not need to be fenced because of an exception included in 1990 legislation. He maintained that fences were irrelevant to the security issues. He met with EWEB several times to provide feedback, and the commissioners had invited solutions from the neighbors. Mr. Grosscup said that staff was less receptive to the neighborhood’s proposals. He believed that closing the reservoir would have a profound impact on the community. Mr. Grosscup asserted that issues that affected neighborhood, such as open space and the unique historic character of the site, mandated City involvement in the issue. He noted that EWEB commissioners would hear a proposal from EWEB staff in April, so time was of the essence. Mr. Grosscup acknowledged that it would be helpful if he understood the relationship between EWEB and the City with regard to the ownership and management of the property in question. David Sonnichsen , 2435 Skyline Boulevard, noted that Oregon Transportation Commission member Randy Papé stated at the February 2006 Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) meeting that public opposition to ramps at I-5 influenced ODOT against the idea. More would be known after the council discussion. He said the Walnut Station Study referred to Franklin Boulevard as a gateway to the City. However, he believed the University of Oregon’s plans for its property on Franklin Boulevard did not create a gateway but rather another downtown “all to itself.” He noted the recent staff presentation regarding the Whole Foods development, during which staff referred to that as a gateway. He suggested the result would be that Franklin Boulevard was a “gateway to a gateway.” Mr. Sonnichsen suggested the new bridge at Franklin Boulevard without pillars in the river could be a beautiful new gateway between Eugene and Springfield but he did not think it could be beautiful if it had ramps attached to it. He noted the many people who would visit Eugene and use the Prefontaine Trail during the 2008 Olympic Trials and suggested a new bridge with ramps would sully that area, which he believed should be protected. nd Jana Jackson , 1012 East 22 Avenue, suggested that it would be useful if the City Council and mayor listened to the people of Eugene. She attended a recent workshop on violence and youth, and heard a suggestion that youth be listened to so they knew they were heard. Ms. Jackson suggested the council do the same. She said that the council should respect the will of the voters, and cited as a classic example of a lack of respect the council’s actions with regard to the West Eugene Parkway. She pointed out that residents voted for the parkway twice and against an expensive advisory study and the council acted in opposition to that. The result was that people did not feel heard and became frustrated. She asked why the community’s youth should follow the law, given that example. She cited the Santa Clara sewer assessment issue and City’s foreclosure on a home, which she found abusive and an example of why people questioned why they should follow the law if the City did not. Ms. Jackson referred to the City’s Land Use Code, which allowed passive “yeses” to prevail in the case of the South Eugene Historic District and rewarded people’s ignorance and passivity. The code did not reward those residents who fought hard to protect their investments in their homes. She said “no means no.” Molly Dobbs , 1125 Jackson Street, asserted that the parking structure being proposed for the Whole Foods development was “not in line with the vision of downtown.” She wanted the City to extend the Parks Blocks to create a connection to the river. She shared a proposal to create underground parking based on the Salem Civic Center. Ms. Dobbs asked the City to meet with the students and consider alternatives to the proposed garage. She believed the site of the proposed Whole Foods development was a perfect site to start the Parks Blocks extension and live up to the City’s logo regarding the arts and outdoors. MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 13, 2006 Page 5 Regular Meeting