Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Paul Moore , 2586 Potter Street, said area transportation planning called for shorter automobile trips and nodal development. He read Whole Foods Grocery siting requirements aloud. He said the store was not intended to serve downtown Eugene residents. He averred that it was a 52,000-square-foot destination store, designed to bring a large volume of automobile traffic to the downtown from a wide area. He thought the store would work against all efforts to increase the use of public transportation because it would encourage grocery shopping after work using single-occupant vehicles. He thought shopping should be within walking distance and supported the idea of urban villages. Mayor Piercy called for a five-minute break. She reconvened the meeting at 11:07 p.m. Councilor Solomon left the meeting. Hope Marston , PO Box 51434, urged the council not to be afraid to pass up what appeared to be an opportunity. She felt it was an opportunity that came with “too many red flags.” She opposed the no-bid contract. She did not believe a parking structure qualified as something that was for the public good. She called the proposal “a slap in the face” to local grocers and people who had built businesses and provided services for many years. She also felt the proposal would jeopardize other public enterprises such as the library. She preferred the types of projects that the students of architecture had brought forth. She thought they did a better job of expressing “what Eugene was about.” She urged the council to oppose the no-bid contract and the supplemental budget. Walter Hunt , 2745 Spring Boulevard, spoke in support of downtown development. He said the parking structure had been talked about for approximately ten years. He hoped the City could “pull it together” downtown. He expressed concern that the City did not have a “plan B” in the event that the Whole Foods Grocery failed. He acknowledged that there was a lot of support in Eugene for the local merchants. He noted the two holes that had been left undeveloped in the downtown area and did not want more holes. He wished to move forward with the project but remained concerned. Tom Slocum , 1950 Graham Drive, expressed disappointment that some business owners expressed such pessimism about another business moving in. He noted that Jerry’s Home Improvement maintained a positive attitude when Home Depot moved into town. He thought the food industry in this community could also step forward and make its way. He did not want others to limit his shopping options. He had been to Whole Foods Groceries in two cities and had found them to be wonderful stores. He thought it would be a welcome addition to the community. He felt the real issue was whether or not the City would get started on revamping the downtown in Eugene. He opined that the community was in disrepair and “really needed some help.” He said without a big increase in the assessed valuation in the community Eugene would not be able to pay its bills. He looked at the project as the cornerstone to the downtown redevelopment. Eric Gunderson , 86840 Dukhobar Road, commented that he heard many people say this was a conversa- tion about development versus livability. He had heard this debate for over 30 years in the community and had found that the City often ended up choosing neither one. He thought sustainability should embrace both. He opined that Whole Foods Grocery and a parking garage and the accompanying density would make the downtown a sustainable place. He said he embraced the people who came to the downtown. He believed parking to be a complement to mass transit. He embraced the developments of residential housing downtown, both the low-income and otherwise. He favored both projects. David Hoffman , 2790 Madison Street, opposed transporting food over long distances. He felt it posed food security risks as well as reduced the nutritional value of produce. He believed Whole Foods Grocery to be MINUTES—Eugene City Council -- March 13, 2006 Page 23 City Council Meeting