Item 6: PH - Ordinance Renaming 3rd/4th Connector

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY rdth Public Hearing: An Ordinance Concerning the Change of Street Name of the 3/4 Connector Which Extends East from Lincoln Street to Pearl Street Within the City of Eugene, to Shelton McMurphey Boulevard Meeting Date: May 8, 2006 Agenda Item Number: 6 Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Kent Kullby www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5453 ISSUE STATEMENT The Eugene City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on May 8, 2006, regarding an ordinance rdthrdth to change the name of the 3/4 Connector (also known as 3/4 Avenue) to Shelton McMurphey Blvd. rdth as recommended by the Planning Commission. The 3/4 Connector is a public street segment that runs rdth from the intersection of Lincoln Street and West 3 Avenue to the intersection of East 4 Avenue and Pearl Street (see attached map). City Council action on the ordinance is scheduled for June 12, 2006. BACKGROUND The council initiated a street name change at its work session meeting of December 12, 2005, and directed staff to initiate the proceedings to re-name the 3rd/4th Connector to Shelton Boulevard. The request was initiated by the council based upon a request by the Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House Board members; the council did not discuss the merits of the proposed street name at that time. The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House is a historic landmark located on the flanks of Skinner Butte Park north of the 3rd/4th Connector. On March 14, 2006, the Eugene Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed street name change. After weighing the written and oral testimony (see attachments), the commission voted unanimously (6:0) to recommend that in the best interest of the City, the street should not be named Shelton Boulevard. It also unanimously (6:0) recommended that the street be renamed to Shelton McMurphey Blvd. (abbreviation for Boulevard). The commission’s record indicates discussion of possible alternative names and variations of suffixes. The commission also noted in its recommendation that “Boulevard” be abbreviated to reduce the number of characters in the street name. Please refer to the attached Planning Commission minutes of March 14, 2006. Findings of consistency with the proposed street name change criteria are found in Exhibit B of the Ordinance. The Board of Directors for the Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House and the Whiteaker Community Council have submitted letters in support of the Planning Commission’s recommendation (see attached testimony). Staff supports the Planning Commission’s recommendation, as it implements a policy L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060508\S0605086.doc