HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 05/11/06
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
May 11, 2006
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
OVER 1,300 SCHOOL CHILDREN TO ‘DISCOVER PUBLIC WORKS’ AT ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE
RECREATION PROGRAM LEADS TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BID
GOVERNMENT DELEGATION FROM MEXICO TOURS EUGENE’S URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM
WRITERS READ LIVE: WINDFALL AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY MAY 16
FIVE LOCAL BUSINESSES SET TO JUMPSTART SUSTAINABILITY
CITY DESIGN TOPIC OF PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES
OREGON HATE CRIMES CONFERENCE
TREE CUTTING SET FOR REST HAVEN MEMORIAL PARK
AROUND THE CITY
Over 1,300 School Children to ‘Discover Public Works’ at Annual Open House
Eugene residents are invited to join more than 1,300 youngsters and 300 adults who have signed up to
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“Discover Public Works” at the 14 annual Eugene Public Works Open House on Thursday, May 18,
from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Public Works Yard.
Designed primarily for children, this free, interactive event showcases the
many services that Eugene Public Works provides in this community. “Tiny
Park” highlights the work of the department’s Parks and Open Space Division,
“Tiny Town” teaches children how to be safe in traffic, and the “Equipment
Rodeo” gives people of all ages a chance to sit behind the wheel of a dump
truck, a street sweeper, mowers, back hoes, giant cranes, and other Public
Works equipment. Other displays and activities include an interactive look at
the airport’s security system, a trailer ride through the Public Works “backyard,”
group photos framed on a picture of a manhole cover, a look at how police cars
and fire engines are maintained, and fun ways to learn about stormwater and
wastewater services.
For more information please contact Eric Jones, Public Affairs Manager, at
682-5523, 954-2938, or eric.r.jones@ci.eugene.or.us.
Recreation Program Leads to National Championship Bid
Two participants in the Recreation Division's rhythmic gymnastics class, Kaila Graham, age 13, (Level 5)
and Isabelle Richard, age 8 (Level 4), will compete in the 2006 Rhythmic Gymnastics Level 4/5 National
Championships and Classics in Virginia Beach, Virginia on May 20.
The girls qualified for the national meet by winning the regional rhythmic gymnastics competition held in
Seattle earlier this year. Recreation Coordinator Katya Ivanova, the City’s only gymnastics instructor, is
their coach. She will accompany them to the competition, thanks to the generosity of the girls’ parents.
Kaila and Isabelle will be taking City of Eugene pins to the competition to exchange with other gymnasts.
For more information, contact Melissa Perkins, 682-8837.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
May 11, 2006
Government Delegation from Mexico Tours Eugene’s Urban Forestry Program
Government representatives from the State of Durango, Mexico, spent the
week with City of Eugene Urban Forestry staff to learn more about how
Eugene manages its urban forestry program and cares for its more than
75,000 city trees. In an effort to build a healthier, more sustainable urban
environment, the governor of Durango is looking to create in the capital
city of Durango a model urban forestry program that can be replicated
throughout the state, the fourth largest in the country. The governor
discovered Eugene’s expansive urban forestry program and asked if the
City would be willing to share best practices.
The delegation toured Eugene’s parks and natural areas, looked at all
aspects of tree maintenance operations, observed the City’s use of GIS to
inventory trees for management decisions, and met with community
partners such as the Eugene Tree Foundation. A field trip to the largest
production shade tree nursery in the state helped them understand how to
Delegation meets with City Tree Specialist
John Luther for a demonstration of the
set up their own tree nursery in Durango, and a tour of the World Forestry
City’s hazard tree assessment process. Left
Center in Portland by the Center’s Education and Research Directors gave
to right: Manuel Galindo, Adan Alvarez,
Miguel Villada, Roberto Ramirez, John
them ideas and materials to help start a public education program.
Luther
The four representatives of Governor Ismael Hernández met formally with Mayor Piercy on Wednesday,
May 3. Mayor Piercy, Councilor Ortiz and others met with the group for breakfast earlier that day, and a
reception and farewell dinner was held Saturday. Eugene’s Urban Forestry program is responsible for
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the planting, care, and removal of city street trees. In 2006, Eugene was awarded its 27 consecutive
Tree City USA award by the National Arbor Day Foundation. For more information, contact Eugene
Urban Forester, Mark Snyder, at 682-4819.
Writers Read Live: Windfall at Eugene Public Library May 16
The Windfall Reading Series wraps up its successful2005 - 2006 season on Tuesday, May 16, with poet
Lynn Lyman Trombetta and novelist Marisela Rizik, writers whose contemporary works draw on the
rhythms and flavors of their heritages. The authors read at the Downtown Library at 7 p.m.
Trombetta credits her Irish Catholic upbringing—her father’s family stories, Bible
stories read aloud by her mother, and the incantations of the Latin Mass—for her love
of narrative and language. A third-generation Sonoma County native, her award-
winning poetry is also inspired by the rolling hills of that landscape. Trombetta is a
member of the Sixteen Rivers Press collective whose work has appeared in journals
including The Sun and CALYX, as well as in her own collection, Falling World.
Marisela Rizik’s novel Of Forgotten Times, originally published in Spanish, is now
available in English as well. The novel portrays the dramatic lives of generations
of women in two families on an unnamed Caribbean island. One mother and
daughter seek to escape the poverty of urban life, while others live in a village so
remote that modern times have barely reached it. The families have only one thing
in common - the dictator, whose ruthless power affects everyone. Of Forgotten
Times has been well-received by critics and is frequently assigned to Latin
American studies classes.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Rizik has lived in Eugene since 1982. She holds degrees from
the University of Oregon in Telecommunication and Film, and in Spanish. In addition to writing, Rizik
teaches Spanish—and Argentine tango. She is also professionally involved with the local educational
film and video industry.
The Windfall Reading Series is sponsored by Eugene Public Library, Lane Literary Guild, Friends of the
Library, Eugene Public Library Foundation, and the Cultural Services Division of Lane Arts Council. For
more information, call the Eugene Public Library at 682-5450.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
May 11, 2006
Five Local Businesses Set to Jumpstart Sustainability
Active Business Development Fund loan program companies recently volunteered to participate in a
program to jumpstart sustainability for their business. On Wednesday, May 17, Green Gear (Bike
Friday), Plaza Latina, Peace Investments, Mazzi’s, and Harlequin Beads & Jewelry will meet with Josh
Proudfoot of Good Company for the introductory group session on sustainability issues and the business
assessment process. Under contract with the City of Eugene, Good Company will then meet individually
with each company to assess operations, product/service lifecycle, and marketing. The process will
conclude with Good Company’s concrete, feasible, and observable action steps to improve sustainability
for each company.
Good Company will present results of the program to other companies in a two-hour workshop co-
sponsored by the City and the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. The first half of the workshop will
consist of a brief introduction to sustainability issues, the assessment process, and the assessment tool.
The second half will be for review of the program results to bridge the gap from concept to application.
Look for this class to be offered by the Chamber of Commerce in September.
The demonstration program and subsequent class is supported with City funds provided for sustainable
economic development. (Good Company is a local research and consulting firm that helps clients
measure, manage, and market their social and environmental performance.) For more information,
contact Mike Sullivan at the Community Development Division, 682-5448, or e-mail
mike.c.sullivan@ci.eugene.or.us
City Design Topic of Public Lecture Series
The City of Eugene, University of Oregon School of
Architecture and Allied Arts, Lane Transit District, and
Oregon Transportation and Growth Management
Program/TGM are partnering with the American Institute of
Architects Southwestern Oregon Chapter and the American
Society of Landscape Architects Willamette Valley Section to
present a public lecture series on city design.
At 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at 182 Lillis Hall on the
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UO campus, Dan Solomon will speak on “Rich Admire
Richard Meier: Whatever Happened to Modernity?” Dan Solomon is the principal of Solomon-ETC
and author of Global City Blues and Rebuilding. His firm has designed award-winning projects
across the country that incorporate environmental sustainability, socio-economic diversity, and
transportation efficiency. From discrete buildings to large-scale master plans, he shows how
architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design work together to create more livable cities.
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This will be the 13 annual McKeown Memorial Lecture in Landscape Architecture.
On Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m. at the UO Baker Center, 975 High Street, Paul Crawford will address
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“Shaping the Public Realm: The Role of Form Based Codes.” Municipalities across the country are
recognizing that traditional zoning codes do not support the types of buildings and open spaces
appropriate in today’s transit-oriented developments. They have replaced these outdated rules with
form based codes in an effort to regulate the form of development necessary to support a safe and
vibrant public life. Crawford will discuss recent applications of this new zoning concept and its
applicability to projects that support livability and transportation choices.
On Wednesday, June 7, at 7 p.m. at the UO Baker Center, Elizabeth Macdonald will speak on
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“Building Multi-Way Boulevards.” The City of Eugene is considering proposals for Franklin
Boulevard that can accommodate transit, increased vehicle capacities, and an improved pedestrian
environment. Multi-way boulevards are one tested approach that can meet these diverse demands.
Elizabeth Macdonald, a professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University
of California at Berkeley and the co-author of The Boulevard Book, will share her research and
practical experience in designing and building multi-way boulevards.
All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, call Allen Lowe in Planning and
Development at 682-5113, Rob Inerfeld in Public Works at 682-5343, or the UO at 346-1999.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
May 11, 2006
Oregon Hate Crimes Conference
The Oregon Hate Crimes Conference will take place June 21 - 23 at Portland Community College
Cascade Campus. This conference is being offered for the first time since being held in Eugene five
years ago, and will not likely be offered for another five years. The conference tackles the unique issues
and solutions associated with hate crimes and hate activity in Oregon, and recognizes the value of
collaboration by law enforcement, government, and community members to address these issues.
Conference details can be found on the web at http://oregonstate.edu/conferences/hatecrimes2006/. For
conference flyers and more information, contact the Human Rights Program at 682-5177.
Tree Cutting Set for Rest Haven Memorial Park
Approximately 1,500 trees are identified for removal from various locations on the 74-acre Rest Haven
Memorial Park site, with work likely to begin on May 11 or 12. The proposal was reviewed and approved
under a City of Eugene tree removal permit, first approved in 2004 and extended in 2005. The
permitting process included notice to neighbors, and approval conditions are consistent with a
Conditional Use Permit (CUP), approved in 1995. (The CUP agreement was recorded in November
1998.) On May 10, staff inspected protection fencing for the trees that will remain on the site. For more
information, please contact Mike McKerrow, Planning and Development Department, 682-5251, or
mike.j.mckerrow@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
May 11, 2006