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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Approval of City Council Minutes Meeting Date: May 22, 2006 Agenda Item Number: 2A Department: City Manager’s Office Staff Contact: Lynda Rose www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5017 ISSUE STATEMENT This is a routine item to approve City Council meeting minutes. SUGGESTED MOTION Move to approve the minutes of the April 10, 2006, City Council Meeting, April 19, 2006, Work Session, and April 26, 2006, Workshop. ATTACHMENTS A.April 10, 2006 City Council Meeting B.April 19, 2006, Work Session C.April 26, 2006, Workshop FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Lynda Rose Telephone: 682-5017 Staff E-Mail: lynda.l.rose@ci.eugene.or.us L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060522\S0605222A.doc NAME OF MEETING: Eugene City Council DATE OF MEETING: April 10, 2006—Regular Meeting TO: Beth Forrest RECORDED BY: Ruth Atcherson MINUTES FILE NAME: M:\2006Central Services Department\City Council\cc060410m2.doc BACKUP STORAGE: Ruth #33 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = R O U T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 4/26/06rma Draft to Staff (Date & Initials) Reviewed/Returned by Staff Returned to Minutes Recording Proofed/Revised by Minutes Recording Returned to Staff ______ Council Amendments Incorporated = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ATTACHMENT A M I N U T E S Eugene City Council City Council Meeting Council Chamber—Eugene City Hall April 10, 2006 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Jennifer Solomon, Andrea Ortiz, David Kelly, Gary Papé, George Poling, Chris Pryor, Bonny Bettman, Betty Taylor. Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order and welcomed everyone to the meeting. 1. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Piercy reviewed the rules of the Public Forum. She noted that 24 people had signed up to speak and requested a motion to extend the time for the Public Forum. Councilor Kelly, seconded by Councilor Papé, moved to allow two minutes per speaker. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Anthony Losco , 350 Pearl Street, suggested that the former Sears site be transformed into a European- style plaza or square. He stated that every town in Europe had a piazza. He noted that Portland had such a square. Using Japan as an example, he shared his vision for a themed plaza with everything in the area such as food and retail items relating to that theme during a specified period of time. He thought local small businesses would recognize a benefit by participating as thematic elements. He also suggested that the piazza should be combined with the theater so that when people came, they would have an all-day event to attend. He averred that in looking through history, the piazza had been the most successful business measure ever undertaken. He submitted his testimony in writing. Charles Warren , 86260 Lorane Highway, urged the council to include money in the bond dedicated to all- weather fields in partnership with School District 4J. He thought the four current fields were the best investment the City had ever made in athletic fields. He said the 1998 Parks and Open Space Bond Measure was a success, with a 67 percent approval rating, the highest approval rating of any bond measure in the state that year. He averred that the reason it had been so successful was that there was something in it for everyone. He recommended that the council structure the upcoming bond measure in the same way in order to garner the largest amount of support. He agreed that the acquisition of land for future parks was a worthy goal, but it was also very important to meet the other needs of the community as well. Patti Hansen , 3943 Cornell Way, Board President for the Leadership Education Adventure Direction (LEAD) group, believed LEAD’s mission filled a niche in the community that was critically important. She stated that LEAD intervened with teens in a way that addressed key risk factors for juvenile delin- quency: academic achievement, substance abuse, peer association, and use of time. She said LEAD provided teens with a second family and a place where they were supported and accepted unconditionally. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 1 Regular Meeting She averred that LEAD gave teens a reason to go to school and to not use drugs, to envision a positive future for themselves and motivation to work toward that future. She stated that many of the young people she encountered in the juvenile justice system had gotten into trouble because they had no guidance or because they were bored. She said the proposed teen center would meet a critical need in the community. She underscored that the at-risk and low-income teens in the city were asking for the City’s help to be safe, healthy, and productive individuals. She believed that LEAD could make the teen center happen because they were a dedicated and highly organized group of young people and staff. She felt that LEAD would develop a cadre of young community leaders in the process. She respectfully requested the City’s support for the Nuestro Lugar/Our Place Teen Center. Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Papé, moved to allow 45 minutes for the Pub- lic Forum and to place a two-minute limit on testimony. Roll call vote; the motion passed, 6:2; councilors Taylor and Solomon voting in opposition. Marilyn Kalstad , 263 Sunshine Acres Drive, a founding board member for LEAD, recalled that LEAD started as a partnership between the City of Eugene Outdoor Program, Lane County Juvenile Services, and the Housing Authority in service to low-income young people. She said its success was based on strengthening and expanding those partnerships to include the schools, Centro LatinoAmericano, and other youth-focused organizations. She related that LEAD had been searching for the appropriate housing for its teen center for a long time. LEAD members were excited about the possibility of accessing former Fire Station #1 for use as a teen center. She declared that Eugene needed a safe and chemical-free facility where teens had access to services and social activities that they themselves determined were important. She felt it was important that the teens in the community take ownership of the project and were sharehold- ers in its success. She related that current studies showed a strong relationship between having poor grades and exhibiting problem behavior. She said statistics also showed that students involved in co-curricular activities had higher grade point averages, better rates of attendance in school and fewer disciplinary problems. She added that no one would dispute that parents were the foremost influence on kids, but it was important to remember that the formula for raising healthy teens was the responsibility of the whole community. She also supported the proposed canoe canal restoration and the whitewater recreation development. Maya Rios , 882 Almaden Street, co-coordinator for Nuestro Lugar/Our Place Teen Center, a teen center LEAD was working toward creating in the downtown area, wished to provide an update on the center’s progress. She reported that Dr. Dan Close, director of the University of Oregon Family and Human Services program, introduced a business plan to the group. She said they were working to have the business plan completed by spring. She related that LEAD also formed a partnership with the Youth Action Board. She stated that LEAD members met with downtown business owner John Brown and Downtown Eugene Incorporated (DEI) director Russ Brink, and that they participated on a youth activist panel for the Lane County Social Forum. She said they attended Downtown Safety Council meetings. LEAD teens also applied for a $5,000 grant from the McKenzie River Gathering (MRG). She reported that LEAD representatives attended the annual Northwest Human Services Association conference and was awarded the Outstanding Human Services Agency of the Year award. She said LEAD was looking forward to meeting with City staff on April 28. She added that the Lane County Positive Youth Develop- ment asked LEAD to do a training on facilitation. She thanked the council for its support. Teresa Montes , 501 Sandstone Way, spoke on behalf of Juventud FACETA. She said Juventud FACETA was working in partnership with LEAD to provide an alternative and safe space for youth, where they could develop culture, family and social values in a “solidarity environment.” She explained that FACETA was an acronym standing for Familia, Amistad, Communidad, Enthusiasmos, Triumph, Apendizaje; translated: family, friendship, community, enthusiasm, triumph, and learning. She shared the principles MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 2 Regular Meeting behind Javentud FACETA: to create youth leadership, strong families, to promote social changes, a strong community, and maintain Latino cultures and traditions. She listed the values that the members brought to the group which included love, respect, honesty, friendship, among others. She said the group undertook various activities and had just undergone the Northwest Immigration Training. Danny Lemmon , 1687 Kelly Boulevard, vice president of the LEAD Board, indicated that he had been involved with LEAD for five years. He said working with teens was a great experience and allowed him to show them what it was like to be disabled. He taught the teens to be responsible and not to use drugs and/or alcohol. He supported the opening of the teen center because it would provide a safe environment for teens to have a great time and make friends. He felt LEAD helped teens learn to respect each other’s differences. Skye Rios , 882 Almaden Street, reiterated that a teen center would provide a safe place for teens to ground themselves and work through issues they might be having at school or in family life. He related that since joining LEAD, his grade point average jumped from 1.9 to 4.0. He said it was remarkable to him how rapidly young people who were used to putting other people down for fear of being put down themselves would transform when confronted by a group of peers who treat each other like family as LEAD members do. He stated that a teen center would provide a place for teens to play ping pong, pool, to gain access to a computer lab, to learn to cook, as well as to provide counseling services. He said it would also provide teen-to-teen and adult-to-teen mentoring and a place to escape negative peer pressure. He asked “on behalf of approximately 12,000 teens who lived in this city” for the opportunity to use the former fire station at City Hall as a teen center. He averred that this center could be maintained at little or no cost to taxpayers. He thought if approved this would put to use a public asset that would most likely not be used otherwise. Ruth Duemler , 1745 Fircrest Drive, supported maintaining the way the priorities were currently listed in the parks project list. She felt the land must be acquired now because it would not be available in ten years. Additionally, Ms. Duemler opined that a police auditor should be able to choose who would work under him or her. She underscored that the citizens voted to keep it separate from the City organization. Janet Marshall , 85 North Madison Street, reminded the council of her previous visits regarding the need for a quiet zone on the west side of Eugene. She reported that the Federal Railroad Administration recently increased the allowable volume of train whistles to 110 decibels. She noted that prior readings were 85 to 90 decibels. She said this presented area residents with issues of community livability and that documented research existed supporting health concerns associated with increased decibel levels. She wished to forward to the council a letter she wrote requesting that rail traffic consultants undertake a feasibility study. She felt such a study would “get this conversation off the floor and onto the table.” She added that the bid proposal was under $50,000 to initiate such a study. Ronald Bryant , 295 Maple Street, said the State of California installed call boxes for emergency uses along its freeways. He said he would like to see such boxes installed along the bicycle trails of Eugene. Mr. Bryant stated that he was a chess instructor at Emerald Park. He explained that tables with chess board insets were scattered along the bicycle trail and they could only be used two at a time because they wished to keep the chess-playing group together. He proposed a centralized cluster of tables with chess boards so that larger groups of people could meet and play. He further suggested that tables be placed in the Park Blocks or at Alton Baker Park. He noted that New York City had a large area with chess tables, as did a cabana on the Waikiki Beach. He declared that the city of Eugene was a “powerhouse” in the game of chess and many of the State champions at many different levels were local residents. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 3 Regular Meeting Mary Monette , 3261 Richard Avenue, co-chair of Friends of Golden Gardens Park, explained that the group had been founded one month earlier at a meeting of the Active Bethel Citizens (ABC). She related that three mothers whose boys drowned in the northeast pond spoke to ABC about the unsafe conditions at the park and their determination to prevent more deaths. She previously assumed that the boys were not supervised or could not swim, but learned that because of the inaccessibility of the park it was not frequented by many adults and was an unregulated haven for kids. She stated that the Friends of Golden Gardens Park made progress and had as a goal the prevention of even one more drowning in those ponds as well as to make the park into a site both the Bethel area and the City could be proud of. She reported that the group met with Johnny Medlin, director of the Parks and Open Spaces Division. She said the inaccessibility of the park for rescuers and adults was a huge factor in the previous drownings. She noted that the one-lane bridge was slated to be rebuilt by the end of the summer. Because one of the main goals being sought is to increase adult traffic Mr. Medlin agreed to have a temporary foot bridge built over the canal and to install picnic tables and garbage cans. She related that with the help of parks and recreation staff, Councilor Solomon, City firefighters, and neighborhood organizers, the group developed a strong plan including funding for a feasibility study, purchase of significant acreage in order to slope the banks of the ponds to enhance safety, and a public education campaign to increase awareness of the ponds and their dangers. She urged the council to move the development of the park to a much higher priority on the project list. She stated that the group was willing to help with the work. Copies of the plan were provided to the council. Diane Shock , 5509 Barger Drive, echoed Ms. Monette’s request. She averred that making the park more attractive would help eliminate unsupervised activities. She said that to attract more citizens to the park, more access and positive recreational opportunities were needed. She related that the Friends of Golden Gardens Park envisioned the park to include recreation, both individual and organized group activities such as fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing, jogging, and other activities compatible with the quiet, natural setting. She stated that swimming would be discouraged and redirected to supervised facilities such as the Echo Hollow Pool. The group also envisioned educational opportunities at the park, such as environmental awareness, stewardship, and an appreciation for wildlife. She thought individual and family participation would be encouraged in addition to its use in programs by organizations such as the West Eugene Wetlands Education Center. She said Shasta Middle School and Clear Lake Elementary School were within walking distance of the ponds and would enhance the ability to plan and execute field trips. She remarked that the park was uniquely 90 percent water and water movement in and out of the ponds provided fresh water habitat and year-round water levels necessary for encouraging the reproduction and sustenance of fish and significant aquatic insects. She stressed that the Active Bethel Citizens believed that safety comes first and that the park needed to be developed for increased use by area citizens. Carrol Dower , 1000 Welcome Way, commented that the Golden Gardens Park area was known locally as “The Pits.” She stated that the neighborhood had lost a total of five teenage boys to drowning at this site, all in the same pond. She said all of the boys were responsible adolescent boys who knew how to swim. She reported that the park was almost exclusively frequented by teens for fishing, swimming, and riding dirt bikes. She noted that the community was growing and a large portion of the population in that area was comprised of adolescents and children, 6,000 of whom were enrolled in Bethel area schools. She stressed the importance of the development of the park to the community. She said the rescue effort in June 2005 was greatly hampered by the lack of a bridge to access the pond. She related that the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel had to leave their vehicles and run on foot with heavy gear in order to reach the boys in trouble. She conveyed the neighborhood’s gratitude to Mr. Medlin for helping to move the construction of the access bridge to completion. She reiterated the group’s request for the City to undertake a feasibility study. She urged the City to put up signs advising of the danger and signs delineating the geography. She asked that the ponds be named and that an access bridge over the slough to MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 4 Regular Meeting the ponds be constructed, noting that the latter was forthcoming. She stressed the importance of providing EMS personnel with a key to the gate, as well as at neighboring houses, and personal flotation devices. Brenda Hansen , 979 Laurelhurst Drive, spoke as a member of the Friends of Golden Gardens Park and as a grieving family member. She related that she had gone to the ponds for the first time in the past week and she could now see why the area was so attractive to kids. She said looks could be deceiving as the ponds had been and continued to be very dangerous. She stated that the ponds were originally dug as gravel pits and claimed four young lives in 12 years. She said Lane County owned the ponds until 1974 at which time they were deeded to the City of Eugene; nothing had been done since then. She averred that the pits had been left for decades to fill with water and for nature to reclaim. She cited Eugene Code Chapter 6 Section 6.010, Item B(4), which defined an attractive nuisance as “an open pit, quarry, cistern, or other excavation without safeguards or barriers to prevent such places from being use by children.” She felt the ponds fit into that category and, as such, the City of Eugene was violating its own ordinance. She thought the park- like setting could become a park that the Bethel community could enjoy and be proud of. th Anthony Johnson Jr. , 1291 Delores Court, said he was an 8 grader at Prairie Mountain School. He related that one of his best friends drowned in the pond at Golden Gardens Park. He asked the City to do what it takes to make the area safe. He stated that the parks were currently filled with trash, high vegetation, and “nasty, disgusting water.” He felt it was important to make the area safe because days, months, and years were going by and more lives could and would ultimately be taken. He declared the ponds to be a threat to the community. Shauna Davis , 2350 North Terry Street, #11, shared the story of the loss of her son and nephew. She pleaded with the council to put an end to the range of safety hazards at Golden Gardens Park. She related that the kids originally went to the pond to go fishing and had decided to take a swim to cool off. The vegetation and debris in the water overtook the boys. She said their brothers had run to a nearby fisherman in hopes that he had a cell phone. The EMS personnel lacked the ability to reach the boys because of the failure of access into and around the park. She related that it took Lane County Search and Rescue nearly eight hours to recover the boys’ bodies from the murky water. She told the stories of the two boys who drowned in the ponds in 1994 and 2000. Their rescues were also hampered by access issues. She stressed that nothing had been done in the park after 12 years and the loss of four young lives. She asked the City to address the conditions there, fund the repairs needed, and make the park safe and accessible. She urged the council to make this a priority on the City’s agenda. She noted that the group sent emails with their request to councilors. Zachary Vishanoff , Patterson Street, objected to the two-minute limit placed on Public Forum testimony. He felt the Region 2050 group should hold a public hearing. He thought this was why the parking garage project was approved. He wanted to know more about the associated costs. Mr. Vishanoff expressed concern regarding nine trees that might be cut down. He thought there might be a legal need for a public hearing regarding the trees. He suggested that the new courthouse was having a negative impact on the area. Mr. Vishanoff reiterated his desire for a public hearing on the University of Oregon’s plan to build a new basketball arena. He asked the Mayor to “recommit” to having a discussion on the siting of the arena and whether the community needed it. st Tom Halferty , 1120 East 41 Avenue, supported the expenditure of $18.5 million for parks acquisition and $1.5 million for matching grants. He felt the acquisition money was needed as parks land would be MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 5 Regular Meeting bought up for development. He said more land was the key element in development of parks. Additionally, he wished to voice his support for increased safety measures at the Golden Gardens Park. Bob Chandler , 2467 University Street, advocated for the development of a covered skateboard park at the Washington/Jefferson Street Park, calling it one of the most underused local park assets and felt the proposed project was the most appropriate to include in a bond measure. He noted that the final Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) plan listed providing a centrally located skate park as a level one priority for the City’s central sub-area. He stressed that the decision was arrived at with a great deal of input and support from the community. Mr. Chandler asserted that the Washington/Jefferson Street Park corridor area was perfectly situated to support a large covered skate park. He averred that skateboarding was “huge” in its popularity, with participation estimated at 11 million nationally, roughly the same level as baseball. He said preliminary research indicated a need to budget at least $400,000 to build the park “right.” He stated that he, along with other skateboard enthusiasts, formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit called the Eugene Skate Parks Fund that was committed to helping Eugene and resident skateboarders get the park they deserved. David Hinkley , 1350 Lawrence Street, #1, supported “front-loading” land acquisition in the bond issue as it “made great fiscal sense,” but pointed out that if the bond measure did not pass, the City would not get anything. He recommended finding out through polling how much the public was willing to spend on parks. He thought the City might end up with a 60:40 or a 70:30 split between acquisition and other projects. He said people needed to realize a benefit from their tax dollars in a more immediate way than land acquisition alone would provide. He was worried that the measure would fail otherwise. Lisa Warnes , 5020 Nectar Way, asserted that “special interest groups” were lobbying for their own projects. She asked the council to stand by its original motion for the proposed PROS bond measure. She averred that it was the last chance to acquire land. She alleged that the Home Builders Association would “have us believe” that the land inventory was being robbed by the bond measure. She felt this would likely be the only opportunity to pass a bond that embraced acquisition alone as land was “disappearing quickly with development.” She said the community owed it to itself to create a livable, attractive, and safe city. She thought there might be grants available for the projects that some people proposed if the projects were not included in the bond. She submitted her testimony in writing. Mike Dials , 2395 Palmer Avenue, owner of a bicycle shop and an avid bicyclist, said most of the different aspects of cycling were represented in Eugene. He wanted to include a project to build a mountain bike trail system, hopefully somewhere close to the City. He said it would be similar to a BMX bicycling park or a skateboard park. He hoped to see the presence of mountain biking grow in the city of Eugene. Anthony Beck , 309 Clark Street, thanked the Mayor for providing an opening speech at the inaugural meeting of the Bike Summit, which sought to make Oregon the state “bicyclists dream of.” He opined that Eugene was a gateway city to the Pacific Northwest, further asserting that Eugene’s geographic location was well-suited for attracting visitors, as it was located approximately 10 hours from the California Bay Area. He said that every year thousands of mountain bikers pass through Eugene on their way to British Columbia to cycle in Whistler’s Bike Park. He felt the park was largely responsible for the boom in bike tourism that British Columbia experienced over the last decade. He thought if Eugene had such a trail network it would bring some of that tourism to the area. He declared that the concept would support the Mayor’s vision of Eugene as the ‘World’s Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors,’ noting that mountain biking was a great way to get local youth into the outdoors. He added that the local mountain bikers were a volunteer resource pool who were highly motivated and had a proven track record in trail development and maintenance. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 6 Regular Meeting Chris Murray , 1958 Potter Street, said he coached soccer for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and he also worked as a bicycle mechanic. He stated that the next generation needed to be provided opportunities to be pulled away from their X-Boxes and Play Station 2s and into the outdoors. He felt that the improvement of all-season fields was a necessity, and related that currently, many fields were “mud pits.’ He said with implementation of trail networks, people would have more stewardship over the land. He commented that if one was not “in it and active in it,” one would not know the parks existed and while acquisition was nice, if the acquired land was not used, it defeated the point. He believed a more connected trail network was needed. Scott A. Taylor , 1689 Charnelton Street, stated that he was the recipient of a national volunteer service award from the United States Forest Service (USFS) in 2003 from Youth and Volunteer Services, presented at the Middle Fork Ranger District in Oakridge. He created the Cascade Creampuff 100 mountain bike race held in Oakridge and the event drew people from all over the nation. He noted that th 2006 was the 11 year of the race, which was a boon to the local economy of Oakridge. He supported the bond measure to acquire new land, but he hoped to see money earmarked for a continuation of the trail network for mountain bike use as well as hikers, dog walkers, and other people. He thought an extended mountain bike trail network would be an economic benefit to the community at large. He commented that it seemed to be a low priority issue in comparison of safety issues at other parks. He added that the Oregon Bike Summit had been held at the Hilton Hotel on April 6 and was attended by 140 people, and that every dollar spent promoting cycling brought in nine additional dollars to the community. nd Matthew Patton , 63 West 22 Avenue, supported inclusion of a centrally located covered skate park, noting that he thought it might help pass the proposed bond measure. He said skateboarding featured diverse support and was financially accessible to all kids. He commented that the only limit to the athletic progress an individual could make was how much time and effort he or she wished to put into it. He stated that many towns in Oregon recognized the benefits of building a well-designed large skate park, even in fiscally constrained times. He said cities such as Lincoln City, Newberg, Medford, and Redmond made the commitment to support their youth and built large skate parks that were in constant use. He believed that it was time for Eugene to build a large, flagship skate park as well, and that Washington/Jefferson Park would be a perfect location. He asked that it be a Level 1 priority for the bond measure. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and asked for comments from the council. Councilor Pryor thanked everyone for coming. He said his heart went out to the families of the drowning victims in the Golden Gardens Park area. He stated that the City “absolutely, positively” had to do something immediate about the situation. He felt that if a feasibility study would help, it should be undertaken, along with any other actions that were needed in order to ensure safety. He emphasized his “prejudice” for kids. He said if it had to do with kids, he was supportive of it. He wanted to find balance in what the council sought to do and find something that would be passable. He thought the kinds of proposals that would be beneficial for kids were what the community supported. Councilor Ortiz echoed Councilor Pryor’s comments. She wished to thank the families from the Golden Gardens Park area for sharing their stories with the council. Councilor Papé concurred with the preceding comments, indicating that he had not been aware of the particularly dangerous nature of the area at Golden Gardens Park. He said the council obviously needed to address the situation. Councilor Papé asked City Manager Taylor for further information regarding the railroad and quiet zones. City Manager Taylor recalled that the council asked staff to come back with what it would cost to create MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 7 Regular Meeting different kinds of barriers that were required in order to have a quiet zone. He said as part of the budget process, staff intended to present a study about two different types of barriers and those choices would be part of the budget presented. Councilor Papé said he heard that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) potentially had grants to help in the area of railroad quiet zones. He asked staff to look into this and get back to council in a memorandum as to what might be available through such grants. He also wondered if a feasibility study could be part of the budget. Additionally, Councilor Papé conveyed his support for the LEAD teens. He applauded the young man who raised his grade point average from 1.9 to 4.0. Councilor Solomon thanked the Friends of Golden Gardens Park for coming to the council meeting and sharing with the councilors their tragic stories and the safety hazards at the ponds. She stated that the council would be hearing more from the group. She conveyed her intention to bring a request for $50,000 to conduct a feasibility study forward through the budget process. She believed that Ms. Hansen had a point about the City owning an “attractive nuisance.” She wondered if the City was also in violation of a 1971 State statute regarding mining reclamation. She asked staff to look into this and provide her with a memorandum. Councilor Kelly thanked everyone for taking the time to attend the meeting and testify. He asked for a memorandum from the Parks staff on how to work on the Golden Gardens Park situation. Councilor Bettman echoed councilors’ appreciation for the Friends of Golden Gardens Park for alerting the council to the safety issues at the park. She asked why the park had to wait for a feasibility study from the budget process. She wanted a memorandum on how the money could be channeled to move forward with the project. Councilor Bettman commented that she was very impressed by the LEAD teens. Mayor Piercy thanked everyone for the “high quality” Public Forum. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 8 Regular Meeting 2. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of City Council Minutes - February 8, 2006, Work Session - February 13, 2006, City Council Meeting - February 15, 2006, Work Session - February 22, 2006, Work Session - February 27, 2006, Work Session - February 27, 2006, City Council Meeting - March 8, 2006, Workshop - March 13, 2006, Work Session - March 15, 2006, Work Session B. Approval of Tentative Working Agenda C. Adoption of Resolution 4866 Calling a City Election on November 7, 2006, for the Purpose of Referring to the Legal Electors of the City of Eugene a Measure Authorizing the Issuance of a Maximum of $20,410,000 of General Obligation Bonds for Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Projects D. Adoption of Resolution 4867 Approving a Low-Income Rental Housing Property Tax th Exemption for the Property Located at 951 West 7 Avenue, Eugene, Oregon (Assessor’s Property Account Number 0266211) (St. Vincent DePaul Society of Lane County, Inc.) E. Adoption of Resolution 4864 Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of Electric Utility System Revenue and Refunding Bonds in the Aggregate Principal Amount of Not to Exceed Twenty- Six Million Three Hundred Fifty-Four Thousand Two Hundred Eighty Dollars ($26,354,280) for the Purposes of Financing and Refinancing Capital Improvements to the Electric Utility System and Providing for Related Matters Councilor Ortiz asked the Mayor to share some news. Mayor Piercy announced that Eugene was selected by The Green Guide as the #1 city of its top ten cities for green living. Councilor Solomon, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to adopt the Consent Calendar. Councilor Kelly stated that he had submitted corrections to the minutes electronically. Mayor Piercy deemed them, without objection, approved. Councilor Poling pulled Item C. Councilor Taylor pulled Item E. Councilor Papé indicated that he intended to pull both of the previously mentioned items. Councilor Bettman said she had previously submitted minutes corrections. Mayor Piercy deemed them, without objections, approved. Roll call vote; the motion to approve the Consent Calendar with the exception of Items C and E passed unanimously, 8:0. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 9 Regular Meeting Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved to amend Item C, a resolution placing the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space bond measure on the November 2006, bal- lot, by: 1) Adding a new recital D to read: “Development of artificial playing fields in con- junction with the school districts also presents another opportunity to partner with other public entities. This opportunity is one that may not exist in the future;” 2) Re-letter “D” to “E” in the recitals; 3) Amend Section 1 to change “$20,410,000” to “25,490,000” and to change “parks projects” to “parks, recreation, and open space projects,” and 4) Amend the title of the resolution by changing $20,410,000 to $25,490,000. Councilor Poling proposed that this be included in the bond measure for the purpose of adding synthetic playing surfaces to five schools: Cal Young Middle School, Madison Middle School, Jefferson Middle School, either Roosevelt or Spencer Butte Middle School, and Willamette High School, the only high school that does not have a synthetic playing field. He stressed the importance of the synthetic fields in this area as they were the only fields that could be used in any weather and for multiple games. He related that the organizations that used the fields included AYSO, KidSports, the schools themselves, lacrosse leagues, and City leagues. He said scheduling was arranged by a users committee, with the School District 4J reserving its fields during school hours and the hours immediately after school and the City reserved the fields the rest of the time. He stated that fees for using the fields were paid to offset the operational costs, with some of the money being sent to booster programs at the schools. Maintenance, though conducted by a school employee, was paid for in a 50/50 arrangement with the school district. He added that it was difficult to charge a non-resident user fee to people living outside of the city limits, given that the school districts had students who were from outside of the city. Councilor Kelly conveyed his concern with the form of the resolution. He felt it did not hold a guarantee that the money would be used for buying synthetic fields. He wished to place the list of sites that such fields would be installed at into the resolution language. City Attorney Jerry Lidz said the kind of change Councilor Kelly was proposing would require the City to consult with bond counsel. He suggested that one approach would be to take Councilor Poling’s amendment first and then direct the City Manager to go to the bond counsel to change the language to include athletic fields in the project list with some specificity. Councilor Papé appreciated Councilor Poling’s amendment but he thought it was premature. He commented that one of the things that helped the bond measure of 1998 to pass was the informational piece sent to the voters that specified what the money would be spent on. He understood some of the fields needed to be rebuilt. City Manager Taylor clarified that the fields needed some repair and maintenance but he was not aware of a need to rebuild. He offered to get a specific estimate about the work that was needed and the associated costs. Councilor Papé said the City should be sure it was maintaining the existing fields. He favored tabling the amendment and coming back for more discussion on this item. He asked how long the council had before it would jeopardize the timeline for the ballot. City Manager Taylor replied that from a legal perspective, the council had the opportunity to wait until the last meeting before the council break scheduled in August. From a practical sense, he said one of the reasons this had been considered early on was to allow the people who wished to advocate for the bond to organize to do some of the work it would take to pass the bond measure. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 10 Regular Meeting Councilor Papé believed the City should do more than conduct land acquisition for parks in order to gain broad support for the bond measure. Councilor Bettman asked if Councilor Poling’s answers to her questions were his own answers or if they had come from staff. Councilor Poling responded that staff had advised him. He related that he made some phone calls to garner additional information to the information he already had. Councilor Bettman wanted some formal answers because taxpayers were paying for the field. She wondered who was going to have the highest priority for using those fields and how the financing was broken down. She also had some security issues. She said the other piece she needed “to get to yes” was a more specific list of soccer field projects. She expressed concern that without specifically tying the fields to school district property “one could turn up at Alton Baker Park.” She indicated she would support the installation of synthetic soccer fields to support the amendment. Councilor Pryor supported an increase in athletic fields, but he was leaning toward tabling the item for further discussion. He said the total amount of money in the bond should be kept small and the council should not keep adding to it for little projects. He indicated he would vote against the amendment at this point in the interest of tabling. He advocated for a conversation in terms of what would be the best balance of acquisition and recreation, open space, and parks projects. Councilor Kelly did not doubt there were needs for a wide variety of facilities, as indicated in the Public Forum testimony. He thought this conversation would be part of the project list. He was concerned that the council would stray from its original intention of focusing the bond measure on acquisition and would end up with a large omnibus measure that was too big to pass or it would end up with no measure at all. If the bond measure became too big, he would vote against placing it on the ballot. Councilor Taylor called the need for land acquisition urgent, as the land would not wait. She was willing to consider adding to the bond but would not consider reducing the amount dedicated for acquisition. She asked if there was anything to prevent the council from discussing additions to the bond at a later date. City Manager Taylor responded that he did not believe there would be anything wrong with the council indicating its desire to conclude with a list of a certain size. He said the decision would not address what would be placed on the ballot. He thought that all that was necessary to further the bond measure could be done and the motion could be tabled at the present meeting. Councilor Taylor asked if the council could add to a more specific list of projects later in the process. Mr. Lidz replied that it would not present a legal problem until the public information campaign had been begun. Councilor Taylor indicated she would oppose the amendment. Councilor Bettman agreed with Councilor Kelly. She offered a friendly amendment to include specific direction on the number of fields involved and that the synthetic fields would be constructed on school district property only. Councilor Poling accepted the friendly amendment. Councilor Pryor voiced his support for the amendment with the changes that had been agreed upon. He called it the best way to accomplish what the council was seeking to do. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 11 Regular Meeting Councilor Papé commented that it was known that more parks of all kinds were needed and that more land should be acquired but, he said, what was needed more was to get the bond measure passed. He did not believe that the measure could pass at this time. Councilor Papé, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved to table the motion to a date cer- tain two weeks prior to the council break. Councilor Ortiz said she would not support tabling the motion. She supported Councilor Poling’s amendment. She thought the inclusion of playing fields would increase the support for the bond measure, which would further the potential for land acquisition. She commented that natural fields were often too wet to use and synthetic fields allowed players continuous access. Councilor Kelly voiced his support for Councilor Poling’s amendment as changed by Councilor Bettman’s friendly amendment. He opposed tabling the motion. Councilor Bettman concurred. She supported pursuing an opportunity to partner with the school districts. Roll call vote; the motion to table failed, 6:2; councilors Papé and Pryor voting in favor. Councilor Papé wished to offer a friendly amendment to include some money to resurface the four existing fields. This friendly amendment was not addressed by Councilor Poling. City Manager Taylor reported, based on a letter to the council from School District 4J Superintendent George Russell, and a conversation with Parks and Open Space Director Johnny Medlin, that the two middle school fields would be put in on the current School District 4J budget and a portion of the $5 million in the resolution as amended could be used to resurface those fields. Mr. Medlin, stated that $5 million did not include School District 4J participation in this project. He believed that passing that amount of money for five new fields would allow sufficient money to resurface the synthetic fields. Councilor Papé asked how that would pass through the bond counsel. Mr. Lidz replied that this question would have to be taken to the bond counsel. Councilor Taylor asked if passing the motion would delay the placement of the bond on the ballot. City Manager Taylor affirmed that it would. Councilor Taylor said she did not wish to wait. Roll call vote; the motion to amend passed unanimously, 8:0. Roll call vote; the motion as amended passed unanimously, 8:0. Mayor Piercy called for discussion on Item E. Councilor Taylor wondered if Item E could be split so that the part for refinancing could be passed but the part for financing the capital improvements could be put to a vote. She felt the reason the City Council was passing the bond was so that the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) did not have to ask for a vote of the citizens of Eugene. City Manager Taylor asked Financial Analysis Manager for the Central Services Department Finance Division Sue Cutsogeorge to respond to the question. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 12 Regular Meeting Ms. Cutsogeorge explained that if the council was interested in splitting the item into two parts, one that would be for $8 million related to planning and design for the new facility in west Eugene and the other for the refunding and electric system improvements, it could not do so at the present meeting. She said the resolution was “very well combined” and would require a return to EWEB’s bond counsel in order to turn it into two resolutions. Councilor Taylor asked if the refinancing portion of the resolution was time-sensitive. Ms. Cutsogeorge affirmed that it was, given the importance of capturing a favorable interest rate environment. She underscored that the longer it was delayed, the greater the uncertainty there would be in terms of whether EWEB would be able to capture those refunding savings or not. Councilor Taylor expressed concern that this was being done without a vote of the people. Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Papé, moved to postpone the item until the reso- lution could be split as described above. Councilor Papé expressed concern that the resolution was mixing “apples with oranges.” He said the City was on the same charter as EWEB but the last time the two bodies convened a joint meeting was during Councilor Solomon’s predecessor’s tenure on the council, prior to 2002. He thought it was an item of some magnitude and that it had been rushed to the Consent Calendar. He agreed that the resolution should be split. Councilor Bettman expressed some shock that it would cost $8 million to plan and design a building. She also wondered why the word ‘surplus’ had been stricken from before the words ‘EWEB property located at the downtown Riverfront Site’ in the resolution. She wondered if this would affect how the property could be treated or sold. Treasurer and Finance Director for EWEB Jim Origliosso clarified that ‘surplus’ had been removed from the resolution because the board was not prepared to declare the property surplus at this point. He said the commissioners were reserving that decision for a later point at which the property would actually be put up for sale. Councilor Bettman asked what rationale lay behind not wanting to declare the land to be surplus. Mr. Origliosso replied that it was not surplus at this moment and would not be surplus until the new West Eugene site was completed and the operations facilities had been moved to that location. Councilor Bettman asked what was involved in $8 million of planning and design. Mr. Origliosso responded that the board wrestled with these issues and held similar concerns in terms of how to go forward with this project and how to approach the voters with it. He recalled that EWEB had come before the council the previous year asking for approval to move forward with the land purchase and time had been of the essence in that purchase. He said EWEB was successful in its acquisition and a general design process had been completed. He related that the commissioners also wrestled with whether to bring the bond before the voters and determined that they needed more answers first. He stated that the $8 million sought through the Uniform Revenue Bond Act (URBA) process would fund the planning project intended to provide the board with the information needed to approach the City Council about the larger project, roughly estimated at $85 million. In response to a follow-up question from Councilor Bettman, Mr. Origliosso explained that the URBA process provided an option in State law that allowed for bonds to be issued with the option for voters to call for an election within 60 days. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 13 Regular Meeting Councilor Kelly commented that he was “leaning towards support” for the postponement. He called the relationship with EWEB “unusual” in that it had an elected board, yet that board did not have the power to do certain things without City Council approval. He thought EWEB presented a resolution that the EWEB Commissioners wrestled with “in great detail,” but the council had not had the opportunity to review it. He was hesitant to take a significant funding step with a rate impact. He wanted to understand the resolution better. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Mayor Piercy called for a break at 9:32 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:38 p.m. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT: Police Auditor Candidate Profile This item was postponed due to time constraints. 4. PUBLIC HEARING: An Ordinance Concerning Stormwater Provisions; Amending Sections 9.0500, 9.6420, 9.8030, 9.8055. 9.8090, 9.8100, 9.8215, 9.8220, 9.8320, 9.8325, 9.8440, 9.8445, 9.8515, and 9.8520 of the Eugene Code, 1971; Repealing Section 9.6520 of that Code; Adding Sections 9.6790, 9.6791, 9.6792, 9.6793, 9.6794, 9.6795, and 9.6796 to that Code; and Providing an Effective Date This item was postponed due to time constraints. 5. PUBLIC HEARING: Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Project and Priority Plan City Manager Taylor asked Parks Planning Manager Carolyn Weiss to introduce the project and plan. Ms. Weiss stated that the project and priority plan contained specific project information related to Eugene’s parks, recreation, and open space for the next 20 years. She said it included specific projects, timeframes for implementation, cost information, and associated maps showing existing and proposed resources. She stressed that the plan was a direct outgrowth of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Comprehensive Plan, which was passed by the City Council in February 2006. She said the list was intended to be a living document and it would likely be modified in the future. She reiterated that the plan and project had come as a direct result of the input from thousands of Eugene residents. Mayor Piercy opened the public hearing. Bruce Mulligan , 3056 Hendricks Hill Drive, vice president of the Hendricks Hill Homeowners Associa- tion, supported acquisition of the 120-acre McDougal parcel, also known as the Ridgeline section, which would connect Moon Mountain with the back side of the Laurelwood Golf Course. He passed out a copy of the resolution unanimously approved by the Hendricks Hill Homeowners Association that supported the acquisition, passed in 2005. He said they believed the acquisition of this parcel was critical as it was a very time-sensitive parcel and contained prime riparian habitat. He urged the council to include the parcel on the list for acquisition. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 14 Regular Meeting Joel Andersen , 1327 Andersen Lane, coach and regional co-coordinator for AYSO, explained that AYSO was an all volunteer-driven organization that provided soccer for anyone between the ages of 5 and 19, regardless of skill or ability to pay. He related that four years ago, 400 kids were registered, but over the past two seasons over 1,400 kids registered for AYSO soccer. He stressed that AYSO was the only soccer organization that had no paid personnel. He stated that AYSO was one of three Class 1 youth sports clubs that the City had directed to provide after-school sports through 4J schools. Though AYSO received no funding from the City or the schools, it was still held responsible for helping to provide these programs. He said this was a mandate that AYSO readily and willingly accepted. He reported that it was becoming more difficult to find adequate soccer fields that were in good repair and not a danger to young soccer players. He urged the council to add funding to the PROS project list to upgrade athletic fields throughout Eugene. He stressed that no acquisition was being requested. David Monk , 3720 Emerald Street, spoke on behalf of the South Eugene Neighbors. He conveyed their long-standing support for acquisition for open space. While he acknowledged the importance of seeking balance in the project list, he asked that the council not add too many special projects. He called land acquisition critical as the cost of land was increasing drastically. He noted that he played soccer, adding that many adult soccer players prefer to play on natural grass. He asked that the council ensure that School District 4J come up with its share of money for resurfacing. Ed Fredette , 2635 Moon Mountain Drive, asked that the Alton Baker Park canoe canal renovation include a whitewater park in addition to the aquatic habitat restoration. He said the canoe canal had originally been constructed for canoe and kayak recreation and concrete weirs were put into place that cut it off from the main river channel. He noted that prior to the turn of the century it was part of the river channel. He stated that the intake structure for the canoe canal was unsafe as it posed a threat to young people who chose to swim near it. He explained that water was sucked in and then transported 300 feet underground to the canoe canal. He said the main weir in the Willamette River no longer diverted water into the Millrace and it posed a serious hazard to river travelers. Every summer, search and rescue staff was called out to rescue people who were caught in the hydraulics created by the weir. He thought it would be possible to create water features in a whitewater park that would meet the needs of a broad spectrum of participants. He averred that such a project could garner funding from a number of sources, including the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the department that was responsible for stocking the area with fish. David Sonnichsen , 2435 Skyline Boulevard, chair of the Citizens Planning Committee for the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park, indicated his support for a whitewater park, especially the habitat features of it. He noted that the canoe canal was shared by Eugene and Springfield and he thought it would make a good shared project. He said that part of the proposal involved daylighting some of the canoe canal that was now underground in the Springfield portion of the park. He was concerned about one notion that would involve the conversion of the concrete weir to a “standing wave.” He pointed out that the weir was actually on the Springfield side of the freeway and under the jurisdiction of the Willamalane Recreation District. He did not know of any jurisdiction that would be willing to take on the potential liability of luring people into the middle of the river to surf into waves. He felt it was dangerous. Anna Houpt , 32496 Camas Swale Road, Creswell, said she visited a whitewater park in Kernville, California, that had been in existence for 30 years. She explained that kayakers and canoeists wear helmets and flotation devices. She stated that she was 51 and had been kayaking for 25 years. She hoped the council would support building a whitewater park as it provided a family activity in which people of all ages could participate. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 15 Regular Meeting Scott Bridgham , 2221 Bristol Street, professor at the University of Oregon College of Environmental Science, spoke in favor of the restoration of the Alton Baker Park canal and the whitewater recreation facilities. He felt the restoration and whitewater projects a lot of “win-win” potential, such as addressing safety issues. He said he had jumped off the intake for the canal and he agreed that it was an extremely dangerous feature. He witnessed young children jumping off the intake facility. He was amazed that there had been no fatalities to date. He observed that the canal was in horrible shape and could be improved immensely, both in terms of habitat and the elimination of concrete structures that inhibit the ability of fish to swim upstream. He also enjoyed whitewater recreation. He said he had lived in South Bend, Indiana, and a whitewater park was located in the downtown area there. He thought such a park would put Eugene “on the map” and benefit it economically. Roxie Cuellar , 2053 Laura Street, Springfield, Home Builders Association (HBA), requested that the record be held open for seven days. She explained that the HBA was interested in one column on the project list and that was the growth allocation column. She said one type of project was neighborhood acquisition. The HBA opposed the requirement for new homes to pay 100 percent of the cost of acquiring the land for neighborhood parks. She attributed this to the use of a level-of-service approach. She had Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) prepare a map and she had drawn circles where the proposed neighborhood acquisitions would be. She determined that the sites were located in existing neighborhoods. She said if there was an existing deficiency, home builders should not have to pay 100 percent of the cost. Charles Biggs , 540 Antelope Way, asked the City Council to direct staff to get more public input on the revised PROS project list and plan because it had only been posted on the internet since April 6. He asserted that the general public had not had a chance to comprehend the design or the changes made since the City Council’s decision to adopt the plan. He advocated for an allocation of $1.8 million for riverfront land acquisition in the Willakenzie area to complete the 1970s Willamette Greenway Plan which sought to provide safe bicycle access to Armitage State Park and the future hospital. He observed that most of the land acquisition was directed at the establishment of neighborhood parks and did not provide interconnected habitat. He noted that one Priority 1 land acquisition was the Gillespie Butte access and natural area. He did not believe that this was needed as it was called out in the Willakenzie Area Refinement Plan. He also requested that Stryker Field Sports Complex in the Willakenzie area be removed from the list as he did not believe the project was supported by the data received during public comments on the draft PROS plan. He alleged that staff was able to redesignate a neighborhood park to a community park without due public process and registered his disapproval. He thought the Stryker Field facility would add to traffic difficulties in that area. He submitted his testimony in writing. th Rob McKenzie , 4998 West 44 Avenue, president of the Whitewater Club at South Eugene High School (SEHS), averred that river sports were a great interest for kids. He stated that the Riverhouse was offering kayaking lessons for young people. He related that the Whitewater Club collected 114 signatures in favor of the creation of a whitewater park and canal restoration. He presented the petition to the council. Scott Taylor , 1689 Charnelton Street, voiced his support for the acquisition of park lands. He wanted the Ridgeline Trail to be extended. He supported the development of a mountain bike skills park. He felt that most park needs were being met, but this one was not. He said the City was “missing the boat” on this issue. Mike Dials , 2395 Palmer Avenue, spoke in support of the acquisition of land for mountain bike trails. He noted BMX biking and skateboarding started with little public acceptance and now was widespread. He said mountain bikers should have their “place to play.” He underscored that they were a viable part of the community. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 16 Regular Meeting Anthony Beck , 309 Clark Street, commented that British Columbia was the “Mecca” and birthplace of the Free Ride mountain bike movement. He said some of the school systems in the Vancouver area had mountain biking as part of their curriculum. He listed two areas in Oregon that offered the opportunity to participate in this type of sport. He averred that the creators of those areas modeled cooperation with land managers and worked to understand liability issues and how to build structures properly so that the work would result in trails that were environmentally sustainable. He related that he and others presented a proposal to do this type of work to the Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Division a week earlier. He reiterated that there were “plenty of mountain bikers” who were willing to help with the design and building of such a facility. He noted that two years earlier, a Free Ride competition had been held at the Lane County Fair and it drew over 100 riders representing a wide range of ages and abilities and from both the local area and other places, including Washington and California. Diane Shock , 5509 Barger Drive, thanked the City Council for acknowledging the need to make the Golden Gardens Park safe and for considering an allocation of money toward that end. She urged the council to include in the bond measure acquisition of additional land around the ponds to allow the ponds edges to be sloped. She said additional acreage needed to be secured while the surrounding land was undeveloped and still available. She asked that an emergency call box be installed there. She stressed the importance of moving the project to a Priority 1 and of fast-tracking the process. She added that the development of Golden Gardens Park would also offer a “delightful mix” of the high priority attributes that fit within the Rivers to Ridges study principles of recreation, education, habitat and wetlands, as well as matching the objectives of the PROS plan for the expansion of outdoor activities, the promotion of environmental awareness, and education and stewardship. She said it would encourage exercise as well. Julia Pommert , 2740 Almaden Street, supported adding more recreation into the PROS measure. She recognized that the original focus was on acquiring open space, but she felt in talking to people in the community they indicated concern that the space would be purchased and not developed. She averred that if people felt there was something in the bond measure for them, they were more likely to support it. David Hinkley , 1340 Lawrence Street, #1, supported development of the Jefferson Area Greenway south of the Amazon Canal into a park. He said thanks to the assistance and support of the Lane County Fairgrounds, the neighborhood, fairgrounds, and a number of other stakeholders had come up with a conceptual plan for the park. He related that the plan had been pitched to the City five years earlier but the City, minority property owner in that area, wanted to go through a prioritization process and had no funding at the time. He was happy that it was on the priority list, but unhappy that it was listed as a Priority 3. He felt opportunities for funding were being lost, given that it was not likely to be developed for 10 to 15 years. He observed that it was an atypical park as it was a joint operation between Lane County and the City. He asked that the project be moved up to Priority 1, or if not, that it be split into two pieces: the planning piece as a Priority 1 project, and the development piece as a project with a lower priority. Azra Khalidi , 4023-K Donald Street, averred that the City of Eugene had not had strong enough land use laws when it annexed south Eugene in the 1960s and 1970s. She noted that the construction business had become a booming industry. She was afraid that the Amazon Headwaters would be lost along with surrounding riparian areas and trees if it was not protected. She strongly recommended that the existing Amazon Headwaters land and its environs be designated as park land. She thought this should be achieved by working with Lane County. She urged the council to think regionally and act locally. Debbie Jeffries , 3800 North Delta Highway, asserted that the existing inventory the project list was based upon did not include private sector park land and also did not include land owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). She said the latter totaled 1,500 acres. She had not thought to participate in the process, given that her property was under the County’s jurisdiction. She MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 17 Regular Meeting related that in her case, as well as Eugene Sand & Gravel, there had been no participation and she had been assured that the comprehensive plan did not include her property. She said the linear park total was referenced with partner funded acres on page 5 of the memorandum, but the people who owned the property along the McKenzie and Willamette rivers were all County residents and none of them had participated. She indicated that she did not know who of the property owners intended to partner with funding as no one she had spoken to had agreed to this. She asked that the council take a hard look at the overall comprehensive plan and list and remove the people who were under County jurisdiction. Nancy Pollard , 4671 Spring Meadow, Principal of Madison Middle School, stated that the School District 4J greatly valued partnering with the City. She reiterated that the synthetic surfaces added hours of service to athletic fields. She stated that Madison Middle School just opened a new building and had been without a field for a number of years. She hoped that field development would begin this spring. She thanked the council for supporting the community’s young people. Mary Monette , 3261 Richard Avenue, co-chair of the Friends of Golden Gardens Park, stated that the group developed a 50-point proposal for step-by-step improvement of the park. She stressed the necessity of moving the park up from a Priority 5 to a Priority 1. She expressed appreciation for the council’s willingness to undertake the feasibility study. She related that the group wished to work with Eugene Fire and Emergency Medical Services immediately to develop safety measures for the park before the summer. She reiterated that the group wanted to purchase the land around the ponds in order to slope the sides. She said the first rough cost estimate they had was $400,000. She commented that the purchase of another 100 acres around the Golden Gardens Park could be used for more ball parks. She felt the location was the perfect setting for a wonderful park. She conveyed her appreciation for all of the help the group received from staff and the council. th Jon Belcher , 1240 West 15 Avenue, #4, on behalf of the Jefferson Greenway Committee, wanted to keep alive the Jefferson Amazon Greenway. He related that in 1998, a group of Jefferson/Westside neighbors developed a vision to naturalize the Amazon Canal along the Fairgrounds and maintain the passive uses of the south side of the Fairgrounds, including the City park plan that was once the Jefferson Pool site. The neighborhood group worked with the Fair Board to develop a conceptual plan (copies of which were provided to the council) that met the Fairgrounds’ needs and the vision of the neighbors who approved the plan. He said they then took the plan to the City, but had been told to wait through the PROS process to be put into the “pipeline.” Initially, the plan had been made a Priority 1, and then moved to a Priority 2, but now with the shifting of acquisition before development, it had dropped to Priority 3. Meanwhile, the group worked with the Eugene Stream Team to complete plantings along the north bank for the past three years. He stated that the BLM was moving toward planning the area for stream enhancement. He thought the process might take as long as five years. He asked the City to reprioritize the project to “capture the synergy” of the BLM and act before the neighborhood advocates had “all become senile.” Mayor Piercy closed the public hearing. She called for council questions and comments. Councilor Pryor, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved to keep the record open for seven days. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Councilor Pryor thanked everyone for staying for the hearing. He commented that the process needed to be deliberate. He noted that there were some jurisdictional issues to work through, but it was important to continue working on projects. He related that the Lane Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution asking the City Council to slow down and work more actively with them. He thought the council should take that into consideration. He said his support for the PROS Plan list would be dependent on getting through some of the collaborative aspects of it. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 18 Regular Meeting Councilor Kelly thanked everyone for their testimony. He noted that explicit language was added to the PROS plan that pointed out that the City of Eugene did not have jurisdiction outside of city limits. He asked staff for a response regarding the proposed split of the Jefferson Amazon Greenway into two phases. He also wanted a better understanding of testimony regarding the Willakenzie acquisition and the McDougal parcel. Councilor Kelly asked that explicit language be included at the beginning of the PROS plan explaining the priorities and acknowledging that challenges and opportunities would arise down the line and the council would have the ability to alter priorities and add or delete projects as circumstances warrant. Councilor Poling asked staff to provide information at a later time regarding whether there were, as one person alleged, no existing deficiencies in land for neighborhood parks. He noted that the project list on the Web site from April 4 contained three new columns, one of which was labeled preliminary growth share and preliminary growth costs. He wanted to know what that meant. He asked which list the council would be expected to adopt. Additionally, he wished to know if systems development charges (SDCs) were being charged outside of the City limits and whether this was legal or permissible. He asked if the City was charging SDCs for land being acquired to complete additional legs of the Ridgeline Trail. Councilor Bettman averred that the neighborhood park deficiencies were not on a block-by-block basis. She said staff addressed alleged deficiencies on page 228. She did not think that there was much to work out and she favored moving forward. Councilor Papé expressed appreciation for the comments from the people who spoke in support of a whitewater park. He asked if the City could remove the weir in the Willamette River. Mr. Lidz clarified that the City lacked jurisdiction over the middle of the river. Councilor Bettman thought it was possible to place an emergency call box at Golden Gardens Park in the interim as a safety measure. In response to a question from Councilor Bettman, Mr. Medlin explained that at the time the quarry was closed, the County had only acquired that portion that was not being farmed. He said the only that had been transferred to the City, it only received what was owned and the portion on the west side and north side of the pond was very close to the edge of the pond. Councilor Bettman noted that the Friendly Park Plan had been in the Capital Improvement Program five years earlier and it never had been implemented, though it had money allocated to it. Ms. Weiss clarified that Phase 1 of the park would be implemented in the upcoming summer with funds from the 1998 bond measure. She said the money allocated was not going to be enough and it appeared that there would be a Phase 2 in that park. Councilor Bettman asked staff to provide her with information on how much would be spent to implement the plan and to document for her how much had been allocated to the plan and what the funding sources were in the old CIP. Mayor Piercy thanked everyone for staying. The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 19 Regular Meeting Dennis M. Taylor City Manager (Recorded by Ruth Atcherson) MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 20 Regular Meeting NAME OF MEETING: Eugene City Council DATE OF MEETING: April 19, 2006—Work Session TO: Beth Forrest RECORDED BY: Lynn Taylor MINUTES FILE NAME: M:\2006\Central Services Department\City Manager's Office\City Council\cc060419m1.doc BACKUP STORAGE: Lynn #25 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = R O U T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 04/28 ___ Draft to Staff (Date & Initials) __ Reviewed/Returned by Staff __ Returned to Minutes Recording __ Proofed/Revised by Minutes Recording _5/17 ky Returned to Staff ______ Council Amendments Incorporated = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ATTACHMENT B M I N U T E S Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room—Eugene City Hall April 19, 2006 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: Jennifer Solomon, Andrea Ortiz, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papé, Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Chris Pryor. The Honorable Mayor Kitty Piercy called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. A. WORK SESSION: Downtown Development Update City Manager Dennis Taylor introduced Community Development Division Manager Mike Sullivan and Associate Planner Nan Laurence to present an update on downtown development. He noted that the agenda item was scheduled at the request of the City Council. Mr. Sullivan used a slide presentation to review development opportunity areas as originally described in the Downtown Plan. He said the sites were key elements of ongoing work in downtown and included the following projects and their investment values: ? Wayne Morse Federal Courthouse - $72 million ? The Tate Condominiums - $16 million ? Whole Foods - $24 million ?th WestTown on 8 - $16 million Mr. Sullivan described two projects that were more speculative in nature, including the West Broadway proposal, which was a mixed-use development that included retail, housing, office and theater space and represented a potential investment of $165 million. He said the other project was the former Sears site owned by the City, for which a Request for Proposals (RFP) would be developed in conjunction with the Planning Commission. Continuing, Mr. Sullivan listed other sites that were highlighted in the Downtown Plan but where there currently was less City activity: ? AgriPac remainder property – approximately two acres of developable property owned by the City, zoned I-3, Heavy Industrial, desirable location at the heart of the th courthouse district, redevelopment would emphasize 8 Avenue as a Great Street ? Eugene Clinic site – 2.65 acres owned by PeaceHealth, 1.6 acres surface parking, zoned C-3, Major Commercial, available dependent on the hospital’s future plans ?th 5 Street Market – public and private ownership, zoned C-2, Community Commercial and Special Area, redevelopment potential, ? State Motor pool – 1.7 acres, property possibly in transition, much redevelopment potential MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 1 ? Eugene Water & Electric (EWEB) site – 27 acres owned by EWEB. EWEB working on relocation plans; with relocation the site would become one of the most important sites in downtown with a mix of development and open space values, zoned Industrial and Public Land, master plan required for rezoning, Ms. Laurence said that staff was trying to capitalize on development opportunities based on direction in the Downtown Plan, which was adopted two years ago as a policy document with a specific vision of downtown but flexibility about how that vision would be achieved. She said the plan was organized around nine themes and included 116 implementation strategies and project examples. She highlighted some of the themes and associated activities: ? Strong regional center and building a downtown – less progress on a strong regional center that would involve a downtown hospital or large regional facility, but much progress toward building a downtown as illustrated by the projects described earlier in the presentation ? Great Streets and special places – two most strongly supported themes during development of the downtown vision, most current development opportunities on the Great Streets, theme addressed by the City Hall complex master planning process, Park Blocks investments, actions to support The Shedd, more work needed ? Living downtown – supported by the residential projects discussed earlier, The Tate th Condominiums, WestTown on 8, West Broadway proposal as well as a full-service grocery store in downtown ? Downtown riverfront and cultural center – preliminary discussions with EWEB on th master planning the riverfront site, improving the connection along 8 Avenue from the Park Blocks to the river, support for Downtown Eugene Inc. (DEI), more work needed ? Safe civic center and getting around downtown – discussion of new police station as part of the City Hall complex, implementation of two-way streets downtown, road improvements surrounding courthouse district to connect commercial core to the east end of downtown and the river Ms. Laurence said that while plan implementation progress was being made, there were many elements yet to be addressed, such as developing a design complex for the Great Streets as urban open spaces, completing an open space plan for downtown, focusing on connections to nearby nature areas, coordinating arts and culture with the theme of Arts and the Outdoors, and specific projects such as redeveloping the Butterfly Lot as potentially part of the Park Blocks. She said that staff recommended continued implementation of the Downtown Plan with four areas of priority: ? Continue work on development opportunities, ? Work to refine an open space plan for downtown, specifically focusing on connections to nearby nature areas, ? Develop concepts for the Great Streets, creating inviting paths to special places downtown, and ? Work closely with EWEB on the master plan for the riverfront. Ms. Laurence concluded her presentation with a request for direction from the council regarding whether to prioritize certain projects, maintain staff’s focus on development opportunity work, or identify projects that needed additional staff work or needed to be initiated. Mr. Kelly commented that a thriving downtown was critical to a thriving Eugene. He asked what work was being done on the site adjacent to the federal courthouse site. Ms. Laurence replied MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 2 that staff initiated work to rezone the property from industrial to commercial and was discussing the nature and timing of an RFP process. Mr. Kelly asked that RFP criteria be provided to the Planning Commission and City Council for review. He asked if the strategy related to helping employers remain and expand downtown by targeted use was supported by existing tools, such as urban renewal, rather than specific initiatives. Mr. Sullivan agreed that the strategy was being implemented with existing tools, such as assisting businesses with financing options. Mr. Kelly said he was least enamored with the Great Street theme as it seemed too grandiose for streets in Eugene and seemed to imply extra fancy street amenities that were not the best use of funds. He said there was community support for doing something significant for the Farmers Market, such as expansion or indoor space, and the council should assist those types of efforts. He urged staff to be aware of any opportunities. Mr. Papé agreed with Mr. Kelly’s remarks about the impact of a thriving downtown on the rest of Eugene. He asked if rezoning the remaining AgriPac land and EWEB site would be considered by the Planning Commission, then referred to the City Council. Ms. Laurence said the land use actions would be zone changes, which typically did not go through the City Council. Mr. Sullivan noted that the RFP process to dispose of the Agripac property would go through the council and could include a discussion of the underlying zoning and other aspects. Mr. Papé emphasized the importance of staying ahead of the curve on redevelopment of opportunity sites, including the Eugene Clinic property. He asked what uses were permitted under C-3 zoning. Ms. Laurence replied that a full range of commercial uses as well as residential were permitted. Mr. Papé asked if the Eugene Clinic site could be included in the urban renewal district. Mr. Sullivan said there was some expansion capacity in the district but it would not take in the entire footprint of the site. Mr. Papé asked about the timing of RFPs. City Manager Taylor said there would be an opportunity during the work session on City Hall to discuss timing as well as criteria. Mr. Papé concurred with Mr. Kelly’s comments regarding the Farmers Market. Ms. Taylor said the priority should be on doing things that were important and focusing on something particular rather than on the enormous list of implementation strategies, some of which she was apprehensive about. She said the Farmers Market was important to downtown and the City should immediately cease charging the market for parking spaces. She wanted a focus on helping the Farmers Market and referred to recommendations from an earlier task force. She asked how the City was attempting to facilitate the Conner-Woolley Opus West Broadway development project and whether staff had authorization from the council for its activities. Mr. Sullivan replied that the council had expressed a general interest in trying to assist the project to move forward and staff was doing nothing more than meet periodically with property owners in the West Broadway area to discuss concerns and issues and determine if staff could help address those. Ms. Taylor asked if staff was trying to push owners to sell their property. Mr. Sullivan assured her that staff was not attempting to influence owners. Ms. Taylor, referring to the strategy related to working with medical providers, asked if it was too late to have a medical facility downtown. Mr. Sullivan said the issue was addressed and much MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 3 work was done but there was currently no hospital site identified downtown. Planning Director Susan Muir clarified that the strategy referred to a physicians’ group that had contacted the council several years ago about locating in downtown but the project had subsequently located outside of the downtown core. She said the strategy was still viable and staff would be willing to work with medical or other offices interested in the downtown area. th Ms. Taylor asked if the concept of a pedestrian overpass at 8 Avenue and Mill Street had been abandoned. Mr. Sullivan said a design for a grade level crossing was part of the street improvement package for the courthouse area. City Manager Taylor said the concept was not ruled out, although the current focus was on a grade level crossing. Ms. Bettman stated she hoped to have the opportunity to vote against a motion to direct staff to continue work on development opportunities and implementation of the Downtown Plan as she thought the plan had morphed from a vision to a plan. She thought the plan was too broad and was being used to justify projects. She said the council approved the plan conceptually, but now she no longer supported it as it lacked benchmarks, such as specific targets for housing units, commercial and retail. She was opposed to subsidizing retail because it put existing retail at a disadvantage. She said the plan was a concept but not a real blueprint for action; a real plan had a financial aspect that constrained actions to a budget. She said the strategies in the plan were not prioritized, not constrained, and not specific. Ms. Solomon commended the Downtown Plan and was pleased to see the fruits of its implementation in the staff presentation. She asked if the State motor pool site was going to be sold and whether it could be land banked for affordable housing. Mr. Sullivan said that there had been some interest in surplusing the site, but it would be offered first to State agencies, then to local jurisdictions, and finally to the open market. He said there were many potential uses for the site, but it was immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks. th Ms. Solomon expressed dismay that a grade level crossing was being planned for the 8 Avenue and Mill Street intersection, as she thought an overpass was critical. She said that Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart was also interested in efforts to support the Farmers Market and there might be an opportunity to partner with the County. Mayor Piercy stated her interest in and support for the Farmers Market. She asked how staff interpreted the Downtown Plan in terms of whether it was a plan with specific implementation or applied in a broader sense. Ms. Laurence said that staff tried to ensure that their work was related specifically to the policies in the plan; the implementation strategies and project examples illustrated the plan but the policies were its heart. She said because downtown was so high profile and there were financial implications involved, most of what staff was doing in downtown came before the council for specific direction on specific activities. She said the plan went through a full range of public hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council levels and was approved by the council as an aspirational document. She said there was language in the plan that specifically stated that conditions and circumstances would change and the plan was not meant to be so rigid it could not be reinterpreted as necessary. She said it was the intent of the plan to be flexible while remaining true to the vision. She said the plan technically had the status of a refinement plan and some policies had been adopted into the land use but most the Downtown Plan’s policies were too aspirational to be adopted as evaluative criteria in the land use plan, with the exception of the requirement of a master plan for the EWEB site. Mayor Piercy said her understanding of the implementation strategies was that they were examples of ways to achieve those aspirations and as each opportunity was presented, the council had the opportunity to say it was consistent or inconsistent with the plan. Ms. Laurence agreed that Mayor Piercy’s understanding was consistent with staff interpretation. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 4 Mr. Kelly pointed out that the adopting ordinance was in the back of the Downtown Plan and pointed out that the policies were adopted as a refinement plan and the implementation strategies were essentially examples. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to direct staff to undertake a broad, high-level planning exercise to consider potential locations for downtown green space. This exercise should also examine (at a very rough level) potential costs and timelines. The results of this exercise should be brought back to the City Council within four months for further deliberation and direction. Mr. Kelly said it was difficult during discussion of a specific project to step back and have a broader, proactive discussion. He said the plan was mostly silent on the subject of green space and his intent was to generate ideas and potential sites for further discussion. Mr. Papé said he supported the motion generally and asked if a plaza or piazza would be included in the concept of green space. Mr. Kelly replied it was not included but he did not object to a plaza being included in the context of a larger open space study, but the focus was on green space. Ms. Ortiz supported the motion as green space would encourage people to live downtown. The motion carried unanimously, 8:0. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to direct the City Manager to pursue, hopefully in collaboration with the Board of County Commissioners, interim projects to accommodate the needs of the farmers participating in the Farmers Market downtown. Mr. Kelly questioned the restriction to interim projects and suggested that the term “and longer term” be included. Ms. Bettman accepted the friendly amendment. Ms. Solomon said she was not opposed to the idea but felt the motion was premature and the issue should be discussed in a separate work session that included consideration of recommendations from a previous task force. She recognized the value of the Farmers Market but wanted to be better informed about options before taking action. Ms. Bettman said the downtown area was “dead” on days when there was no Farmers Market and supporting the market was a key and immediate step to helping downtown. Mr. Kelly encouraged support of the motion which initiated focused work, consistent with the staff’s request for direction. He said it was consistent with community interest in support for the market and strategies in the Downtown Plan. Mr. Pryor was supportive of the Farmers Market but concerned having only a few minutes to make a decision about on-the-fly motions. He asked for examples of projects that could support the market. Ms. Bettman cited electricity, wastewater and infrastructure issues that could be assigned a cost and considered in the next fiscal year. She said a longer-term project such as a semi-permanent structure could be scoped and brought back to the council. Ms. Solomon, seconded by Mr. Papé, moved to extend discussion time by ten minutes. The motion passed, 7:1; Ms. Ortiz voting in opposition. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 5 The amended motion passed, 7:1; Ms. Solomon voting in opposition. Ms. Solomon, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to direct staff to continue work on development opportunities and implementation of the Downtown Plan. Ms. Taylor said the plan was supposed to be conceptual but she believed it was used as a “weapon.” She said the plan worried her; there were many things in it she did not think were good ideas and she would vote against the motion. th Mr. Papé concurred with earlier remarks about the need for an overpass at 8 Avenue and Mill Street and urged that the option remain open with the design of the parking garage. He encouraged the council to continue to have regular discussions on downtown. He hoped that locations downtown could help with opportunity siting and asked if the Central Area Transportation Study (CATS) discussed a north side parking structure. Mr. Sullivan replied that the north end scoping project addressed the issue of parking in association with the train station and he would research whether north end parking was considered in CATS. Mr. Kelly commented that there were some implementation strategies and example projects in the plan with which he did not agree but did not think the council’s action in 2004 or currently bound it to those strategies as anything significant had to come to the council for discretionary action. He used the parking garage as an example and pointed out that it was consistent with one of the implementation strategies but any member of the council was free to oppose it. He supported the motion on the floor. Mayor Piercy noted that sustainability was not specifically mentioned in the plan but hoped that it would be a factor in consideration of downtown projects. Ms. Taylor said that fixed rail transit and a walkability assessment were implementation strategies that should be worked on. Ms. Bettman said she would vote against the motion because the community perceived it as a plan and, in order to have a plan and move in a responsible way towards objectives, there had to be specifics, benchmarks, a blueprint, and financial constraints. She said when a project was presented to the council, the community and the media expected it to be supported because the plan was adopted unanimously and any project was consistent with the so-called plan. She said downtown deserved a real plan with benchmarks. She mentioned that a main theme of the plan th was connecting downtown to the river and putting 6 Avenue along the river was counter to that objective. The motion passed, 6:1; Ms. Taylor and Ms. Bettman voting in opposition. Mayor Piercy asked if there could be a discussion of incorporating benchmarks in the plan. City Manager Taylor replied that in response to the council’s motions today, staff would illustrate that the plan was visionary but also dynamic, and elements could be added as they were refined and adopted by the council. He said the specific approach recommended by Ms. Bettman would be consistent with direction from the council to give priority to development of a two-year action plan with specific steps and a decision package as part of a budget building process for the fiscal year (FY) 2007 or FY08 budget. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 6 B. WORK SESSION: Parks and Open Space for River Road/Santa Clara City Manager Taylor introduced Parks Planning Manager Carolyn Weiss to present a progress report on the River Road/Santa Clara parks issue, particularly the Santa Clara community park. Ms. Weiss used a slide presentation to present an overview and describe future plans for parks and open space in River Road/Santa Clara and maps to illustrate potential acquisition areas for a Santa Clara community park and projects identified for the River Road area. Ms. Weiss said that significant progress had been made in acquiring neighborhood park sites, including Loan Oak Park, Filbert Park, Rosetta Place, Wendover Park, Terra Linda Park, and Ferndale Park. She said that neighborhood park service areas were those within a one-half mile walking distance of a neighborhood park or playground without crossing a major barrier. She used a map to illustrate service areas and pointed out that even with the new acquisitions, there was still a significant amount of unserved areas within River Road/Santa Clara. She said there were plans to acquire additional neighborhood park sites and improve access to existing parks as well as complete the development of acquisitions. Ms. Weiss used a map to illustrate service areas for community and metropolitan parks throughout the community. She said a community park service area was a two-mile distance to the park site and there was currently no community park service in the River Road/Santa Clara area, particularly north of Beltline. She said that criteria to identify and evaluate potential park sites had been developed in conjunction with Santa Clara citizens. She said the criteria included the size of the parcel, cost, transportation infrastructure, flood zone, inside or outside of the urban growth boundary (UGB), ownership of adjacent properties, existence of natural resources, and willing seller. She reviewed a map that identified a number of potential community park sites and described each site, including whether the owner was willing to sell. She said securing a community park site was the first priority. Continuing, Ms. Weiss stated that the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Project and Priority Plan identified the following Priority 1 projects for the River Road/Santa Clara area: ? Acquire three neighborhood park sites ? Acquire a community park site ? Stormwater corridors that linked with existing parks ? Acquire additional Willamette River frontage ? Development of two neighborhood park sites ? Development of a synthetic surface playing field Ms. Weiss also noted that within the 20-year planning window were acquisition of an urban plaza, development of the community park site, development of six additional neighborhood park sites, implementation of the Rasor Park master plan, construction of an additional boat launch on the Willamette River and access improvements to all park sites. Mayor Piercy called for council questions and comments. Mr. Papé said he asked for the work session because while most of the 52 projects in the 2003 parks and open space measure had been completed or were in progress, the exception was a community park in the Santa Clara area. He noted that staff had been working on the issue and hoped that the council would provide additional impetus, perhaps through consideration of eminent domain to assemble the parcels necessary for a park site if other approaches failed. He was willing to consider eminent domain to assemble the necessary the 30 to 40 contiguous acres. He said north Eugene was the only area still lacking a community park. He asked if sites outside of the UGB could be used for parks and if that would require an expansion of the UGB to MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 7 incorporate that area. Ms. Weiss said that land outside the UGB could be purchased and developed as long as the City followed the County’s land use regulations. She said that permitting would be dependent on the type of facilities constructed and expansion of the UGB would not be necessary. Mr. Papé asked if Property C on the potential park sites map would meet the criteria for a community park. Ms. Weiss said it would be a challenging site because of its long, narrow character but the criteria for a park had been broadened because so few sites were still available in the area. She said that the property did present some options. Mayor Piercy said that neighbors in the area asked the City to “look outside the box” and approach assemblage of park land in a different way. Mr. Pryor thanked staff for their efforts to respond to Santa Clara residents. He noted that the conversations around neighborhood and community parks were very distinct and the one of greatest immediacy related to a community park because property suitable for a community park was rapidly disappearing. He agreed that the many challenges of creating a community park in the area required innovative thinking in order to meet the City’s obligation. Mr. Kelly said he was not an advocate of the use of eminent domain but agreed with Mr. Papé and Mr. Pryor’s comments about the need for a community park and the rapidly decreasing availability of land for that project. He preferred a willing seller but the land would be used for a public purpose and urged staff to bring eminent domain to the council if it was deemed necessary to acquire a suitable site. He reminded the public that eminent domain did not mean the City would take the property; a fair market value as determined through an appraisal would be paid. He asked staff to inform the council about the extent to which sites outside the UGB were currently exclusive farm use and not exception land. Ms. Bettman asked if sites outside of the UGB would be outside of the two-mile community park service area, as there would be population only along a portion of the park. Ms. Weiss replied that the park would be on the edge of the service area for Santa Clara. Ms. Bettman encouraged flexibility and looking at a combination of uses such as linear park land and partnership with the school district. She agreed with Mr. Kelly and Mr. Papé about the possibility of using eminent domain while there were still viable options available. She questioned how a community park had grown from a 40- to an 80-acre purchase and felt that only the amount necessary for a park should be acquired, particularly if eminent domain was used. Ms. Ortiz thanked everyone who supported providing a community park for River Road/Santa Clara and said she would support extreme measures for assembling the necessary property. She also agreed that a 40-acre park would fulfill the City’s obligation. Ms. Taylor asked if there was an urban plaza in the community. Ms. Weiss replied that the Park Blocks were good examples and the City would like to provide smaller versions in other areas of the community. Ms. Taylor asked why an urban plaza would be planned for River Road/Santa Clara. Ms. Weiss replied that the Project and Priority Plan called for an urban plaza in the Santa Clara and Bethel/Danebo areas. Ms. Taylor asked if there were other community parks besides Amazon Park in south Eugene. Ms. Weiss clarified that the map illustrated community and metropolitan parks and included the Ridgeline Trail and Hendricks Park. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 8 Ms. Taylor said she was not certain about eminent domain and would not support it to acquire farmland. Mr. Papé noted that Churchill High School and Sheldon High School represented two successful examples of community/metropolitan parks. He asked if the school district had been contacted about partnering on a community park in the area. Ms. Weiss said there had been conversations with 4J School District and more were scheduled. She said one option being discussed was Madison Middle School. City Manager Taylor summarized that staff’s priority was to obtain a 40-acre community park and be more aggressive in conversations with property owners, continue the dialogue with neighbors on park specifics, consider how connections along the riparian corridor might influence community park decisions and work with the school district, particularly on opportunities related to Madison Middle School. Mr. Kelly added that staff should also consider that a community park, instead of one large property, might be two smaller parcels that collectively provided the same services. The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Respectively submitted, Dennis M. Taylor (Recorded by Lynn Taylor) MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page 9 NAME OF MEETING: Eugene City Council DATE OF MEETING: April 26, 2006–Work Session TO: Beth Forrest RECORDED BY: Kimberly Young MINUTES FILE NAME: M:\2005\Central Services Department\City Manager’s Office\City Council\cc060424m1.doc BACKUP STORAGE: KYApril2006 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = R O U T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 5/9 Draft to Staff (Date & Initials) Reviewed/Returned by Staff Returned to Minutes Recording Proofed/Revised by Minutes Recording 5/17 ky Returned to Staff Council Amendments Incorporated = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ATTACHMENT C M I N U T E S Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room—Eugene City Hall April 26, 2006 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: Jennifer Solomon, Andrea Ortiz, Bonny Bettman, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papé, George Poling, Andrea Ortiz, Chris Pryor. A. WORK SESSION: City Hall Complex Strategic Issues Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. The council was joined for the item by Thomas Hacker, Jonah Cohen, and Dana Ing Crawford of Thomas Hacker Architects; Ellen Teninty of T’N T Consultants; Doug Macy and Ken Pirie of Walker Macy; Dave Wilson and Rick Rehfeldt of McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie; and Kyle Brown of J. D. White Company. Police Chief Robert Lehner, and Glen Svendsen and Mike Penwell of the Facilities Division were also present. Ms. Crawford reviewed the agenda for the meeting. She indicated one deviation from the action proposed in the Agenda Item Summary (AIS), which was that the council delay action on the staff-recommended motion related to space needs until the council meeting of May 10. That would allow for more discussion of the consolidation option. Ms. Teninty facilitated the workshop portion of the meeting. Mr. Papé arrived. Mr. Hacker expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying he believed the City of Eugene had an extraordi- nary opportunity to revitalize City Hall. He said the project was quite complex, and could be implemented using many different approaches. Those different approaches presented challenges. Mr. Hacker said the public indicated a desire to see the council unified in support of the project. To reach that consensus, he proposed some changes in the process. First, staff would not be asking the council to take action on the space needs issue today. He recommended that at this time, the council narrow the police consolidation options to two or three, which would allow the project team to put together better information on the remaining options. Mr. Hacker asked the councilors to make themselves more available as individuals to the project team so the team could create criteria and be better prepared for the upcoming work shops with the council. Ms. Teninty recalled that some councilors indicated hesitation about meeting individually with the project team. Ms. Bettman said that councilors were elected officials who needed to express their preferences in public. She criticized the way the information from the first round of council interviews was processed, saying it represented a form of quasi-balloting. She said that given the importance of the process, the community MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 26, 2006 Page 1 Work Session needed to be able to see what the council was thinking and what the issues were. Ms. Bettman said council decisions needed to be made in open public session. Mr. Kelly believed that the way information was previously synthesized had been a problem. However, he acknowledged the challenges faced by the project team, and suggested a way to have a pre-meeting check-in was via e-mail, which was information to be found in the public realm. Councilors briefly discussed what approach they should take to the suggestion proffered by the project team and accepted Mr. Kelly’s suggestion. Ms. Teninty called the council’s attention to the input from the public forum, contained in Attachment A, “Community Forum Summary Report.” She said that the forum report could be found at www.cityeugenehall.com. She noted that as a result of outreach, 20 percent of the participants were neighborhood association members. The project team would attempt to use that connection to do more outreach beyond the associations. Ms. Teninty emphasized that the results of the public forum were not scientific. All comments received were provided to the council in an unedited form. Ms. Teninty overviewed the process used to solicit input on the police consolidation options at the forum. She said the results the council saw reflected the small group discussions rather than full group discussions, and did not reflect if the larger discussion changed anyone’s mind. Ms. Taylor suggested the project team reconsider the use of the dot exercise for the remaining community forums. Ms. Teninty reviewed the results of the public input related to police consolidation, noting the lack of emphasis participants placed on the police function being housed at City Hall, and the suggestion that the solution was community policing. Participants wanted the police in their neighborhood, not at City Hall. Ms. Teninty recommended that the council focus its discussion about the criteria on the topics of functional efficiency, civic integration of the police function into the community and “structure of democracy,” cost, and the impact of how the police function issue affected the overall success of funding for the project. Ms. Bettman questioned the utility of the information collected at the forum as opposed to using a more scientific approach, particularly given the many unknowns surrounding the project. Ms. Teninty suggested that the forum served the function of allowing for face-to-face communication about the purpose of the project and the need for a new city hall. She anticipated a need for more scientific data in the future. Mr. Kelly thought the forum had value for the reasons cited by Ms. Teninty. He expressed appreciation for the comments from the attendees, which was more than the council might have otherwise received. Mr. Kelly thought Ms. Bettman had a good point, and some polling before the council came to a final decision about Phase 2 could be worthwhile. He did not know what questions would be asked, and suggested that the project team and City staff give the idea some thought. Mayor Piercy recalled the reason for the process was to engage the public more broadly and successfully. She anticipated the council would learn from the process and it would inform future council decisions. Ms. Bettman suggested that the community dialogue needed to be informed by the research the council was waiting to see, and once that research was available, the council might consider a mailing to the public and forums, followed by a scientific survey. Mr. Kelly endorsed the suggestion. Ms. Taylor suggested the mailing could be in the neighborhood newsletters, which many people read. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 26, 2006 Page 2 Work Session Mr. Hacker briefly discussed the space needs analysis, calling it a work in progress. The analysis had changed by a percentage or so and he expected further change. However, the basic numbers remained the same, and the relative area numbers for the different City functions were similar. He anticipated more discussion on May 10. With regard to questions for a future response, Mr. Kelly said he could not find the Council Chamber or meeting rooms on the chart. He recalled that earlier discussion indicated that City Hall would include office space for the councilors. That was not included. Speaking to the analysis for the Police Department, he said that it lacked information about current net square feet for the department. He wanted that information. Mr. Kelly said if one added up all the 2006 net square feet, that should roughly equal the net square feet of the Atrium Building, 858 Pearl Street, and City Hall, and he wanted that double-checked. Ms. Bettman asked where the police auditor’s office was proposed to be located. Ms. Teninty said the function was housed with the City Council and Mayor or the City Manager's Office (CMO). Mr. Hacker referred the council to Attachment B of the AIS, “Police Consolidation Options A-E.” He briefly reviewed the options. Ms. Teninty invited questions. Ms. Taylor asked whether the reason less parking was needed downtown was because the project team assumed greater use of mass transit. Mr. Hacker said yes. Ms. Taylor asked if police officers taking automobiles home reduced the need for parking. Mr. Hacker said the project team used information provided by a consultant. A member of the project team clarified that the parking numbers did not assume a full take-home car program. The majority of officers do not take their automobiles home. If that approach was adopted, the numbers could be adjusted. Ms. Taylor suggested that such a program reduced the need for spaces. Chief Lehner acknowledged there were a number of police agencies that had such programs. He said that the department would evaluate the cost effectiveness of that approach against the cost of secured downtown parking. Mr. Hacker indicated that in all downtown options, the project team assumed only patrol cars and administrative cars. City Manager Dennis Taylor pointed out the management ramifications of a take-home automobile program, which would require a vehicle to be provided to every officer. Mr. Kelly suggested Option A, One Building - Full Consolidation, should be revised with regard to the existing space diagram, which implied much of the space for civic functions was being tripled. With regard to the consolidation options, Mr. Kelly thought it was worthwhile to note that regardless of the option preferred, the community’s goal was to better integrate the police with the community. Mr. Kelly suggested that Option A was negative for many community members who felt uncomfortable with a significant police presence at City Hall, which would discourage them from coming to City Hall to do business. He thought that those concerns could be mitigated through design, but he was comfortable dropping options A and E. He wanted to keep Option D alive, with patrol functions separate but not necessarily downtown. Mr. Papé was unprepared to make a decision on the options because he thought more public input was warranted than could be provided through a single forum. He asked for information about the location of the front door of City Hall. Mr. Hacker clarified that the schematics were not building designs, but he thought City Hall needed multiple entrances and needed to accept people from the street in more than one MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 26, 2006 Page 3 Work Session location. There also needed to be a main entrance, such as at a public plaza. A visible information area would be immediately inside the door. He envisioned a very active space and said that could occur in an atrium-type space or in a mall-like setting. Mr. Papé requested information on the square footage required for secured parking. Ms. Bettman referred to the public comment and suggested it demonstrated a diversity of opinion that reflected to a degree the diversity of opinion among councilors. She thought that was a challenge but also a good thing. Ms. Bettman noted the Police Commission outreach indicated a similar conclusion with regard to police visibility in neighborhoods. Ms. Bettman asked why options C and D were combined. Mr. Hacker said they were combined because they were graphically the same and it reduced the number of sheets needed for the presentation. Ms. Bettman thought the public might find the presentation confusing as there were differences between the options. With regard to the options, Ms. Bettman agreed with the public that the council needed to be as unanimous as possible as it moved the project forward. Any option selected needed to be supported by the community. Ms. Bettman said that at this time, she was in support of Option B. She said the option realized much of the criteria. Mr. Poling agreed with the remarks of Mr. Kelly with regard to Option C. He said the process was a combination of public input and the chief’s vision for the future. He thought Mr. Papé right in that one forum did not constitute complete public input, and suggested the possibility that the four options could be taken back to the public. However, Mr. Poling did not think the public was very enthusiastic about either option A or E. While he personally favored Option B, he was in favor of moving forward with options B, C, and D and gathering more public input. Ms. Ortiz expressed concern about the proposed approaches to police consolidation. She had hoped to see something along the lines of a precinct model. She saw the rationality of Option B as it regarded cost. Chief Lehner said that the option of precincts was not offered to the council as it was not affordable at this time. He acknowledged the public’s interest in police visibility in neighborhoods. With regard to the options before the council, none of the options precluded that visibility as the police left the police headquarters and go to different areas for deployment. Chief Lehner acknowledged the symbolism of the police’s location in a neighborhood, which could be realized through a very traditional and expensive community policing model. Ms. Ortiz said that many of her constituents never went downtown. She acknowledged that the precinct model was expensive, but said the council needed to address the concerns of those who lived in the outlying areas who depended on City services and who voted. Chief Lehner pointed out the public safety stations were a big part of community policing in Eugene that was an attempt to get at Ms. Ortiz’s concerns. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 26, 2006 Page 4 Work Session Mr. Pryor said he did not think Option A was financially feasible. He said he also could drop Option E from consideration as he did not think it fulfilled the criteria. He thought it reasonable to continue discussion of the remaining options. Ms. Solomon, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to adopt police consolidation options B, C, and D for use in future planning studies until the council is prepared to adopt a single op- tion in relation to an overall Development Plan. Mayor Piercy called for council discussion. Ms. Bettman was not able to support the motion because of the inclusion of Option D. She thought that Option B came closest to fulfilling the criteria. She agreed with Chief Lehner that the substations were a way of reaching out to the neighborhoods in an affordable manner. Ms. Bettman preferred Option B because she thought it important that the police function be downtown. She said that options C and D were very close to proposals the voters had rejected three times in the past. With regard to a precinct model, Ms. Bettman said she understood that was planned for the future. Option B did not preclude future adoption of a precinct model or location of a precinct in north Eugene, and was the only option she was willing to support. Mayor Piercy clarified that passage of the motion merely meant that all the options were on the table for future discussion. Mr. Papé pointed out that the page 15 of the packet did not indicate a clear public message regarding the location of the police function. He did not want to take Option E off the table due to its low cost. Mr. Papé asked if a second precinct facility located across the river would decrease the need for square footage in downtown. Chief Lehner said it did in the out-years of the project planning. None of the options precluded the development of a future second precinct. He agreed that such a precinct should be in north Eugene, which was under consideration for a public safety station. Mr. Papé, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to amend the motion by adding Option E. The motion failed, 6:2; Ms. Taylor and Mr. Papé voting yes. Mr. Poling said he was comfortable with dropping Option A because the public input did not support it. He did not want to narrow the options to one because the other options could be used to generate input from the public. Then the council could eliminate the other options. He thought it was premature to eliminate options now. Mr. Kelly also supported the motion because he wanted a balance in moving forward. He was least supportive of Option D but lacked information about the cost differential. He supported the motion to get more cost information about Option D. Ms. Bettman indicated if Option D was removed from the motion, she could support it. Mr. Papé called for a vote. The motion passed, 7:1; Ms. Bettman voting no. The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 26, 2006 Page 5 Work Session Respectfully submitted, Dennis M. Taylor City Manager (Recorded by Kimberly Young) MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 26, 2006 Page 6 Work Session