HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 11/08/07EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
November 8, 2007
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
WORK TO COMPLETE PARKS BLOCK PROJECT SCHEDULED
FRANCHISE MANAGER PAM BERRIAN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
CITY OF EUGENE HOSTS GIS DAY EVENT
OPEN HOUSE TO PRESENT DRAFT PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE STRATEGIC PLAN
RECREATION HOSTS FAMILY FUN NIGHTS
NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON DANEBO ROAD READY TO PROCEED
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
NPDES STORMWATER REPORT AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ONLINE
FINDING A JOB IN LANE COUNTY: FREE WORKSHOP AT LIBRARY
AROUND THE CITY
Work to Complete Parks Block Project Scheduled
Construction activity to complete last spring's
improvements to the Park Blocks will begin Monday,
November 12. As noted in the August report to the
council on Facility Management capital projects, two
street trees, included in the original project design, will
be installed after this season's final Farmers’ Market
on Saturday. In addition, the pervious paving installed
along Oak Street to provide additional space for the
Farmer's Market will be replacedunder warranty. The
original pervious paving system is not meeting
performance specifications. A different pervious
paving system will be installed as part of this project.
The original project, completed last April, improved the
County-owned space used by the Farmer's Market,
and was designed to also make the site more attractive to the general public. A number of raised
obstructions were removed, damaged paving replaced, benches relocated, and gravel areas along Oak
Street paved. Electrical, water and telephone connections were added to support programming in the
space. In all, the project expanded the paved area by 2,600 square feet.
The current project should be completed in about three weeks, barring weather delays. Design services
are provided by L. A. Kersh Architecture, with repairs by Triton Group, Inc., who was also the original
general contractor. For further information, please contact Mike Penwell at 682-5547 or by email,
michael.j.penwell@ci.eugene.or.us
Franchise Manager Pam Berrian Nationally Recognized
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (www.natoa.org) presented Pam
th
Berrian with an “Ovation Award” at its 27 annual conference in Portland, Oregon. Pam was recognized
for extraordinary service to its membership. Pam serves as the Oregon chapter President and chaired
the Northwest Host Committee which assisted NATOA national in planning its policy and technical
conference drawing over 500 municipal and industry representatives. She has also served on the
NATOA Journal Committee and has moderated and presented at sessions at its national conferences.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
November 9, 2007
Pam has served the City since 1990, first as City Council Coordinator in the City Managers Office then as
Franchise Manager in the Information Services Division after the adoption of the Federal
Telecommunication Act of 1996, the largest overhaul of the nation’s telecommunications laws since 1934.
Also serving on the League of Oregon Cities’ Cable and Telecom Standing Committee and on the
Oregon Telecommunications Coordinating Council, Pam’s contributions are recognized on both a
regional and national level. For further information, please contact Randy Kolb, Information Services
Director, 682-5075.
City of Eugene Hosts GIS Day Event
The City of Eugene will be hosting Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) Day on November 14,
th
2007, in the Atrium Building located at 99 West 10
Avenue in downtown Eugene. Starting at 9:00 a.m.,
there will be a special map gallery of posters that
highlight different uses of citywide aerial
photographsfor conservation planning, parks and
open space management, and in public works
projects. Thisevent is an opportunity for those
curious about computer-based mapping to learn
more about its application. GIS is a computer-
based mapping tool that takes information from a
database about a location, such as streets,
buildings, water features and terrain, and turns it
into visual layers.
Held each year on the Wednesday of National Geographic Society’s GeographyAwareness Week
(November 11–17 in 2007), GIS Day is a global event that celebrates GIS technology, the innovative
technology that uses geography to bring countless benefits to the world. Staff from several City
departments work closely to coordinate GIS service delivery and are participating in the organization of
this event.
In Eugene, GIS technology helps local governments accomplish adopted goals, supports higher levels of
cooperation and work across neighborhoods, various agencies and governmental jurisdictions. For more
information, contact GIS Day Coordinator, Doug Terra, Planning and Development Department, 682-
6035 or doug.m.terra@ci.eugene.or.us
Open House to Present Draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan
On Tuesday, November 13, Transportation Planning staff and a citizen-led
departmental advisory committee (DAC) will host an open house to present
the first draft of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan. City staff
developed this strategic plan using a dynamic community and stakeholder
engagement process with guidance from the DAC. The open house will run
from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Bascom Room at the Eugene Public Library.
The draft plan includes over 80 specific actions designed to make Eugene a
leader in active transportation and recreation. Walking and biking present
simple and effective solutions to many pressing issues including climate
change, the obesity epidemic, and our challenge to become a more
sustainable community.
This forum will provide an opportunity for community members interested in improving conditions for
pedestrians and cyclists to view and comment on the goals, strategies and actions that make up the
framework of this plan. City staff will take the input received and work with the DAC to incorporate it into
the final version of the Strategic Plan. The final draft of the plan will be released at the 2008 Eugene
Walking and Biking Summit in late January.
For additional information, contact Associate Transportation Planner David Roth at 682-5727,
.
david.f.roth@ci.eugene.or.us, or see the project website at www.eugene-or.gov/walkbike
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November 9, 2007
Recreation Hosts Family Fun Nights
Eugene Recreation’s Youth and Family Services present another
free Family Fun Night from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, November 9, at the
Sheldon Center and Sheldon Pool. These popular events include
free food and games at the center, followed by a movie; this time,
“Happy Feet,” will be shown next door at the pool.
A similar free event is held monthly at Petersen Barn Community
Center and includes dinner. The next Petersen Barn First Fridays
Free Family Fun Night is December. 7, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. For
information about the Sheldon event, call Melissa Perkins at
682-5312. For information about the Petersen Barn event, call
Raquel Wells, 682-5521.
New Affordable Housing Development on Danebo Road Ready to Proceed
Metropolitan Affordable Housing
Corporation received Low Income
Housing Tax Credits and other state
funds necessary to proceed with the
development of Prairie View, a new
rental housing development that will
be affordable to persons earning
below 50% of the area median
income.
The City of Eugene selected Metro to
develop Prairie View on a landbank
site through a competitive request for
proposals in 2006. The City of
Eugene has committed land, HOME funds, and Eugene Systems Development Charge waivers to
support the project.
The site for Prairie View is located on Danebo Road just south of Royal Avenue. Prairie View will be
developed in two phases. The first phase will include 64 units of rental housing and a community center.
A second phase will include 12 additional rental units. Targeted residents for Prairie View include
families with children, seniors, youth, and other individual occupants. Prairie View will incorporate
sustainable building practices including energy efficient appliances, solar units, and other measures.
Construction will begin in Spring 2008 and will be completed in 2009. For more information, contact
Stephanie Jennings, Planning and Development Department, at 682-5529 or
stephanie.a.jennings@ci.eugene.or.us.
Neighborhood Services Plans for Future
Neighborhood Services is excited to announce the hiring of Michael Kinnison as Neighborhood Planner.
This position was added to the team in response to neighborhood requests for earlier involvement in land
use decisions. We would also like to thank two neighborhood leaders for their help and participation in
the hiring process. Kate Perle of Santa Clara Community Organization served on the day-long interview
panel and Heidi Beierle of the Far West Neighborhood Association played a key role as an actress in the
role play component of the interviews.
Michael Kinnison brings a combination of personal and professional experience that aligns perfectly with
the responsibilities of this new role. Professionally, he served as both a Regional Planner and a State
Park Planner in his home town of Tallahassee, Florida. In his personal life he re-established the
neighborhood Crime Watch program and re-organized his dormant neighborhood association.
Michael has been highlighted as a natural facilitator and with these skills developed a community-based
Neighborhood Action Plan that guided the work of his neighborhood association. He served as president of
the association from its re-activation until his recent move to Eugene. As a result of his organizing efforts,
his neighborhood association was awarded the 2007 Leon County Neighborhood of the Year Award.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
November 9, 2007
Please join us in welcoming Michael to Eugene, and to Planning and Development’s Neighborhood
Services Program. You can contact Michael directly at Neighborhood Services by calling 682-6243 or
emailing michael.j.kinneson@ci.eugene.or.us.
NPDES Stormwater Report Available for Review Online
The City of Eugene holds a federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit for the municipal stormwater it discharges directly
into the Willamette River and indirectly into the Willamette River through other
local waterways, including Amazon Creek. The permit includes stormwater
monitoring and reporting requirements, as well as a set of best management
practices that define the City’s Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP). The
draft annual status report for the July 2006 to July 2007 reporting period is
available for public review and comment.
Several accomplishments are being reported for this period of time including
the implementation of design standards to address the quality of stormwater
runoff from developing sites, and the design and construction of several
projects to retrofit the existing municipal stormwater system to incorporate
water quality features. Accomplishments and status of the other essential
program elements including stormwater education, system operations and maintenance, industrial
controls, illicit discharge controls, construction site management, planning, and data management are
also provided. The annual report includes a summary and analysis of water quality sampling data
collected during the reporting period.
While the annual status report looks back in time and documents what has been accomplished over the
past year in the stormwater program, City staff is also looking forward and forecasting a continued
evolution of the stormwater program in response to new regulations and persistent water quality
problems. Federal regulations in the form of the Upper Willamette Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL),
issued in 2006 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), are placing additional focus
on waterways that are not meeting water quality standards for various pollutants. In Eugene, those
waterways include Amazon Creek, Willow Creek, Amazon Diversion Channel, A-3 Channel and the
Willamette River. Eugene is considered a “designated management agency” by the DEQ and, as such, is
required to ensure that its programs address the specific problem pollutants which include bacteria,
temperature, mercury, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. A proposed response to the new TMDL
regulations is under development by staff and will ultimately be reflected in Eugene’s TMDL
Implementation Plan, due to DEQ by March 2008, and in its next municipal stormwater permit renewal
application, due to DEQ by September 2008. The public will be invited to provide input on both of these
plans.
The draft Stormwater Annual Report is available on the Internet at: www.eugene-or.gov/PW, or by calling
Therese Walch, water resources manager, at 682-8647.
Finding a Job in Lane County: Free Workshop at Library
Job-hunters: find valuable information and expert advice at Finding a Job in Lane County, a free
workshop on Saturday, November 17, 3:00 – 5:00p.m., at Eugene Public Library, Downtown. Adults and
teens are welcome.
Professionals from the Oregon Employment Department and Terri Harley of High-Gear Training Institute
explain how to navigate the job search process. Get tips on everything from locating employment
opportunities to completing a successful interview.
Learn how to use the Internet for job searching, craft a traditional or electronic resume, and tap into Lane
County’s “hidden job market.” Find out about resources available at the Library. Bring your questions!
For more information,contacttheEugene Public Library at682-5450, www.eugene-or.gov/library
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
November 9, 2007