HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-28-16 MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
September 28, 2016
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: George Brown, Betty Taylor, George Poling, Mike Clark, Greg Evans,
Chris Pryor
Councilors Absent: Alan Zelenka, Clair Syrett
Mayor Piercy opened the September 28, 2016, meeting of the Eugene City Council.
1. COMMITTEE REPORTS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST
Council discussion:
• LCOG report: making good progress; in the middle of contract negotiations.
• Cascades West Economic Development Group met on and workforce development.
• St. Vincent de Paul application for runaway teen housing has been submitted to HPB.
• Human Rights Commission: supports Standing Rock resolution, creating strategic plan.
• Human Services Commission: beginning work on its budget.
• Enterprise Zone Task Force: looking at previous task force recommendations.
• LRAPA: reduced fine for contractors burning asbestos.
• Multi -unit housing on at 32nd and Hilyard is a good idea; neighbors concerned about height.
• Eugene Sand and Gravel and Santa Clara neighbors have met for bike path work.
• Northeast Neighbors plan on using SDC credits for development of Striker Field Park.
• McKenzie Watershed Council: planning all -day retreat on goals and plans for the future.
• Annual report from Travel Lane County was given to Board of County Commissioners.
• LOC annual meeting in Salem: Chief Kerns will help develop a follow-up session with Whiteaker
Neighbors around public safety concerns.
• Welcome Whole Foods to the community.
• Howard Elementary School and Roosevelt Middle School ribbon -cutting ceremonies a success.
• Welcome to all foreign students attending the University of Oregon.
• Olive Plaza Grand Opening.
• Eugene Opera's 40 year anniversary celebration.
• RAIN strategic planning retreat.
• Interfaith dialog about homelessness.
2. WORK SESSION: Zone of Benefit / Reimbursement District for Privately Funded Public
Improvements and Equivalent Assessments for Street Improvements.
City Engineer Mark Schoening provided an overview of two changes to Chapter 7 of the Eugene Code on
privately funded public improvements.
Council discussion:
• Would like to hear experiences from communities that have this: what works, what doesn't?
MINUTES — Eugene City Council September 28, 2016 Page 1
Work Session
Side-by-side comparison for similar ordinances and cost analysis would be helpful.
® Unjust to resident have to pay for repairs brought on by new development.
Further discussion needed of the impacts of new development and annexed properties in areas
served by unimproved roads.
® Need to be more intentional and be clear about growth.
Important for Council to clearly communicate to the public what its goals and intentions are on this
issue.
3. WORK SESSION: Downtown high -Speed Fiber Project Update
Economic Development Planner Anne Fifield and Department Budget Coordinator Pavel Gubanikhin
gave a PowerPoint presentation with updates on the high-speed fiber project and the City's submittal of
a federal grant applications.
Council discussion:
Great deal of enthusiasm from many government entities; easy to track where money goes.
Will help pay for the most advanced technology available; state-of-the-art at low cost.
Arguably the most important infrastructure project that the City has taken on recently.
Proposal represents enormous giveaway of public funds; private contributions need to be
higher.
Goal should be to have every property in the city hooked up.
Too easy to spend money out of public view, needs to be done in the public.
Money received from Comcast should be used to make this a community -wide project.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Evans, seconded by Councilor Taylor, moved to authorize the
submittal of the grant application to the EDA for funds to construct a publicly owned fiber network
in the downtown. PASSED 6:0
The meeting adjourned at 1:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Chuck Crockett
Deputy City Recorder
MINUTES — Eugene City Council
Work Session
September 28, 2016
Page 2