HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 06/22/06
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
June 22, 2006
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
ACCESS TO COUNCIL MEETINGS NOW AVAILABLE ON CITY WEBSITE
ELECTION UPDATE
CLOCK IS TICKING FOR “SMOKING DECK” COMPLIANCE
CREEKSIDE PARK NEIGHBORS INVITED TO DESIGN WORKSHOP
NEW LIBRARY BRANCH MANAGERS
FLOOD PROGRAM INSPECTION CONFIRMS DISCOUNT FOR LOCAL FLOOD INSURANCE
WEST EUGENE WETLANDS FEATURED IN WORLDWIDE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PUBLICATION
TEENS: MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIES AT THE LIBRARY
MOVIE NIGHTS IN THE PARK ARE FAMILY FUN ALL SUMMER LONG
SPEED HUMPS INSTALLED ON SORREL WAY AND PALOMINO DRIVE
AROUND THE CITY
Access to Council Meetings Now Available on City Website
As more people turn to the Internet for information and to access municipal services, the City of Eugene
is redoubling its effort to make online access to local government flexible, functional and timely. Since
the introduction of the portal in July 2005, staff has been working hard to enhance and add services that
will improve the usability of the site for all. On Monday, June 26, the City takes another big step forward
in this effort when it officially launches a new online feature – City Council meeting webcasts.
Beginning with the 5:30 p.m. work session, City Council meetings and work sessions will be broadcast
live on the City’s website. In addition to the live broadcasts, an archive of past City Council webcasts will
be available. These archived meetings will be indexed by agenda item, enabling users to select a
specific agenda item without having to search through an entire meeting for the desired topic.
To access past and present meeting webcasts, locate the links at the bottom of the City’s main web page
(www.eugene-or.gov). For more information about this new feature, contact Council Coordinator Lynda
Rose at 682-5017.
Election Update
The two measures referred to the November 7 ballot have been certified and assigned numbers by Lane
County Elections:
?
20-110 BONDS FOR PARKS, ATHLETIC FIELDS AND PRESERVATION
OF OPEN SPACE
?
20-111 FOUR-YEAR LOCAL OPTION PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR
LIBRARY OPERATIONS
Advertisements are appearing in the Register-Guard this week (June 21 and June 25) inviting
applications for appointment to the Voters’ Pamphlet committees in opposition to both measures.
Separate ads on the same days solicit arguments for the pamphlet in support of or opposition to either
measure. For more information, please contact City Recorder Mary Feldman at 682-835
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
June 22, 2006
Clock is Ticking for “Smoking Deck” Compliance
An administrative rule establishing stricter standards for outdoor smoking areas at restaurants, bars and
taverns was adopted by the City Manager in late 2005, and compliance efforts continue. The City
provided notice last year to all identified liquor license holders. PDD staff followed up with bars,
restaurants and taverns known to be in compliance with previous standards, encouraging timely changes
to achieve conformance with the new rule that outdoor smoking areas have walls at least 75 percent
open to the outside air. Outdoor smoking areas that were not established legally were given no phase-in
period, and must already meet the new rule.
An estimated 40 “smoking decks” temporarily have legal, nonconforming status, and must comply with
the new rule by year’s end. The City Council allocated $15,000 to assist businesses with permit fees in
the event needed modifications trigger building permit requirements. The first of these projects has
undergone building permit review, which identified the need for a licensed architect or engineer and
installation of fire sprinklers, in large part due to the size of the proposed alteration. Separate from the
“smoking deck” issue, staff occasionally receives general inquiries about the applicability of the Tobacco
Products and Smoking Ordinance. One enforcement-related complaint has been lodged since January
1, 2006.
For more information, please contact Mike McKerrow, 682-5451 (mike.j.mckerrow@ei.eugene.or.us), or
Keli Osborn, 682-5288 (keli.m.osborn@ci.eugene.or.us), Planning and Development Department.
New Library Branch Managers
The Sheldon and Bethel branches of Eugene Public Library
are both welcoming new managers.
The new Sheldon Branch Manager is a familiar face: Darren
Nelson, who has been Bethel Branch Manager since October
2002. Prior to joining the Eugene Public Library, Nelson
worked for the Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City,
Missouri Public Libraries. He looks forward to getting to know
and serve a new part of the Eugene community and wishes to
thank staff members at both branches for their excellent work
and support during this transition.
New Bethel Branch Manager Angela Bray is an accomplished
reference librarian who lives right in the neighborhood. She
comes to Eugene Public Library from the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Originally from
Maryland, Bray majored in anthropology at St. Mary’s College and earned a Master of Library and
Information Science degree at the University of Maryland. Before relocating to Oregon, she also served
as Virtual Reference Coordinator for the Charles County Public Library. For more information, please
contact Public Services Manager, Rob Everett at 682-8314.
Creekside Park Neighbors Invited to Design Workshop
On Tuesday, June 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Creekside Park neighbors are invited to discuss
improvements to the 3.17-acre neighborhood park located at the far north edge of Eugene’s Cal Young
neighborhood, one block west of Gilham Road, off Crimson. The public workshop will be held at Gilham
Community Church, 3633 Gilham Road, Eugene.
The focus of the first workshop will be to share with the neighborhood some general information about
parks, and gather input from neighbors and interested parties to help inform the design process. No
plans have been made for the park as of yet. Parks and Open Space staff will host two or three public
workshops aimed at closely involving the neighborhood in setting the direction for the park design. The
process generally takes four to six months, depending on a number of factors.
The City of Eugene purchased the property in 2000 using funds from the 1998 Parks and Open Space
bond measure. Funds from Eugene’s parks systems development charges are now available for
improvements to Creekside Park. Neighborhood parks, which serve residents within about a half-mile
walking distance, include the following: a children's play area, accessible pathways, park furniture such
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
June 22, 2006
as benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, and open space for recreation and relaxation. They
typically do not include the following: restrooms, off-street parking, programmed athletics, skateparks,
dog off-leash areas, and other facilities that attract visitors from a distance greater than the park's
service area.
For more information or to give input, contact Park Planner Robin Hostick at 682-4915,
robin.a.hostick@ci.eugene.or.us, or visit the park’s webpage at www.eugene-or.gov/parkprojects.
Flood Program Inspection Confirms Discount for Local Flood Insurance
A recent inspection of Eugene’s flood protection services resulted in a recommendation by the Insurance
Services Office to recertify Eugene as a Class 7 community, which translates to a 15% discount in flood
insurance premiums for the residents of Eugene living in the Special Flood Hazard Area. Other Eugene
residents not in the mapped floodplain receive a 5% insurance premium discount.
The inspection was performed by the Insurance Services Office on behalf of the National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP) as part of the NFIP’s Community Rating System (CRS). The City of Eugene
voluntarily participates in the CRS and receives credit for activities that go beyond the minimum required
by the NFIP. In its most recent inspection, Eugene earned 1,682 CRS points in areas such as elevation
certificates, map information, outreach projects, hazard disclosure, flood protection information and
assistance, open space preservation, higher regulatory standards, flood data maintenance, stormwater
management, floodplain management planning and drainage system maintenance.
The City of Eugene has been participating in the NFIP since September 1986. Flood damage is not
covered by homeowners’ insurance policies. Federal funds are only available if a presidential disaster
declaration is made. Even then, the money available from the federal government for homeowners to
rebuild is in the form of low-interest loans that must be repaid. Flood insurance protects homes and
businesses. Flood insurance is available for residential properties up to $250,000 for the building and
$100,000 for contents; and for nonresidential properties, $500,000 for building and $500,000 for
contents. Contents coverage should be specifically requested if desired. Because Eugene is an NFIP
participant and is rated as a Class 7 CRS community, property owners receive up to a 15% discount on
their flood insurance premiums. The variable for this discount is the flood zone in which the property is
located and is calculated automatically by the insurance companies. For more information about the
NFIP and Eugene’s CRS rating, contact Quentin A. Blattler, CRS program coordinator, at 682-8130.
West Eugene Wetlands Featured in Worldwide Ecosystem Services Publication
Ecosystem services is an umbrella term for a wide variety of direct and indirect benefits that humans
derive from natural ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain. For example, the absorption of heavy
rainfall and consequent reduction in flash flooding is an ecosystem service provided by a forested
watershed. Earlier this month, The Nature Conservancy released a document called "Ecosystem
Services: Status and Summary.” The West Eugene Wetlands Program is one of 31 projects in the world,
and one of 10 in North America, featured in the publication.
The ecosystem services of the West Eugene Wetlands include water regulation and purification, fresh
water, and genetic resources. Protection and management of the West Eugene Wetlands has been
achieved through the combined efforts of the West Eugene Wetlands Partnership, which includes the
City of Eugene, The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and five other
organizations. Other projects featured in the report include sustainable forest management practices in
Belize and biodiversity conservation efforts along China’s Upper Yangtze River. For more information
contact Eric Wold, wetlands program supervisor at 682-4888 or eric.n.wold@ci.eugene.or.us.
Speed Humps Installed on Sorrel Way and Palomino Drive
One year ago, City staff began working with the community around Sorrel Way and Palomino Drive to
design a traffic calming project that would address speeding and cut-through traffic in their neighborhood.
The project was completed this week with the installation of seven speed humps on Sorrel Way and
Palomino Drive. Other elements of the project include speed limit legends on the pavement and a sign
indicating a pedestrian connection to Country Lane Park. For more information about this project or the
City’s traffic calming program, contact Rob Inerfeld at 682-5343 or rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
June 22, 2006
Teens: Make Your Own Movies at the Library
Eugene Public Library’s free “Make Your Own Movies” workshop
for teens is an extraordinary chance for youth to get hands-on
training with video professionals. Teens will learn to plan,
storyboard, script, shoot, and edit with Apple iMovie. Cameras
and computers are provided for class use at the Downtown
Library.
A new three-week class starts in July. “Make Your Own Movies”
is free of charge, but space is limited, so apply early, starting
June 26. For more information or an application, call 682-8316 or
visit the Downtown Library Young Adult Desk.
Participating teens can also sign up for Teen Summer Reading to
get a free book, a CD case, and a calendar of fun events! For
more information, call Teen Services Librarian Aimee Meuchel at
682-8480.
Movie Nights in the Park are Family Fun All Summer Long
The public is invited to bring a blanket and enjoy a
movie under the stars at Movie Nights in the Park,
beginning June 23. The movies and popcorn are free
at these family events that are part of Recreation
Service’s Fun For All program. Movies are scheduled
for 9 -11 p.m. most Friday nights through August 25.
Subtitles are provided for the hearing impaired. This
summer’s line up kicks off with “Back to the Future”
on June 23 at Washington Park. Fire dancers will
give a presentation before this movie. “The Princess
Bride” will be shown at Amazon Park on July 7, and
on July 14, "Babe" will be presented at Petersen Barn Park. On July 28, fire dancers will “warm up” the
crowd at Washington Park preceding the movie, the "Love Bug.” “Whale Rider” will be shown at Monroe
Park on August 4, the original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” will be presented at Washington
Park, on August 11, “Wallace and Gromit,” will be shown at Petersen Barn Park on August 18, and on
Friday, August 25, “De Regreso A Casa” (Homeward Bound), will be presented in Spanish at Monroe
Park. The movie is subject to change due to weather and availability. For more information, contact
Petersen Barn Park at 682-5521.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
June 22, 2006