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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/15/1987 Meeting e e e M I NUT E S Eugene City Council Olive Plaza, 1133 Olive Street April 15, 1987 12:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Debra Ehrman, Freeman Holmer, Emily Schue, Cynthia Wooten, Ruth Bascom, Roger Rutan, Jeff Miller, Rob Bennett. The adjourned meeting of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon, was called to order by City Council President Debra Ehrman in the absence of His Honor Mayor Brian B. Obie. Before the meeting, councilors ate lunch with Olive Plaza residents and participated in a brief ceremony in recognition of National Community Development Week. After Ms. Ehrman called the meeting to order, Vesta Baker, President of Olive Plaza, presented Ms. Ehrman with a Certificate of Appreciation for the $20,000 in Community Development Block Grant Funds used in the construction of the Nutrition Center in Olive Plaza. I. ITEMS FROM THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER A. Fern Ridge Bike Path Ms. Bascom said Lane County Commissioner John Ball lead a bicycle ride from Jefferson Park to Fern Ridge Reservoir on Saturday,' April 11, 1987. The purpose of the ride was to dramatize the planned off-road pedestrian/bike t~ail from Mount Pisgah to Fern Ridge Reservoir that is in the Eugene Bikeways Master Plan. She said the City will write the United States Corps of Engineers to indicate concern about the delay in developing the bike trail. B. City Council Legislative Subcommittee Ms. Schue reported that the City is supporting the fundi ng for hi ghways proposed in the report titled "Making the Right Turn" but she is not sure the legislature will approve the proposal. She said committee members are told the current legislature is conservative and it is hard to protect city interests. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 15, 1987 Page 1 e e e C. Meeting at Olive Plaza Mr. Miller said the councilors appreciate the opportunity to meet in Olive Plaza. He said the United States Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of which he is a minister were involved in planning for Olive Plaza. Ms. Schue added that the City lobbied in favor of a bill in the Oregon Legislature that allows tax deferral for projects such as Olive Plaza. Ms. Wooten said she has enjoyed meeting at Olive Plaza and she would like the council to meet sometimes at other locations away from City Hall. D. Condominium Conversion Ordinance Ms. Ehrman said the councilors voted on proposed revisions to the Condominium Conversion Ordinance on April 8, 1987, and the action regarding income and age restrictions may not have been what the councilors intended. She said she asked the staff to present the ordinance to the council again. E. Additional Activities for Children Ms. Ehrman said she appreciates the additional activities for children planned by the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department in response to the teachers I strike in School District 4J. F. Earth Week Ms. Ehrman said April 18 through 24 has been designated Earth Week. She displayed a calendar of events for that week. G. Purchase Agreement For Advance Refunding Bonds Ms. Ehrman agreed to postpone consideration of the purchase agreement for advance refunding of Community Conference Center bonds which was Item IV on the agenda. II. BALLOT AND DETERMINE INTERVIEWEES FOR PLANNING COMMISSION OPENING/SET INTERVIEW TIME City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Mr. Miller said the councilors interviewed candidates for positions on the Planning Commission recently. He said there does not seem to be a need to do so again. Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, to appoint Alan Yordy to the Planning Commission to fill the unexpired term of Hugh Prichard. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 15, 1987 Page 2 e Ms. Schue said Mr. Prichard's resignation was unexpected. The council interviewed Mr. Yordy and other candidates in December 1986 for Planning Commission vacancies then. Ms. Wooten said she favors interviewing at least the people who were finalists in December. Responding to a question from her, Mr. Gleason said the opening on the commission was publicized and four applications were received from people who did not apply in December. Mr. Rutan said the council interviewed many of the present candidates in December and he did not think the list of finalists would change. Ms. Ehrman said she favors interviewing candidates again. She;s interested in some of the new applicants. Ms. Bascom said interviewing is useful because the councilors become better acquainted with applicants during second and third interviews. The motion carried 5:3 with Councilors Miller, Rutan, Schue, Holmer, and Bennett voting aye and Councilors Ehrman, Wooten, and Bascom voting nay. Responding to a question from Ms. Ehrman, Ms. Brody said Mr. Yordy is a member of the Metropolitan Area Planning Advisory Committee (MAPAC). Consequently, another person will have to be appointed to his position. ~ III. BUSINESS CONTACT PROGRAM REPORT City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Bill Sloat of the Development Department gave the staff report. He said the Business Contact Program is a jOint program of the City and the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce and the first phase of the program is complete. He said the purpose of the program is to ascertain from business people what the assets and liabilities of doing business in Eugene are. Larry Douglas, Executive Vice President of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, reviewed Phase I of the Business Contact Program. He thanked the Council Committee on Economic Diversification (CCED) for supporting the Business Contact Program. Mr. Douglas said the report of the Business Contact Program quantifies the attitudes and opinions of business and manufacturing owners and operators in the city. He said Phase II of the program will focus on wholesale and warehouse activities in the community. He said the report indicates that livability is the greatest asset of the community but livability must be defined. The report indicates that taxation and regulation are the community's greatest liabilities. Mr. Bennett said the report indicates that some people think City processes are inefficient. However, his experience indicates that City processes have e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 15, 1987 Page 3 e become efficient in the last few years. He encouraged Chamber of Commerce representatives to communicate recent changes in City processes and organization to business people. Mr. Douglas said some City processes have been greatly improved but some proce.sses such as the historic review process need to be improved. Mr. Miller said the Business Contact Program is a four-month program. He wondered if it could be an eight- or nine-month program. Mr. Douglas responded that the program relies on volunteers and they do not want to undertake more than four months' work at a time. Ms. Wooten said she supports the Business Contact Program. She said the report indicates that business owners and operators in the community think the City gives more help and incentives to new businesses than to existing businesses. Mr. Douglas responded that the City's programs need to be more clearly articulated. He said he would like to discuss the matter with CCED. Mr. Rutan said the report is a good one. He said he often defends the City's processes. He said his comments are needed because people do not understand what the City is doing. He encouraged City and Chamber of Commerce representatives to communicate better with the business community. He also encouraged business people to testify before City bodies so their comments can be considered. He especially encouraged business people to testify during the budget process. IV. SEMI-ANNUAL ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY REPORT--JUNE-DECEMBER 1986 e City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Jim Croteau of the Planning Department gave the staff report. He said the report provides the council with an opportunity to monitor land use and other development-related decisions made by the Hearings Official and Planning Commission. He said nine zone change requests were considered by the Hearings Official from June to December 1986. Two decisions of the Hearings Official were appealed to the Planning Commission and the commission upheld the Hearings Official's decisions in both cases. He reviewed the requests and the decisions. Mr. Croteau said nine requests for conditional use permits and planned unit developments (PUD) were considered by the Hearings Official from July to December 1987. Approval of one of the permits was appealed to the Planning Commission which upheld the decision of the Hearings official. He said the expansion of Laurelwood Golf Course was submitted as a tentative PUD and the Hearings Official.s decision was upheld upon appeal to the Planning Commission. He said the council will be involved before a request for a proposa 1 for the expansion is issued. The approval of the PUD has been appealed to the State Land Use Board of Appeals. Mr. Croteau reviewed the requests for sign and zoning variances considered in the last half of 1986. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 15, 1987 Page 4 . Mr. Rutan said the procedures seem to be working well. Answering a question from him, Mr. Croteau said the procedures are more streamlined and proceed quicker than they used to so citizens need to be aware of public notices. Ms. Bascom said she is pleased with the enforcement of the sign code. It does not seem to have alienated citizens. She said she appreciates the format of the activity report and is pleased that a special study of the 19th and Agate area is in the Planning Commission work plan. Mr. Holmer said the review of the activity report assures the council an opportunity to examine the process. Mr. Bennett said Hearings Official James Spickerman does an excellent job. Mr. Spickerman considers all the issues carefully and gives proper attention to each applicant. VI. AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Facilities Director Ricky Langford gave the staff report. She will be the project manager for the airport expansion project. She distributed copies of a chart titled "Mahlon Sweet Airport Bidding Schedule" and reviewed the chart. She said work probably will begin on the terminal expansion in January or February 1988 and be finished in August 1989. Answering questions from Mr. Holmer and Ms. Ehrman, Ms. Langford said a toll booth plaza to collect parking fees is an option in the bid. She said the ~ public will be kept informed about transportation changes around the airport. Mr. Miller said he would like information periodically about the project expenses to be sure they do not exceed the budget. Ms. Ehrman adjourned the meeting at 1:25 p.m. to April 22, 1987. R~:J7~ Micheal Gleason City Manager (Recorded by Betty Lou Rarick) mncc0415 e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 15, 1987 Page 5