HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 11/16/06
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
November 16, 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
APARTMENT FIRE PROVIDES IMPORTANT SAFETY LESSON
URBAN FORESTRY CREWS HELP MITIGATE IMPACTS OF HAZARDOUS TREES
SOUTH RIDGELINE HABITAT STUDY UPDATE
EUGENE WALKING AND BIKING SUMMIT A GREAT SUCCESS
AUTHORS & ARTISTS FAIR AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AROUND THE CITY
Apartment Fire Provides Important Safety Lesson
Monday morning's fire in the apartment above Beppe & Gianni's Trattoria near the University of Oregon
exemplified an important fire safety concern that develops each year as colder weather arrives. It is all
too easy to take thermostatically controlled home heating devices for granted, and in fact to forget about
them entirely during the warm season. While no one was seriously injured in Monday's fire, a dangerous
situation can arise any time flammable materials are placed on or near a heat source -- particularly a
heat source that is not closely monitored.
The Fire & EMS Department is taking this and every opportunity to encourage residents to check their
homes and make sure clothing, papers, curtains, etc., are at least 18 inches away from any and all
heating devices and heat sources. Fire Prevention personnel also recommend space heaters with an
automatic shut-off feature if they should tip over. Finally, any fire is a reminder to test all smoke alarms
and replace batteries as necessary. The department will be providing public safety messages addressing
holiday season activities during the coming weeks. For more information, please contact Glen Potter,
public information officer, at 682-7118.
Urban Forestry Crews Help Mitigate Impacts of Hazardous Trees
The wind storm that hit Eugene last Sunday
evening kept City crews busy throughout
Eugene clearing downed trees and limbs. In a
storm, strong winds and ice and snow
accumulations can cause weakened limbs or
trees to fall. Heavy rains can erode or
saturate soil and further undermine the rooting
of an unstable tree. In order to mitigate these
hazards, City arborists certified by the
International Society of Arboriculture respond
to reports of potentially hazardous street trees,
looking for defects such as cracked limbs,
holes, fungal growths, and excessive leaning.
Hazardous trees are those that have one or
more significant defects that could cause the
tree or a portion of the tree to fall and injure
someone or damage public or private
property. Trees located near streets,
This oak fell across the bike path in Skinner Butte Park
sidewalks, parks, homes, schools, commercial
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
November 16, 2006
and industrial buildings, and overhead utility lines have the greatest potential to be hazardous because of
the injury or damage that could result if the tree or a large branch falls.
If citizens observe a defective or hazardous tree, they are encouraged to contact the Public Works Urban
Forestry staff at 682-4800. Once a tree is determined to be hazardous, a mitigation plan can be initiated.
For more information contact Urban Forester Mark Snyder at mark.r.snyder@ci.eugene.or.us or
682-4819.
South Ridgeline Habitat Study Update
Planning and Development Department staff held a workshop on Tuesday, November 14, 2006, to
present the draft findings of several months of field work and analysis in the first phase of the South
Ridgeline Habitat Study (SRHS). A joint presentation by City staff and the project consultant outlined the
project and the study results to an interested and engaged audience of more than 80 people, including
affected property owners, community groups, neighborhood groups, UO students, environmental
professionals, attorneys, and other interested citizens.
The walls of the multipurpose room at the Hilyard Center were papered with a series of colorful GIS-
generated maps that depicted information about the habitats in the SRHS study area and their relative
values, and showed the change in habitats since 1850. Also on display was a series of educational
panels depicting the habitats of the study area and the wildlife found in them. A high level of interest was
expressed in the scientific methodologies used for the study, which will be the subject of a meeting to be
held later this year. All of the materials presented at the workshop will be made available on the project
website at www.EugeneNR.org by November 30. For more information, please contact Neil Björklund, at
neil.h.bjorklund@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5507.
Eugene Walking and Biking Summit a Great Success
On October 7, approximately 225 community members put their
heads together for a day of conversation, information-sharing, and
brainstorming at the Eugene Walking and Biking Summit. The
Walking and Biking Summit brought together a diverse group of
community members and experts to discuss the challenges and
opportunities for making Eugene a more walkable and bikeable city.
Among the many speakers were Eugene’s Mayor Kitty Piercy and
U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio, each pledging their leadership on
these important topics.
Participants at the summit provided a full spectrum of input ranging
from location-specific facilities and infrastructure needs to broad
vision statements relating to biking and walking in Eugene. City staff
and University of Oregon graduate students captured comments and
input throughout the day and have compiled the information into a Summit Summary Report that has
been posted on the City’s website at www.eugene-or.gov/walkbike. The information gathered at the
summit is the first building block in the development of a Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan for the
City of Eugene.
Throughout the coming year, there will be a series of workshops, surveys, focus groups and other
activities to engage the community in developing the Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan. The first
workshop will be held in mid-January and will focus on the two important issues of bicycle theft and
security and bicycle parking. These topics were identified as being of great importance to participants at
the Walking and Biking Summit.
Completion of the strategic planning effort will provide City staff and members of the community with a
blueprint for increasing the use of non-motorized transportation in Eugene. Additional information and
project updates can be found at www.eugene-or.gov/walkbike. For more information, contact Senior
Transportation Planner, Rob Inerfeld, at 682-5343 or rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
November 16, 2006
Authors & Artists Fair at Eugene Public Library
Find unique gifts and support a great cause at the Eugene Public Library Foundation's festive Authors &
Artists Fair, Saturday, December 2, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. at the Downtown Library. Meet the creators, plus
enjoy musical entertainment, wine, coffee, and delicious desserts. Admission is free.
Chat with Kate Wilhelm, whose recent courtroom thriller is Sleight of Hand; Kurt Cyrus, illustrator of The
Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen; Carola Dunn with a new Daisy Dalrymple murder mystery; Register-
Guard columnist Bob Welch, author of My Seasons: A Literary Celebration of Sports and Life; and Stone
Soup cartoonist Jan Eliot. New authors at this year’s fair include novelist Laura Kalpakian (American
Cookery), Alan Contreras (Birds of Lane County), Register-Guard columnist Dorcas Smucker (Ordinary
Days), geologist Ellen Bishop (In Search of Ancient Oregon), humorist Paul Chasman (The Book of Bob),
and essayist John Daniel (Rogue River Journal).
Delight in the colors, textures, and beauty of works created by local artists and artisans, from handcrafted
jewelry to prints and fused glass. Bid in a silent auction of spectacular, one-of-a-kind bookends
decorated by some of the most talented artists in town. Buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win a terrific
gift package – some with overnight getaways -- with themes such as “Curl Up and Read,” “A Night on the
Town,” and “A Trip to the Oregon Coast.”
The annual Authors & Artists Fair has become a beloved community tradition. It’s the perfect place to
meet and greet friends and neighbors, and shop for gifts. This celebration benefits the foundation’s
mission to develop advocates, funding, and resources to provide high quality and sustainable services
for the Eugene Public Library. The EPL Foundation thanks KLCC, KVAL, Northwest Community Credit
Union, QSL Printing, the Register-Guard, Sanipac, and Symantec for sponsorship support. For more
information, contact the Eugene Public Library Foundation at 682-5338.
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November 16, 2006