HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 06/09/03 WS MINUTES
Eugene City Council
Work Session
Council Chamber--City Hall
June 9, 2003
5:30 p.m.
COUNCILORS PRESENT: Gary Pap~, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty
Taylor Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Jennifer Solomon.
Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting to order. He indicated Ms. Solomon would be late in
arriving.
A. ITEMS FROM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER
Mr. Meisner had no items.
Ms. Bettman commended Assistant City Manager Jim Carlson and former Senior Planner Steve
Gordon of the Lane Council of Governments for their work in bringing the American Birding
Association annual convention to Eugene the previous weekend, which attracted more than 600
birders into the community.
Ms. Bettman referred to a memorandum from the Lane Metro Partnership included in the meeting
packet, which raised what she perceived to be a policy issue. She requested a memorandum
regarding how the Lane Metro Partnership's task of business recruitment related to its
involvement in political and policy issues, where the threshold for its involvement was, and
whether the partnership was inside the threshold.
Ms. Taylor noted her request for a work session on conservation easements, which would be
forwarded to the council in its next meeting packet.
Ms. Taylor noted a constituent request she received asking that the City install a plaque at the Hult
Center commemorating the internment of Japanese citizens during World War II, as the center
stood on the site where people were gathered prior to internment. She asked if the City could
give permission for such a plaque to be mounted or investigate a way to do so. Mr. Meisner
suggested the request be forwarded to the City's Human Rights Commission for an appropriate
resolution, adding that some were offended by the proposed site because of its history.
Mr. Pap8 noted the recent dedication of the new gazebo at the Owens Rose Garden and
commended the event. He recommended the council visit the garden and view the new facilities.
He thanked the members of the Delta Rotary Club and City's Parks and Open Space staff for their
efforts.
Mr. Pap~ reported that he recently ran the riverbank trail from end to end and hoped that work
parties could be formed to clear the riverbank soon.
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Mr. Pap~ said that he and Mr. Poling recently attended a Cai Young Neighbors Association
meeting at which neighbors complained that large trucks parked at Brewer Park at certain times of
the day, blocked both physical and visual access into the park. He suggested that staff consider
how parks are signed to prevent such use, as he suspected the issue might exist for other City
parks as well.
Mr. Pap~ commended the newly installed Talking Stones in East Alton Baker Park and expressed
hope that the installation of the temporary I-5 bridge over the Willamette River did not harm the
stones, or that they could be carefully moved.
Speaking to Ms. Taylor's request, Ms. Nathanson said it was her understanding that staff was
internally processing the request for a plaque commemorating the Japanese internment.
Ms. Nathanson said that fire season was nearing, and she had read that the community was
experiencing an earlier-than-usual problem with dry vegetation. She wanted to know what fire
hazards exist well in advance of July 4 because she wanted to learn the potential of a partial
fireworks bans in the areas of the community most prone to fire. She said she was previously
assured that the City Manager had the administrative authority to ban fireworks.
Ms. Nathanson acknowledged that many local charities depended on the sale of fireworks. She
suggested it would be in the community's best interest if the City worked with those organizations
to determine if there were other ways to raise funds, as a ban would have a serious impact on
those groups.
Mr. Kelly said that Kurt Yeiter of the Planning Division recently made a presentation on the
Downtown Plan to the City Club and he had remarked that the City would have to decide soon
whether to reserve land in the courthouse area to daylight the Millrace if that was to happen. He
noted the direction related to a daylighted Millrace in the adopted Courthouse Concept Plan, and
requested an update on how soon that decision needed to be made.
Mr. Kelly reported he received inquiries from constituents living adjacent to Amazon Park
concerned about the use of parkland for pool overflow parking. A neighborhood meeting had been
held and a number of suggestions had been made by the neighbors for alternatives, but when
they recently called the City they were told none of those suggestions would be implemented in
2003. He requested an update on what was being considered for parking alternatives.
Speaking to Mr. Meisner's earlier suggestion, Mr. Kelly noted that the Human Rights Commission
had briefly discussed the issue of a Japanese internment commemoration and members of the
Japanese-American community had been solicited for ideas.
Speaking to Ms. Nathanson's comments about fire hazard and a potential fireworks ban, Mr. Kelly
said that he was asked only that morning about the issue. He had sent an e-mail inquiry to Fire
Chief Tom Tallon, who indicated that currently, he did not believe conditions warranted a ban but
staff would continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Poling reported on the recent boat ramp opening at Alton Baker Park, saying that staff did a
great job on it.
Mr. Poling said he and Mayor Torrey recently attended the groundbreaking for the new Northside
Elementary School. He noted that third graders from Washington and Willakenzie schools were in
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attendance at the event as they would be the first graduating glass. Construction would begin on
July 1.
Mr. Taylor indicated that staff was monitoring the fire situation. He said Chief Tallon was
recommending that a policy be instituted should circumstances change and the City Manager be
required to limit fireworks.
Mayor Torrey reported that the State Legislature was stymied on transportation funding because of
a dispute over the allocation of money, but a hearing was scheduled the following week and he
anticipated the bill would pass.
Ms. Taylor said that she viewed the parking lot at Amazon Park and regretted that automobiles
had damaged the ground. The area was being filled with gravel and the neighbors were told it
was because the ground had already been impacted. She suggested that the City cooperate with
School District 4J to provide parking at nearby Roosevelt Middle School rather than on the grass
in the park.
Ms. Taylor recalled that the council had recommended that a decision to ban fireworks be made
before charities made their investment in fireworks. She suggested that it was too late to institute
a ban now. She shared Ms. Nathanson's concerns about the hazard of fire.
Ms. Bettman suggested that if it became necessary to limit the use of fireworks in certain areas
because of an increased fire hazard, the City could identify sites where fireworks could be safely
used. That would not impact the nonprofit agencies selling fireworks, and the decision about such
sites could be made closer to the time fireworks were sold and the degree of hazard known.
B.WORK SESSION: Development of a Code of Ethics Ordinance
The council was joined for the item by Mary Walston of the City Manager's Office. Ms. Walston
noted this was the second work session on the topic. She reminded the council of the voters'
approval of a charter revision calling for the establishment of a code of ethics through an
ordinance. Ms. Walston said that during the first work session, staff recommended that the
council adopt Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 244 as the standard, which the proposed ordinance
did. The council suggested at that time that a local process be incorporated into the ordinance,
and staff included text implementing that direction. Ms. Walston said that in response to council
direction, the ordinance defined the terms "business associate" and "domestic partner."
Ms. Walston noted that a public hearing on the ordinance was scheduled for July 28, 2003, and
action scheduled for August 8, 2003.
Mayor Torrey solicited council comments.
Mr. Kelly referred to Section 2.486(2)(b) of the ordinance, and suggested that the second
sentence be dropped as he expected that a copy of the City Attorney's report should go to the City
Council. City Attorney Glenn Klein said that the text was included because of the council's
supervisory role over the City Manager and Municipal Court judge. He said that everything could
be sent to the council. Mr. Kelly concurred, given the council's role as outlined in Section 2.488.
He suggested the council be sent a courtesy copy of any complaint to give it an awareness of
what was occurring. Mr. Klein explained that the issue was bifurcated initially because in some
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cases the council has an official role to perform that it did not have with regard to other councilors
or the mayor.
Mr. Kelly asked if a complaint referred to the State was a matter of the public record. Mr. Klein did
not believe a complaint became a public record until the State had done preliminary investigation.
In the hands of the City, it was a public record.
Mr. Kelly noted the difference between the voter-approved charter text related to conflict of
interest and the text used in ORS 244, and determined from Mr. Klein that he believed they were
equivalent.
Ms. Bettman asked if the person submitting a complaint to the City Attorney's Office received
anonymity. Mr. Klein said not unless the person requested that information be kept confidential
when the complaint was filed, and the City, to the extent allowed by the Public Records law, was
allowed to do so. He said that most times when someone submitted something to the City, it was
a public record. If the City agreed to anonymity, the complainant's name would be concealed but
the complaint would still be a matter of public record. He said that the issue of confidentiality was
not affected by whom in the City received the complaint.
Ms. Bettman found the ordinance confusing in terms of what individuals the State law applied to,
and asked if the City would be writing administrative rules for the ordinance that described the
process of complaint submission, the laws related to confidentiality, and a list of the individuals to
whom the ordinance's provisions applied. Mr. Klein did not know if there was a need for
administrative rules, adding that did not preclude the City from preparing a packet of information
describing what the ordinance did and the processes involved. Ms. Bettman encouraged such an
approach and wanted the information prepared before the public hearing so people did not have
to study and interpret the State statute.
Ms. Bettman wanted the ordinance to apply to all appointed members of City boards and
commissions, especially to standing committees to the council. She cited the Planning
Commission and Budget Committee as particular concerns.
Ms. Nathanson determined from Mr. Klein that the ordinance did not address the nondisclosure of
confidential information such as that heard by the council at an executive session. She said that
the council was routinely advised not to share such confidential information and asked what would
happen if a councilor did disclose such information. She pointed out that such a disclosure could
have financial implications for a City property transaction. She suggested that such a provision
might be needed.
Mr. Pap~ asked if there was a penalty for citizens filing frivolous complaints. He believed there
needed to be consequences for such situations. Mr. Klein said that he would want to think about
the issue. He said that attempting to determine bad faith was a difficult task and the issue had
some First Amendment implications. He suggested that the council could amend the ordinance in
the future if it determined such complaints were being filed.
Mr. Meisner determined from Mr. Kelly that his previous questions related to his interest in the
council receiving a copy of the investigative report regardless of whether a complaint was
determined to have merit. Mr. Meisner said that he had no objection one way or the other.
Regarding Ms. Bettman's concern about the application of the ordinance to appointed officials, he
asked what appointed officials were currently subject to report to the Oregon Government
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Standards and Practices Commission. Mr. Klein indicated he would followup on the question. Mr.
Meisner indicated he was not interested in expanding the ordinance to all standing committees,
just those under the purview of the Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission.
Mr. Poling shared Ms. Bettman's interest in covering the Planning Commission and Budget
Committee in the ordinance.
Mr. Poling asked if there was a way for the complaint form to include a declaration that the
complaint being filed was true and accurate to reduce the potential of frivolous complaints. Mr.
Klein said that he would follow up on the question.
Ms. Taylor also wanted to see members of the Budget Committee and Planning Commission
included in the ordinance. She believed that the ordinance before the council was weaker than
the text approved by the voters. Ms. Taylor asked if the City had received any complaints against
city councilors or appointed officials. Mr. Klein recalled a complaint made against a former mayor
more than ten years ago for participating in a trip to a college football bowl game, but outside that
he could recall no ethics complaints against either elected or appointed officials.
Mayor Torrey solicited a second round of comments.
Mr. Kelly was wary of instituting a penalty for false reporting from a First Amendment standpoint
and because of the chilling effect he thought it would have on those seeking to make reports.
Mr. Kelly suggested another reason for the council to receive copies of complaints was because
the Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission had lost much of its investigative
capacity, and it might be that a complaint could be sent to the agency, but there was no one there
to read it.
Responding to a question from Mr. Kelly, Mr. Klein noted the provision in Salem's code that
prevented the disclosure of confidential information learned in executive sessions. He concurred
there was no State prohibition against such disclosure. There may be statutes specifically
addressing certain circumstances, such as personnel issues. For the majority of executive
sessions, a councilor's disclosure of confidential information violated no statute or ordinance,
although it could create a legal liability for the City.
Ms. Nathanson indicated she raised the issue of confidentiality in executive sessions specifically
because of the issue of legal liability. She thought it inappropriate for councilors to reveal what
was said in an executive session after agreeing to participate in such a session. She said she
would wait for more council discussion before suggesting any changes to the ordinance.
Mr. Meisner shared Ms. Nathanson's concerns regarding the disclosure of confidential information
learned at executive sessions. He thought the inclusion of a provision related to the topic would
be a way of enforcing the council's internal rules.
Mr. Pap~ also was interested in a provision regarding confidentiality at executive sessions, given
the lack of a State penalty. He said that it would be good to have a way to enforce the council's
rules.
Mayor Torrey called for a third round of council comments.
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Mr. Kelly thought the current situation related to confidentiality at executive sessions was
sufficient. He questioned what the penalty for such an action would be. He suggested that the
council's mutual respect and professional demeanor enforced the confidential nature of executive
sessions. While he had not been tempted to disclose the subject of an executive session in the
past, he could imagine a situation where, at the risk of his future electability, he might feel the
need to disclose such situation, and he preferred not to institute a rule against it. Mr. Kelly added
that such a situation would be a very rare, "once-in-a-lifetime" situation.
Mayor Torrey asked what the threshold for a conflict of interest was, and when it must be
declared. Mr. Klein said that one has to have an actual conflict to declare a conflict. If a councilor
had such a conflict, it must be disclosed when the council discussed the subject. If the conflict
was a potential one that might not necessarily affect a councilor, that must also be disclosed, and
the involved councilor could participate in the council's discussion. In the case of an actual
conflict, the conflict must be disclosed, and the councilor could not participate in the meeting. Mr.
Klein said that was only at the meeting that the conflict must be disclosed.
Ms. Bettman determined from Mr. Klein that one's need to declare a conflict existed at any time
when one was a member of a decision-making body.
Mayor Torrey determined there were no further questions or comments, and moved on to the next
item.
C.WORK SESSION: West University Neighborhood Task Force Report
The council was joined for the item by Assistant City Manager Jim Carlson and former Acting
Assistant City Manager Jim Croteau. Jeannine Parisi of the Eugene Police Department and
Richie Weinman of the Planning and Development Department were also present for the item.
Mr. Carlson provided background on the formation of the Joint University of Oregon-City of
Eugene Task Force on the West University Neighborhood. He reminded the council that the task
force was formed as a result of the riot that occurred in the neighborhood in late August 2002. Mr.
Carlson emphasized the importance of moving from the study to implementation stage given
current conditions in the neighborhood. He said that some progress had been made. The police
foot patrol in the neighborhood was being funded, commencing July 1. Half the funding was being
provided by the University of Oregon. In addition, as a result of the task force's findings, staff
recommended the use of Community Development Block Grant funds to underwrite the cost of
additional street lighting. That request had been funded.
Mr. Croteau acknowledged task force members present, including John Brown of the Police
Commission, Cheryl Eyster of the University of Oregon, Carmen Von Klein of Von Klein Property
Management, Christine Lewandowski of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, Sheila Abbott of
the University Small Business Association, and students Jesse Harding and Jackie Reed. He also
noted the presence of Dan Williams and Ann Levitt of the University of Oregon.
Mr. Croteau emphasized the public safety and livability focuses of the task force's
recommendations.
Mr. Croteau noted the recent disturbance in the neighborhood on Saturday, June 6. He believed
that in spite of that incident, progress had made been toward improving conditions in the
neighborhood. He characterized the neighborhood as an important one that needs to be
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maintained for the health of the community. It serves the university with student housing. The
university is a huge economic engine for downtown and the community and the housing needs to
be maintained both for students and those who wish to live close to downtown. He said that the
problems facing the neighborhood are very complex. They involve societal and behavioral issues,
and they would take a considerable effort to solve.
Mr. Croteau reported on neighborhood successes, including the recent, well-attended
neighborhood clean-up organized by Ms. Reed and Mr. Harding, which included a tree-planting
effort. He cited the funding of the foot patrol as another success. He said that the Central
Presbyterian Church, under the leadership of Pastor Ken Henry, had organized a meeting of
neighborhood churches to discuss what could be done to increase the stability of the community
and maintain their stakes in the area. The church was looking for ways to help in the community,
and he thought that should be considered an asset.
Mr. Croteau called attention to the list of long-term recommendations of the task force, specifically
noting the recommendation for alley improvements, the promotion of long-term residency, the
establishment of an orientation program for freshman moving off campus, and the reestablishment
of the neighborhood association. He emphasized that the first recommendation would require
both funding and the council's political will.
Mr. Croteau called attention to the proposed motion in the council's packet. He encouraged the
council to capitalize on the energy and efforts generated by the task force, and to take advantage
of the task force members as a future asset.
Mayor Torrey called for council comments and questions.
Mr. Kelly, a member of the task force, thanked Mr. Croteau and the members of the task force. He
indicated support for the motion proposed in the agenda materials. He said that improving the
neighborhood fit with many of the council's growth management policies, given its proximity to
downtown. He said that none of the recommendations that rose to the top were arrived at lightly
or without discussion. He noted that although none of the shod-term recommendations were in
any priority order, the long-term recommendations were evaluated and prioritized by the task
force. All those in the top ten received significant task force support.
Mr. Kelly believed that the right people had been involved in the task force, in that all the
significant stakeholder groups were represented.
Mr. Kelly stressed the importance of taking action in regard to the alleys in the area. He said that
he did not fully appreciate the alley issue until he toured the area and witnessed the overall
difference in feel that alley paving could make. He said that it was critical that the City make
improvements to those alleys or it would pay a price later in terms of periodic flare-ups and
general neighborhood degradation. He hoped the council found the money and the will to proceed
with the implementation recommendations forthcoming from staff.
Mr. Kelly noted the task force's recommendations for basic housing habitability standards, which
he believed could improve the overall quality of the neighborhood by enhancing residents' sense
of responsibility for the neighborhood. He suggested that the City consider adopting the model
used in Corvallis, noting that city had to take only one enforcement action since Corvallis adopted
its housing standards.
Ms. Solomon arrived at the meeting.
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Ms. Nathanson noted that there were times when she could not cross the sidewalks in the
neighborhoods, particularly near the fraternities and sororities, because they were blocked by
cars. It was not enjoyable to walk in the streets because they flooded at certain corners when it
rained. Walking in the planting strip was not possible because the planting strips were full of mud
and they were blocked by cars as well.
Ms. Nathanson referred to the League of Cities University Community Caucus, which discussed
common problems and solutions shared by university communities. She wanted to ensure that
the City took advantage of the work that organization had done.
Ms. Nathanson was pleased to hear that the churches were involved and questioned whether they
would join in to fit into the priorities or creating additional ideas to work on.
Ms. Nathanson questioned whether the neighborhood association could be sponsored by the City
as well as the Associated Students of the University of Oregon and the University administration.
Mr. Pap8 thanked task force members and staff as well as other participants in the process. He
agreed about the task force's recommendation related to the improvement of alleys and asked if
there was funding to improve alleys. Mr. Carlson said that alley improvements were done through
assessments to abutting property owners. There was no remonstrance provision for alley
improvements. Mr. Pap8 endorsed alley improvements in the neighborhood, suggesting that
improvements in the neighborhood could lead to alley improvements in other areas.
Mr. Pap8 hoped the University of Oregon could turn around the trend of riots as entertainment for
students.
Mr. Pap8 requested an update on the City's alley inventory. Kurt Corey, Public Works Director,
indicated that if such an inventory existed, it predated his employment, and he would follow up on
the question.
Mr. Meisner hoped that the current effort to improve neighborhood conditions was more
successful than past efforts. Speaking to the need for alley improvements, he said that this was
not the only area needing alley improvements, and he did not want to isolate the solution or
restrict the council's options. He called for further work on the assessments system, pointing out
that its current basis on footage meant that a single-family house paid the same as a multi-family
development next door. He endorsed the goal of long-term residency, but noted the opposition
voiced by Walnut Street neighborhoods about additional densification and more student housing in
their neighborhood. He did not know the solution to what appeared to be a conflict. He was also
uncertain about the impact of housing standards on existing housing.
Mr. Meisner liked Ms. Nathanson's suggestion of a neighborhood association in partnership with
the student association and University administration.
Mr. Meisner expressed interest in more information about a housing code. He noted his long-term
interest in improvements in the City's nuisance response process but given budget conditions, he
questioned how that could occur. He asked how Corvallis paid for the position that enforced its
ordinance.
Ms. Bettman also thanked the task force and indicated general support for the recommendations.
She expressed appreciation for the Eugene Police Department and the creative approaches
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taken to handling some of the criminal activity in the neighborhood, citing specifically the Party
Patrol and its "knock-and-talk" approach.
Ms. Bettman agreed with Mr. Meisner regarding the inequity of alley assessments for multi-unit
properties. She said that any solution should be equitable and citywide.
Ms. Bettman raised the issue of the Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) and asked for an
explanation of the rationale behind the task force's recommendation to create more infill
development in a neighborhood with so little existing homeownership. She said that the
neighborhood association had stopped being active when some of the few remaining
homeowners moved out. She asked how taking the money from the General Fund and giving it to
a developer to construct more multi-unit property that would ultimately be rental property would
actually benefit the neighborhood. Ms. Bettman believed that would perpetuate the problems that
were already being experienced. Without an ironclad caveat that the developments receiving the
exemption were owner-occupied, she would not support the MUPTE for the area. She would
support a Iow-interest or no-interest loan program for rehabilitating single-family housing.
Ms. Taylor said that the need for a housing code had come up several times. She said that she
had lived in the neighborhood on an alley for a year and had called on the City for enforcement of
the housing code in place at the time and the enforcement had been extremely effective.
Ms. Taylor said that an active neighborhood organization needed newsletter funding, which she
hoped would be restored to the budget.
Ms. Taylor asked if the churches had considered keeping a part of their facilities open in the
evening to serve as a gathering place for youth to sit and have coffee, soft drinks, and talk.
Speaking to Ms. Bettman's concerns, Mr. Kelly agreed with the need to rehabilitate single-family
housing in the neighborhood, but he thought that the MUPTE could be used selectively with
success. He thought that it could be used to support housing stock that improved the quality of
housing in the neighborhood such as purchased row houses or condominiums or rental row
houses or condominiums that would bring long-term residents to the neighborhood, not what he
considered "cookie cutter student rentals." He agreed that implementation would be a policy
challenge.
Mr. Kelly recalled that Corvallis funded its program with a annual $8 per unit citywide charge on
each rental unit.
Mr. Kelly asked when the implementation plan could be expected if the motion passed. Mr.
Carlson anticipated that some of the recommendations could be brought back quickly, and most
by fall.
Referring to the disturbance of the previous weekend, Mayor Torrey said that the situation could
not be allowed to continue to happen. The police needed to be at such events at their inception.
He said that police overtime for the Friday event would cost several thousand dollars that could
have otherwise been used for services elsewhere in the community.
Mayor Torrey expressed appreciation for the task force's recommendations, but questioned
whether they were enough.
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Mayor Torrey suggested a demonstration project, or a "before and after" example, be done for an
alley in the neighborhood.
Mayor Torrey solicited a second round of comments.
Ms. Nathanson requested more information about how the City could change its nuisance
complaint system generally and who in the City organization was initially empowered to respond to
complaints. She asked if it was possible for staff to hand-deliver a first-notice nuisance complaint
letter. She thought putting a face behind a complaint might help. Ms. Nathanson asked if the City
was doing enough in terms of its initial first steps in enforcement.
Ms. Nathanson asked about the potential of licensing those who owned rental property as an
alternative to a housing code. She asked staff to investigate the approach.
Mr. Pap8 shared Ms. Nathanson's interest into an investigation of licensing.
Responding to a question from Mr. PapS, task force member John Brown said that he believed it
would be difficult for the market to make owner-occupied condominiums in the neighborhood
financially feasible at this time. The land vacant must be worth more than the land improved,
which was the reason there had been little redevelopment in the area. There would have to be
substantial changes in the neighborhood's economic development patterns for that to happen.
Mr. Pap8 suggested that the disturbances in the neighborhood could be stopped by strict
enforcement of the law and by prosecuting offenders to the full extent of the law, as had been
done in Seaside in response to student disturbances. He questioned why that was not mentioned
in the task force's report as he thought it should be one of the short-term strategies.
Ms. Bettman thought that to a degree, the student disturbances should be separated from the
issue of neighborhood livability. She said that many rental units were deteriorating and she heard
complaints from students that there was nothing they could do about it. She questioned
prioritizing alley improvements over such livability improvements, and emphasized her support for
a housing code. Regarding the potential of licensing, Ms. Bettman questioned what leverage the
City would have over landlords in the absence of housing standards. She suggested a
combination of licensing and a housing code could be appropriate.
Mr. Kelly was also interested in an exploration of licensing but did not presuppose it would lower
the City's costs. He was willing to review any models.
Speaking to the potential of using the existing State housing code, Mr. Kelly noted that code
required a tenant with a complaint to go to court.
Ms. Nathanson requested a staff analysis of the approach of adopting the State housing code by
reference. She thought the City lacked the staff resources needed to implement its own housing
code.
Ms. Nathanson wanted to know if the University of Oregon would be willing to be proactively
identify demonstration projects that could be implemented in the neighborhood using different
University schools and areas of expertise.
Ms. Taylor thought some of what happened in the neighborhood was a result of human nature.
She agreed with Ms. Bettman about the relative priority of a housing code as compared to the
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alleys. She requested a work session on ways to finance a housing code. She said that people
living in a decent place have more respect for their houses.
Mr. PapS, seconded by Ms. Nathanson, moved to direct the City Manager to
analyze the recommendations of the West University Neighborhood Task
Force and provide the council with an implementation plan. The motion
passed unanimously, 8:0.
Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting at 7:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dennis M. Taylor
City Manager
(Recorded by Kimberly Young)
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