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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 06/12/02 Work Session MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session Equitable Building-One Broadway June 12, 2002 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: David Kelly, Gary Pap~, Nancy Nathanson, Pat Farr, Scott Meisner, Betty Taylor, Gary Rayor, Bonny Bettman. CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting to order. A.WORK SESSION: Consideration of Council Contingency Account Funding Request Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Pap~, moved to authorize the expenditure of $2,500 from the Contingency Account to sponsor a duck for "Ducks on Parade," a community-oriented art exhibit with the goal of showcasing local artists, adding to the vitality of downtown Eugene, and assisting nonprofit organizations. Mr. Pap~ termed the request worthy but said there were other worthy causes and he questioned how the council could evaluate this request against the others when the council did not know what those causes were or what demands existed. Ms. Bettman concurred with the remarks of Mr. Pap~. She said that she supported the effort and encouraged personal contributions rather than the use of tax dollars. Mr. Fart said the council spent tax dollars all the time on a variety of things. He said that all the councilors were interested in encouraging vitality in downtown, and supporting the request was a means to do so. The vote on the motion was a 4:4 tie; Ms. Nathanson, Mr. Fart, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Rayor voting yes; Mr. Meisner, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Pap~, and Ms. Bettman voting no. Mayor Torrey cast a vote in support of the motion, and the motion passed on a final vote of 5:4. B. WORK SESSION: 2001-2002 City Council Goals Work Plan Progress Report City Manager pro tem Jim Carlson introduced the item, saying the focus of the first presentations would be on downtown projects and issues. The executive managers would then review the status of work plan activities. Mr. Carlson called attention to an article regarding projects and activities in downtown from the Eugene Comic News, and said it provided an excellent overview MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 1 Work Session of the many good things going on downtown. He said that many of the things happening were a result of City actions. Mr. Carlson specifically noted the article's mention of the conversion of the First Baptist Church to The Shedd, intended to house the Oregon Festival of American Music; the housing project being contemplated next to the Centre Court Building; and the St. Vincent dePaul multi-use project at Oak Street and East 11th Avenue. Public Works Director Kurt Corey provided an update on the reopening of Broadway and an update on the train depot renovation. He indicated the Broadway reopening was on schedule and within budget. Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Director Angel Jones overviewed progress on the new library. She indicated construction was two-thirds complete and the project was on time and within its budget. Ms. Jones said that fund-raising was ongoing and on-target; the Library Foundation had raised $5.2 million, and had transferred $3.7 million to the City. Planning and Development Department Director Tom Coyle discussed the status of the federal courthouse project. He said that staff anticipated that the plan for the area would be before the council in July 2002. He further anticipated that construction on the courthouse would commence in spring 2003. He believed that acquisition issues would all be addressed by fall 2002. Responding to a question from Mayor Torrey, Mr. Carlson said that the Request for Proposals for the demolition of the Chiquita complex had been received and were being evaluated by staff. He anticipated a contract would be let in 30 days. He said that demolition could not occur, however, until the General Services Administration completed its historic review. Police Chief Thad Buchanan noted the council's recent action to enable the construction of the new Forensics and Property Control facility, which was part of the Downtown Space Plan and related to the council's goal of fiscal accountability. He further noted the formation of the Graffiti Task Force, a public-private partnership formed to address the problem of graffiti in Eugene. He described some of the strategies on which the task force was focusing. Mr. Meisner asked Mr. Coyle to check into the status of the alley awnings downtown, which he understood the Facilities Division had decided to retain without consulting with the Eugene Police Department or Downtown Eugene, Inc. Ms. Nathanson noted the impact of construction projects on businesses, and asked under what circumstances the City would consider the cost of scheduling longer work days to get a project done more quickly. Mr. Carlson indicated he would have to get back to Ms. Nathanson with a more complete response, adding it was primarily a cost issue because overtime would increase a project's costs. Ms. Nathanson suggested that reduced costs in other areas, such as equipment storage costs, might help to mitigate the overtime costs. She said she would like to hear more information about the topic. Responding to a question from Ms. Nathanson regarding whether a ceremonial move that might involve the council was planned for the new library, Mr. Meisner indicated that a ritual book transfer was being contemplated as part of the "soft opening." Mr. Kelly requested a smaller version of the train depot diagram. He asked about the time line for the project. Mr. Corey said that projections assume a time line of approximately two years. MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 2 Work Session Mr. Farr asked about the impact of the depot project on the parking supply available to the Oregon Electric Station. He expressed concern that the project would eliminate needed parking that now served the restaurant, which was a popular establishment that brought many people to downtown. Mr. Corey said that there was considerable misinformation about the potential impact of the project on the restaurant. He did not know if the fears being expressed about the loss of parking would be borne out. He believed that the City needed to get better information to the owners of the restaurant so they had a better understanding of what was being contemplated. Mr. Meisner said that the depot plan was a comprehensive, long-range plan that would be phased over time. The North End Scoping Group recognized the need for the City to partner in the construction of parking structures in the north end to serve the area as part of that plan. Mr. Farr said he did not want to lose the potential of being able to close Broadway and Willamette Street to vehicular traffic to accommodate the Farmers Market, which also brought people to downtown. Responding to a question from Ms. Bettman regarding the impact of the reopened Broadway on the neighborhoods to the west of downtown, Mr. Corey described the street design and indicated that it was intended to control speeds and discourage through traffic. Mr. Pap8 said he favored a transit center somewhere in downtown. He said he had been contacted by property owners in the area of the train depot concerned about how the station area would be developed. At Mr. PapS's request, Mr. Corey pointed out the area around the station for which the council had authorized condemnation. Mr. Pap8 asked if a substantial number of parking spaces would be lost. Mr. Corey said that some spaces would be lost. Mr. Pap8 suggested the potential that another site for the bus terminal could be found somewhere in the same area. Mr. Meisner said that Amtrak also operated a bus system, and would be sharing stalls with Greyhound at the new terminal. He said that federal regulations stipulate that the Amtrak bus facility must be at the same location as the train station because of ticketing needs. Mr. Pap8 encouraged staff to look at other options. Mr. Rayor asked about the public involvement associated with the train depot planning process, and about the involvement of the adjacent property owners. Ms. Nathanson said the North End Scoping Group met for about two years, at all times in public sessions, and the group's final report, which was adopted by the City Council, had identified several objectives and goals that included the additional parking under discussion. She suggested that the relevant issue might actually be the timing of the parking to be constructed. Mr. Meisner noted that one of the property owners being referred to had participated as a member on the North End Scoping Group. Mr. Kelly said that, with regard to the train depot, people should keep in mind the big picture and the community gain from the project. It was his understanding that the parking issue was created not by the bus terminal, but by the extension of Oak Street. He believed that the issues of concern could be worked out. Mr. Kelly concurred with Mr. Farr's remarks regarding the Farmers Market, and complimented Lane County for the improvements it made to the Parks Blocks to accommodate the market. MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 3 Work Session Mr. Kelly noted that even though renovations would not be complete, The Shedd would be used for some of the August 2002 Oregon Festival of American Music events. Ms. Taylor suggested that the Farmers Market vendors would benefit if they did not have to pay for parking. She thought it important that the market stay downtown, noting that the market had been invited to move to the Lane County Fairgrounds. Ms. Taylor invited the council to join her and Mr. Farr on a visit to the offices of the Sister City Foundation after the meeting. Mr. Fart reiterated his concerns about the Oregon Electric Station and hoped that staff would accommodate the concerns of the property owners. He looked forward to seeing the City's plans to communicate with those individuals. Ms. Taylor hoped the improvements being contemplated at the train depot would facilitate pedestrian movements across the extended Oak Street. Mr. Carlson moved the discussion to the remainder of the work plan. He said that 95 percent of the organization's efforts were focused on ongoing operations. The council's goals were primarily addressed by management staff, which fit the effort into other management duties. He emphasized that the organization's work plan was not static, and distributed a document that identified the additional unanticipated issues and projects that arose during the course of the past year and that highlighted possible unanticipated future items that could require staff time. Chief Buchanan noted the Eugene Police Department's progress on action priorities related to the goal of Safe Community. Mr. Meisner referred to the action item related to the determination of the effective distribution of foot patrols and said he had not seen a report. He questioned whether the item was actually complete. Chief Buchanan indicated a statistical evaluation had been done by staff. Mr. Pap~ asked about the interrelationship between the department and the Police Commission in the taking the next steps toward community policing. Chief Buchanan said the work the commission was doing would be incorporated into the Strategic Plan. He did not believe the department and commission had different views of community policing. Mr. Pap~ asked when the council would see the next steps. Ms. Taylor suggested that the pedestrian decoy used by the police recently may not do any good if it was not permanent. She hoped to see a "total change of attitude" among the police toward pedestrian safety. She suggested that the police focus on the intersections at 8th Avenue and Pearl Street, 8th Avenue and East Park, East Amazon, and West Amazon. Chief Buchanan agreed that the intersections named could be intimidating. He noted that the named intersections were all controlled intersections, although those controls were not always observed. He would mention them to the appropriate staff. Ms. Taylor said that with vigilant enforcement, attitudes can change. Responding to a question from Mr. Pap~, Mr. Carlson indicated that staff was not assuming that the Police Commission's recommendations and findings related to community policing would be presented to the council during a work session, but one could be scheduled if the council wished. MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 4 Work Session Mr. Fart suggested that staff investigate installing more speed signs between intersections. He cited North Terry Street as a specific concern. Mr. Corey indicated he would follow-up. Ms. Nathanson recalled asking why some cities have intersections where all traffic stopped while pedestrians crossed the street. She did not recall the answer. Mr. Corey indicated he would provide the council with a memorandum on the topic prepared by Traffic Engineer Dave Reinhard. He added that generally, cities made technical decisions about how to address pedestrian traffic at intersections. Mr. Rayor asked about the status of the South Willamette Street safety improvements. Mr. Corey said that the project was not moving as quickly as desired because of resource issues. He said that the consultant's work and the development work was done, and the neighborhood group had met on its own. The neighbors were concerned about the disconnect between the concepts identified in the consultant's report and the cost of implementing those recommendations. Speaking to the South Willamette Street project, Ms. Bettman said that much work had been done by the neighborhood and staff. The neighborhood wanted to start with simple road markings, and if that worked, move on to actual construction of medians. The improvements selected by the neighborhood were modest, and the problems those improvements were intended to address were severe. She said that over a five-year period, there were 300 accidents. Disabled citizens were seeking a signalized pedestrian crosswalk with an audible signal. She thought the project was very needed and encouraged the council and staff to work to make the project happen. Ms. Taylor endorsed the concept Ms. Nathanson mentioned that allowed pedestrian movement while stopping all traffic at an intersection. She also concurred with Ms. Bettman regarding the importance of the South Willamette Street project. Deputy Fire Chief Matt Shuler updated the council on the Safe Community work activity items for which the Fire & Emergency Medical Services Department had responsibility. Mr. Corey discussed the Public Works Department's progress on work plan items related to the goals of Safe Community; Healthy Natural and Built Environment; and Fair, Stable, and Adequate Resources. Mr. Coyle discussed the Planning and Development Department's progress on work plan items related to the goals of Sustainable Community Growth and Change. Mr. Coyle distributed a flow chart illustrating current plans and studies, special projects, and implementing actions and plans to provide context for current downtown planning activities. Ms. Jones discussed the Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department's progress on work plan items related to the council goal of Accessible and Thriving Culture and Recreation. Cindy Hamm, Chief Financial Officer, discussed the progress of the Central Services Department in accomplishing the work plan activities related to the council's goal of Fair, Stable, and Adequate Financial Resources. Mr. Farr observed that many of the work plan items under discussion would increase the complexity of building inside Eugene's city limits. He noted the Budget Committee's recent MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 5 Work Session decision to cut a customer service position at the Permit and Information Center, and said he would continue to advocate for refunding that position so that citizens can receive assistance in dealing with the complex City Code. Mr. Kelly indicated his belief that the meeting format was not working well, and said he would e- mail his top six major areas of concern to the council and staff. Mr. Meisner determined from Mr. Shuler that Lane County was being involved in the code analysis related to the hillside fire prevention effort. Mr. Meisner emphasized his interest in the formation of special districts as a means to fund services that were regional in nature. He was looking for more equity for City residents. Ms. Hamm acknowledged Mr. Meisner's concerns. Ms. Taylor shared Mr. Kelly's concern about the meeting format and suggested that in the future, the council meet with one department at a time. She also suggested that the City establish a citizens school, comparable to the Police Academy, where residents could learn about the various departments. Mr. Pap~ suggested that staff look to what other communities do in the way of hillside fire prevention. Mr. Shuler indicated that many models were available. He said that staff would give the council a list of options related to what could be done to create a safe interface between the community and the surrounding hills. Mr. Rayor wanted more information about City sites that would be available for redevelopment soon. He was also interested in hospital zoning, and the concept of a third hospital in the future. He said he was looking forward to the white paper on the EMS redeployment, and suggested a similar paper be done on hospital zoning. He thought Eugene needed to plan for the possibility it did not have a trauma center. Mr. Carlson indicated a work session was scheduled. Ms. Bettman expressed dismay that the work plan item related to the fixed rail street car downtown was not making progress. If there were no resources available now, the council needed to identify how the cost could be paid. She pointed out that other work plan items needing resources had made progress. She wanted to see more work in this area. Ms. Nathanson called for work on a Millrace demonstration project, and said she would bring the issue up in the future. She thought such a project would help the City seek federal funding for water quality improvement. She also called for more information as to what was involved with the City's downtown space planning efforts. Ms. Nathanson said that she liked having representatives of all the departments available. Mayor Torrey emphasized the importance of replacing the grant writing position, which helped to generate millions of dollars for the City. The City was losing the ability to take advantage of many funding opportunities by not having the position. Responding to a question from Ms. Taylor, Mr. Shuler confirmed that the City could ban fireworks if circumstances warranted. He noted that fireworks had been banned in the south hills once in the past. MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 6 Work Session Ms. Taylor suggested the formation of a traffic advisory committee to advise staff. Ms. Bettman noted that a traffic calming advisory committee had met for a while, and suggested it be reinstated. Ms. Bettman asked staff for a recommendation as to how to proceed on the South Willamette Study and the downtown fixed rail streetcar. Due to the time, Mayor Torrey proposed that the council move on to the next item and revisit the topic if time allowed. C.ACTION: An Ordinance Concerning the Crimes of Furnishing Liquor to Prohibited Persons, Allowing Unlawful Consumption, Trespass in the First Degree, Crossing Private Property and Assaulting a Peace Officer; amending Sections 4.110, 4.808, 4.990, and 5.555 and repealing Sections 4.131 and 4.732 of the Eugene Code, 1971 Mr. Carlson asked the council to consider Council Bill 4793 by council bill number only. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Pap~, moved that the bill be approved and given final passage. Mr. Kelly said that the jail time included in the penalties was a concern to him, but he thought the ordinances had sufficient value to support. Mr. Rayor said he would not support the motion because he thought the penalties were out of line with other penalties related to minor in possession. He expressed concern about a situation where a 19-year old person handed a another 19-year old person a beer, and received a high fine. Mr. Meisner supported the motion, saying the ordinance gave the judges discretion to determine sentences. He thought that, when contemplating jail time, the judges could discriminate between a 19-year-old person who provided his or her roommate with a beer, and a predator who attempted to lure underage persons to his or her home with alcohol. Ms. Bettman concurred with Mr. Meisner's remarks. She did not think the judges would assess violators with the maximum fine or jail time in the situation cited by Mr. Rayor. Ms. Taylor opposed the motion because of the jail time included in the penalties and the large maximum fines. She said that judges were not always fair or right, and she thought the ordinance would give the judges too much discretion. The motion passed, 6:2; Ms. Taylor and Mr. Rayor voting no, and became Ordinance No. 20256. The council returned to Item B. B. WORK SESSION: 2001-2002 City Council Goals Work Plan Progress Report (Continued) MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 7 Work Session Mr. Kelly emphasized the importance of economic development to the council and community. However, he pointed out, staff was behind schedule in addressing the City Council's goals and activities related to economic development. In addition, the one position in the City that spent significant time on economic development was eliminated from the budget. He did not understand the disconnect between the council's goals and staff's actions. Mr. Meisner concurred with Mayor Torrey's remarks regarding the grant writing position and Mr. Kelly's remarks regarding the economic development staff position. He said that in light of those goals, the budget offered by the manager was shod-sighted. Speaking to Ms. Taylor's suggestion for a traffic advisory committee, Mr. Meisner said that such a committee was not on the work plan and he was assuming it was not being added as a new work plan item. Ms. Bettman agreed as to the importance of the economic development position, but pointed out that the City did many things to support economic development, such as through the provision of infrastructure and the train depot project. Mr. Coyle accepted responsibility for the delay in the work plan items related to economic development, and noted a work session on the topic was scheduled forAugust 12, and a white paper would be available before then. Mr. Meisner determined that the council did not object if the City lobbied the State legislature against the deletion of the second passenger train. Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting at 1:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, James R. Carlson City Manager pro rem (Recorded by Kimberly Young) MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 12, 2002 Page 8 Work Session