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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.23.2019 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8h Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 January 23, 2019 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Alan Zelenka, Mike Clark Chris Pryor, Betty Taylor, Claire Syrett Councilors Absent: Greg Evans Mayor Vinis opened the January 23, 2019, Work Session of the Eugene City Council. WORK SESSION: Clear & Objective Housing - Approval Criteria Update Senior Planner Jenessa Dragovich and Principal Planner Alissa Hansen provided a project update of the Clear & Objective Housing: Approval Criteria Update, including the Draft Preferred Concepts Report. Council Discussion • Councilor Taylor - asked questions about the legal process for revising or dismantling a refinement plan, and outreach to and involvement of residents; expressed concern that the proposal represented a drastic change to adopted plans. • Councilor Clark- suggested that analysis should happen earlier in the process and include information in the Buildable Lands Inventory; supported listing the constraints upfront. • Councilor Syrett - noted that mitigation was required for other building process, similar to the tree preservation component. • Councilor Zelenka- said he was challenged by the open space proposal; seems like a weakening of existing requirements. • Councilor Semple - expressed concern about the tree preservation proposal; asked questions about the data around current practices and how the parameters/scale will be determined under the proposal. • Councilor Pryor - acknowledged the in-depth work of the Planning Commission on this issue, in an effort to bring the Clear & Objective standards into alignment with what is being developed. • Councilor Yeh - said the Planning Commission did a good job of vetting the proposals; findings will be needed to adopt the Planning Commission recommendation on the open space requirement. • Councilor Clark - said more time is needed for council to think about and deliberate on the recommendations, which represents a significant change in policy. • Councilor Zelenka - requested clarification on several of the recommendations. • Councilor Taylor - said the setback requirement is important and that it is impossible to mitigate the removal of mature trees. • Councilor Semple - expressed her general support for the recommendation; asked questions about the proposed setback proposal. • Councilor Clark- asked if future comprehensive lands assessments will be done on a lot - specific basis; still has significant concerns and questions about the overall policy direction. • Councilor Zelenka - said streamlining development in thoughtful manner is good; there is still ample time to hear testimony and consider and revise the proposal. MINUTES — Eugene City Council January 23, 2019 Page 1 Work Session MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to advance the preferred concepts identified in Attachment B to this AIS, as supported by Planning Commission, to the draft land use code writing phase. PASSED 6:1 2. WORK SESSION: Rest Stop Program Update and Siting Policy Discussion Policy Analyst Jason Dedrick presented options for amending or revising the rest stop program. Council Discussion • Councilor Semple - expressed concern that work isn't happening quickly enough to expand rest stop opportunities; supported allowing rest stops for homeless families near schools, eliminating the prohibition of rest stops in residential areas, and lifting the requirement of council approval for every new rest stop; supported maintaining operator contracts, consideration of using private lands, and allocating additional funding where appropriate; encouraged the use of incentives to make rest stops in neighborhoods more acceptable. • Councilor Syrett - supported making outreach efforts to neighborhoods and businesses more robust; supported amending the limitations on rest stops and car camps near schools with appropriate screening; supported amending the ordinance to allow more siting opportunities in or near residential neighborhoods; supported expansion of program to include land owned by other jurisdictions, more freedom with funding. • Councilor Clark - conveyed anecdotal information about the threat many residents feel from siting homeless camps near residential neighborhoods; opposed the proposal to eliminate the prohibition on camps in neighborhoods. • Councilor Pryor - agreed with ownership and funding proposals; expressed some ambiguity about proposal to eliminate the requirement for council approval, noting that councilors representing the wards in which a rest stop may be sited should be involved in the decision- making process; supported maintaining the operating provisions of the ordinance; said it is important to communicate with residents that these facilities are safe and pose no public safety threat; encouraged council to act in the best interests of the whole community. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to extend the meeting by 10 minutes. PASSED 6:1 Councilor Zelenka - supported maintaining requirement for council support and accountability; said the overriding issue the program faces is the lack of sites due to neighbors' opposition; supported greater outreach and education efforts. Councilor Yeh -supported amending the schools, residential, ownership and funding flexibility provisions; encouraged analysis of whether the rest stop program is worthy of the effort if siting of new camps remains difficult; asked for additional information about the "no day use" requirement and how it was justified. Councilor Semple - asked about the timeline for approving new rest stops if council approval requirement is retained; reminded council that rest stops are considered transitional housing, which was determined to be in great need in the community. The meeting adjourned at 1:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, W Join Beth Forrest City Recorder Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting: here. MINUTES — Eugene City Council January 23, 2019 Page 2 Work Session