HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.24.2019 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8h Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
June 24, 2019
5:30 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Claire Syrett, Mike Clark Chris Pryor, Alan
Zelenka
Councilors Absent: Betty Taylor, Greg Evans
Councilor Semple opened the June 24, 2019, Work Session of the Eugene City Council in Mayor
Vinis' absence.
1. Committee Reports and Items of Interest
Council Discussion
• Councilor Yeh - spoke about the recent Kathmandu Sister City annual picnic and expressed
appreciation for the event and upcoming Sister City -related plans.
• Councilor Pryor - reported on an event he attended for National Refugee Day.
• Councilor Semple - announced that she would be bringing a resolution forward from the
Human Rights Commission; provided details about a building for potential shelter use.
WORK SESSION: Urban Reserves Planning
Senior Planner Rebecca Gershow and Metro Community Planning Manager Terri Harding
provided City Council with an update on the Urban Reserves planning work to date.
Councilor Zelenka arrived at 5:45.
Council Discussion
• Councilor Clark- expressed appreciation for the report; asked why certain employment
forecasts were used over others, and about the nature of information within the
presentation; spoke about missing information from forecasts and urged council to consider
additional land for urban reserves, asked why staff would consider including land with
more than a 20 -degree slope and if there is a clear and objective path for those lands.
• Councilor Syrett - expressed appreciation for report; asked how modeling assumptions
based on low density residential housing models in the report compare to state
conversations about increasing density; inquired about what policies exist that direct
assumptions towards low density housing; questioned whether the assumption of low
density will work with future planning efforts and spoke to desire to speak about
assumption more in the future; spoke about greater density in residential areas.
• Councilor Pryor - mentioned time as a factor in conversation; asked how housing
affordability can be included in urban reserves planning; discussed affordability of land and
development as well as other considerations; discussed how to bring land together to
provide affordable housing and related challenges; spoke to density requirements and
livability standards.
• Councilor Clark- reiterated concerns around slope considerations; inquired about effects
on R1 UGB analysis if HB 2001 (2019) would pass and how much this would increase
capacity in R1 UGB analysis; discussed what could happen if the bill passes; inquired how
MINUTES — Eugene City Council June 24, 2019 Page 1
Work Session
SB 100 will affect the city's ability to utilize buildable lands; suggested adjusting timeline
and reasons why; expressed belief that this report requires broad participation due to its
broad community impact.
3. WORK SESSION: 2021 Update
Public Works Director Sarah Medary and 2021 Project Lead Stephanie Scafa gave an update
on the International Association of Athletics Federation's World Athletics Championships
(Oregon2l), to be held in Eugene August 6 - 15, 2021, including event planning efforts and
the status of current and future projects.
Council Discussion
• Councilor Syrett - expressed excitement for the events; inquired about financial
contributions from the City specifically with law enforcement and public safety;
inquired about hotel accommodations, alternative accommodations, including short-
term rental policy impacts; spoke about previous experiences with the Los Angeles
Olympics including Olympic Arts Festival and ways to engage community members.
• Councilor Semple - inquired about community questions and concerns including
outreach efforts, housing issues and inequities, and transportation impacts; expressed
appreciation but noted risks and possible negative outcomes associated with the event.
• Councilor Clark - discussed potential impacts of the event and asked staff to think about
leveraging the event to solve large-scale community problems, like homelessness, and
to engage Council in the coming months.
• Councilor Yeh - discussed the legacy of the event (referencing Councilor Clark's
comments); discussed other locations of events throughout the state.
• Councilor Zelenka - inquired about and discussed statewide transportation efforts to
facilitate travel from Portland to Eugene; asked how many hotel rooms exist in the
Eugene metro area.
• Councilor Semple - announced that the June 26 City Council Work Session is cancelled.
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approval of City Council Minutes
• May 13, 2019, Meeting
• May 20, 2019, Work Session
• May 28, 2019, Work Session
• May 28, 2019, Meeting and Public Hearing
• May 29, 2019, Work Session
B. Approval of Tentative Working Agenda
C. Approval of Neighborhood Matching Grants for Fiscal Year 2020
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Pryor, moved to approve
the items on the Consent Calendar. PASSED 6:0.
The meeting adjourned at 6:54 p.m.
RM
submitted,
BCA 1Z
h Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Samantha Roberts)
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting: here.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council June 24, 2019 Page 2
Work Session