HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.15.2019 City Council Joint Work Session MinutesMINUTES
Joint Meeting of the
Eugene City Council and Lane Transit District Board of Directors
Harris Hall, 125 East 8�h Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
July 15, 2019
5:30 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Chris Pryor, Mike Clark,
Greg Evans, Claire Syrett
LTD Board Members Present: Carl Yeh, Don Nordin, Kate Reid, Joshua Skov, Emily Secord, Steven
Caitlin Vargas
Mayor Vinis and Board President Carl Yeh opened the July 15, 2019, Joint Meeting of the Eugene
City Council and Lane Transit District Board of Directors.
JOINT WORK SESSION: MovingAhead Project Update
City Engineer Chris Henry, Principal Planner Terri Harding, and LTD staff Andrew Martin
presented information about proposed corridor investment packages. The Eugene City Council
and LTD Board of Directors were asked to affirm the proposed corridor investment packages in
advance of a Public Hearing in the fall of 2019.
[CouncilorZelenka arrived at 5:42]
Discussion
o Councilor Semple - Expressed concern that information was confusing as presented;
discussed preferences for EmX locations; discussed choices and associated costs and needs;
expressed desire for "no build option'; inquired why River Road or Coburg Road was
chosen over other options; discussed cost of EmX on River Road.
o Mr. Nordin - Discussed concerns around polarization of community due to cost of packages;
inquired about who is opposing capitol costs and how informed community members are.
o Councilor Syrett - Discussed role as decision makers with regard to future transportation
planning and alternatives to single car use; discussed rationale behind high cost of
packages.
o Mr. Skov - Expressed appreciation for the work already completed; emphasized purpose of
packages; discussed purpose of large capital costs; discussed need for funding strategy
discussion including redevelopment potential.
o Councilor Clark - Inquired about how many people who live near Coburg Road versus
those that do not live on Coburg Road participated in discussion about Coburg Road
Corridor; discussed potential for development along Highway 99 and Coburg Road, as well
as challenges for transit development on Coburg Road.
o Mr. Yeh - Expressed support for transportation improvements on Coburg Road; discussed
need to focus on vision of projects rather than logistics.
o Councilor Evans - Expressed opinion that a no -build option is not a viable option and
discussed need for some level of enhanced services; discussed types of enhancements and
associated factors like cost and where money would come from; expressed desire to build
out River Road and Highway 99 enhancements; discussed experiences with transit, needs
for enhancements, and livability issues in various corridors.
MINUTES — Eugene City Council July 15, 2019 Page 1
Joint Work Session
o Mr. Skov - Expressed confusion as to why it would be hard to develop on Coburg Road
noting that transit is needed to accommodate redevelopment; discussed desire for analysis
in the context of current transportation costs and types of transportation; discussed cost
savings in effective transportation systems.
o Councilor Yeh - Discussed role as decision maker in the current conversation around
transportation planning; discussed package options; reminded community that board and
council are not committing dollars but are discussing current work in planning and vision
planning; inquired about reaching out to transit riders.
o Ms. Reid - Asked why Coburg Road was chosen over the Highway 99 to add into the
modified package and discussed desire to include Highway 99; discussed similarities
between goals of Transit Tomorrow and MovingAhead and the need for community
involvement.
o Councilor Pryor - Discussed process of change in a community and the need for decision
makers to articulate net gain instead of loss from process; requested that the conversation
be centered around this articulation.
o Ms. Vargas - Asked staff what information community members are given about projection
of growth within an associated corridor related to the development.
o Councilor Zelenka - Discussed cost of projects and other considerations; discussed
historical planning efforts for other projects; expressed support for transit investments.
o Mr. Yeh - Reiterated and explained reasons for support of Coburg Road development;
discussed similar support for River Road development; expressed desire not to compare
development of Coburg Road versus Highway 99.
o Councilor Taylor - Discussed support for development of EmX on Highway 99 and related
benefits; discussed desire for more frequent bus service; voiced support for various
packages.
o Ms. Reid - Discussed climate change and bus service considerations; discussed LTD's role to
provide service to all areas of Eugene; noted LTD's efforts around tree planting and
preservation.
o Mayor Vinis - Discussed the different packages and their effect on local community areas
and paradigms associated with each corridor; expressed support for adding a package that
includes EmX on Highway 99.
o Councilor Syrett - Noted net gains in trees during development of West Eugene EmX
development; expressed support for Highway 99 package; discussed timelines of
investments of housing alongside investments in transportation, expressed desire to put
forth an additional package for EmX on Highway 99 and River Road, enhanced corridor for
30th, EmX for Coburg, and enhanced corridor for Martin Luther King, BLVD.; reiterated Mr.
Yeh's comments about not pitting options against one another.
o Councilor Clark- Discussed difference in community goals among corridors and
transportation investments; expressed desire to learn from and analyze data from
community who live along corridors to decrease car use in exchange for public
transportation.
o Mr. Yeh - Discussed reasons for taking a system -wide approach to analysis versus focusing
on those who live along the corridor; reiterated support for Coburg developments;
expressed support for additional package to include Highway 99.
o Councilor Zelenka - Expressed support for forwarding packages other than no -build;
discussed east -west commuting challenges; expressed support for moving these packages
to public hearing; reiterated what current decisions are intended to accomplish.
o Councilor Pryor - Discussed transportation planning methods for the future; discussed
difference between village and city infrastructure needs.
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Joint Work Session
o Councilor Evans - Supported consideration of alternative transit options besides those that
go through downtown when trying to access different sides of Eugene and surrounding
communities; expressed desire for more information about what those options might be.
o Mr. Secord - Asked staff to expand on thoughts about developing enhanced corridors with
future development in mind rather than immediate needs and related opportunity costs.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Syrett, seconded by Councilor Pryor, moved to amend
the package and include a fifth package adding EmX on Highway 99, River Road and
Coburg Road. PASSED 7:1, Councilor Clark opposed.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Syrett, moved to direct
staff to present the MovingAhead Proposed Investment Packages as amended for a
Public Hearing. PASSED 6:2, Councilors Clark and Taylor opposed.
LTD Board members approved the same motions.
The meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
&tjl J��
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Samantha Roberts)
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting: here.
MINUTES — Eugene City Council July 15, 2019 Page 3
Joint Work Session