HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.09.19 City Council Meeting MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
December 9, 2019
7:30 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh,
Mike Clark (via phone), Greg Evans, Claire Syrett, Chris Pryor
Mayor Vinis opened the December 9, 2019, meeting of the Eugene City Council.
1. PUBLIC FORUM
1. Joseph Huynh - voiced concern about potential regulations on short-term rentals.
2. Tim Kovash - supported more data on the STRs and complaints about them.
3. Linda Sisson - supported discussion of the impacts of eliminating or curbing STRs.
4. Eve Montanaro - voiced concern about the lack of data in council's discussion on STRs.
S. Paul Schultz - encouraged decisions on STRs to be made on data rather than anecdotes.
6. Will Phillips - said he thought a STR advisory committee would be helpful.
7. Wayne Martin - encouraged council to consider homeless residents as allies.
8. Jennifer Sherlock- said she depends on her STR to meet her financial obligations.
9. Holly Berry - suggested limiting non -owner -occupied STRs to Eugene residents.
10. Carolyn Wells - asked council to slow down the decision-making process on STRs.
11. Janine Sepulveda - said STRs fill a need other housing options do not.
12. Barbara Evarts - supported more research into needs of short-term renters.
13. Janna Hudson - emphasized STRs provide living -wage jobs.
14. Michele Renee - shared positive impacts on her financial life as an STR host.
15. Hannah Roloson - said hosting an STR enables her to stay home with her kids.
16. Valere Harris - expressed frustration about misinformation council received on STRs.
17. Bruce Searl - spoke about the financial boon having an STR has had on his family.
18. Stephanie McLaughlin - said she bought a larger home, planning to list it as an STR.
19. Justin Schmick- said he purchased a home with the intent of becoming an STR host.
20. Julia O'Reilly - said hotel industry does not provide the lodgings STR guests want.
21. Laura Allen - supported Eugene having a climate action plan that meets the City's goals.
22. Anika Nykanen- shared information about Sunrise Movement activities.
23. Sophia Reyes - made suggestions for future work on the Climate Action Plan 2.0.
24. Sophie Bybee - shared ways in which the CAP 2.0 process was inadequate.
25. Tyee Williams - said he wanted more strategies added to CAP 2.0.
26. Scott Lemons - made several demands for the next phase of work on a CAP.
27. Carson Schmittle - read a pledge people took at a recent climate rally.
28. Siena Polk- asked council to support the enactment of a Green New Deal.
29. Thomas Hiura - sang a song about climate change he played at a recent climate rally.
30. Pamela Krause - shared stories about recent encounters with homeless people.
31. Erik Burke - asked the City to invest more heavily in trees and urban forestry.
32. Mike Grudzien - asked council to start an advisory committee for STRs.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council December 9, 2019 Page 1
Meeting
33. Ellen Furstner - read a poem about an interaction between EPD and homeless.
34. Lynda Christiansen - voiced frustration about the increase in STRs in her neighborhood.
35. Cynthia Black- supported more bicycling to help reach climate change goals.
36. Sue Wolling - stressed the importance of building safe bikeways for all ages.
37. Tomoko Sehajaki - asked to make biking easier, safer, faster and more pleasant.
38. Mary Christensen - expressed concerns about gaps in the CAP 2.0.
39. Bill Aspegren - said he thought owner -occupancy was critical to STRs.
40. Carolyn Jacobs - said she thought STRs had a detrimental impact on the community.
41. Shaun Winter - voiced frustration about lack of funding for addiction and housing.
42. Erin Grady - supported housing first, harm reduction, and affordable housing policies.
43. Jason Gonzales - spoke on the relationship between homelessness and climate change.
44. Chanel - spoke about the just world fallacy impacting the houselessness discussion.
45. Allen Hancock - requested funding for more tree canopy coverage throughout the city.
46. Cally Hutson - requested a more humane response to homelessness in the community.
47. Rowan - shared information about his recent research on 5G wireless technology.
48. Diana Bilovsky - discussed the correlation between loss in rental stock and STRs.
49. Arlie David Diaz Malachi - spoke about federal civil rights violations by local officials.
50. Jessica Hamrick- spoke about a recent brush with homelessness.
51. Eric Jackson - shared an experience he had with EPD and Public Works staff.
52. Zachary Vishanoff - said City should analyze complaints about individual STRs.
53. Stefan Strek- spoke against the regulation of STRs.
Council Discussion:
• Councilor Syrett - clarified that council did not want to over -regulate or eliminate STRs;
expressed interest in an advisory committee as well as some research on STRs locally;
noted the City was trying to hire a staff person to implement the recommendations of
the Technical Assistance Collaborative report; agreed that thorough community
engagement on the CAP 2.0 was critical.
• Councilor Semple - expressed gratitude for all the speakers; was impressed by the
group of speakers on STRs.
• Councilor Taylor - noted council was not seeking to eliminate STRs and supported the draft
ordinance; expressed gratitude for the speakers on urban forestry and climate change.
• Mayor Vinis - expressed appreciation for all speakers.
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approval of City Council Minutes
o November 12, 2019, Work Session
o November 12, 2019, Meeting
o November 13, 2019, Work Session
o November 18, 2019, Work Session
o November 18, 2019, Public Hearing
o November 20, 2019, Work Session
B. Approval of City Council Tentative Agenda
C. Adoption of a Resolution Acknowledging Receipt of City of Eugene,
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30,
2019
D. Approval of Sustainability Commission Work Plan
MINUTES - Eugene City Council December 9, 2019 Page 2
Meeting
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple,
moved to approve the items on the Consent Calendar. PASSED 8:0.
Mayor Vinis adjourned the Eugene City Council meeting and convened a meeting of the Urban
Renewal Agency.
URA ACTION: Resolution Acknowledging Receipt of the Annual Financial Report
of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year Ended June
30,2019
Agency Manager Pro Tem Sarah Medary introduced the agenda item.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple,
moved to adopt a Resolution Acknowledging Receipt of the Annual Financial
Report of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year
Ended June 30, 2019. PASSED 8:0.
4. URA PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION: A Resolution Adopting a Supplemental
Budget; Making Appropriations for the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of
Eugene for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2019, and Ending June 30, 2020
Agency Manager Pro Tem Sarah Medary introduced the agenda item.
Public Testimony:
1. John Barofsky -thanked staff for answering his questions; said there would be more
work to do on the urban renewal districts in coming years.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple,
moved to adopt A Resolution Adopting a Supplemental Budget; Making
Appropriations for the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene for the
Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2019, and Ending June 30, 2020. PASSED 8:0.
Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency and convened a meeting of
the Eugene City Council.
PUBLIC HEARING and ACTION: A Resolution Adopting a Supplemental Budget;
Making Appropriations for the City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1,
2019 and Ending June 30, 2020
City Manager Pro Tem Sarah Medary introduced the agenda item.
Public Testimony:
1. Eliza Kashinsky -expressed concern about proposed withdrawals from reserve
fund; wanted there to be a more in-depth discussion about the supplemental budget
in the future given there were such significant changes.
2. John Barofsky -highlighted one-time requests to further council goals and policies;
stressed the importance of assembling a resident advisory board on the payroll tax.
3. Steve Ochs -spoke about the importance of the system development charge waivers
for building affordable housing and expected the need to increase the future.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council December 9, 2019 Page 3
Meeting
4. Zachary Vishanoff -thought the budget was complicated on purpose and would like
more public input into the budget.
Council Discussion:
• Councilor Zelenka - highlighted the Climate Recovery Ordinance planning
implementation funds and asked when the funds would be included permanently;
asked about the gap in the ambulance transport fund; asked staff about plans keep
revenue at eight percent; asked about Public Employees Retirement System buy -down
and a plan that does not reduce City services.
• Councilor Taylor - said the supplemental budget deserved a more extensive process;
expressed concern about spending on implementing House Bill 2001; asked for
clarification on why shelter funds had been transferred to homeless services.
• Councilor Clark - stated his intention to vote against adoption; wanted to discuss a
threshold at which supplemental budgets required more public engagement and Budget
Committee discussion.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple,
moved to adopt A Resolution Adopting a Supplemental Budget; Making
Appropriations for the City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1,
2019, and Ending June 30, 2020. PASSED 6:2, Councilors Clark and Taylor
opposed.
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
a -a Lka
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Cas Casados)
MINUTES - Eugene City Council December 9, 2019 Page 4
Meeting