HomeMy WebLinkAbout02.24.20 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
February 24, 2020
5: 30 p.m.
Councilors Present: Betty Taylor, Emily Semple, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg
Evans, Chris Pryor
Councilors Absent: Claire Syrett
Mayor Vinis opened the February 24, 2020, work session of the Eugene City Council.
1. Work Session: Town Square Project Funding Strategies
City Manager Pro Tern Sarah Medary, Finance Director Twylla Miller, and Urban Development
Manager Will Dowdy spoke about the concept design, schematic design, design development,
construction drawings, bidding, and construction steps of the Town Square project. Additionally,
they discussed the potential scope/phasing and funding options for the project. Planning and
Development Director Denny Brand spoke about possible parking solutions.
Council Discussion
• Councilor Clark- inquired about additional assets the City owns, the zoning of the land above
Laurelwood Golf Course and its value as an asset, talked about the urban downtown renewal
project and how much more money is still needed for the park blocks portion of the project,
said the use of funds for city hall would not be well received by the community and asked about
downtown parking considerations and solutions.
• Councilor Evans - asked about the number of surplus asset properties and related exceptions of
what could be sold; inquired about the possibility of altering the park blocks and the location of
the farmer's market.
• Councilor Pryor - asked about the current facility reserve fund and additional assets; spoke about
the combination of different funding options; expressed a desire to scale and phase the project.
• Councilor Zelenka - stated that he was not interested in selling park land; asked about the swap
fund and amount; inquired about the farmer's market funding agreement with Lane County;
talked about the complication of finances and pulling together funding options; expressed
support for scaling and using a combination of funding options for the project.
• Councilor Taylor - asked about transferring funds for park blocks improvements to the city hall
plan; supported addressing one project at a time and looking at transferring funds from the
quiet zone, raising the transient room tax, and other private donation options; supported
addressing the city hall project before the park blocks portion of the plan; spoke about the
history of the butterfly lot as the former site of the farmer's market; reported that people were
expressing negative views of the drawing of the market published in the newspaper; asked if
the funds from the quiet zone could be transferred to the city hall project
• Councilor Yeh - supported being mindful of other important projects going on at the same time as
the town square project; stated that parks and the quiet zone are very important; desired a
phasing of the project; asked about the projected cost of the farmer's market structure; asked
about Lane County's role in discussion of the funds; asked for an email highlighting the numbers.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council February 24, 2020 Page 1
Work Session
• Councilor Semple - talked about the need to maintain the surrounding areas; spoke about being
cautious of using some of the fund options for the project; discussed the monies needed for the
portions of the project; expressed concern about moving quickly ahead with planning but being
behind with funding options.
• Councilor Clark - spoke to Councilor Taylor's questions about transferring funds; talked about
the parking issue and the possibility of partnering with Lane County; discussed the EWEB
building and parking options.
• Councilor Taylor - spoke about parking issues and future possible parking on 7th Avenue;
encouraged taking time to consider and make changes.
• Councilor Zelenka - asked about the use of Comcast dollars; inquired about the use of different
monies for specific pieces of the project related to the downtown urban renewal district;
supported further discussion of the Lane County parking structure option; supported moving
forward with the project.
• Councilor Pryor - asked about the reserve versus the facility reserve monies; talked about the
urban reserves and the remaining LCC downtown center funds; said he is willing to look at an
extension of the urban renewal district.
• Councilor Semple - asked about spending to -date on the design and expressed her desire to
phase the project.
2. Work Session: Eugene -Springfield 2020 Consolidated Plan for Affordable Housing and
Community Development
Grants Manager Stephanie Jennings spoke about the consolidated plan scope and purpose,
community profile and needs, draft goals and strategies for use of HUD funds, and next steps for
completion and submittal of the plan.
Council Discussion
Councilor Taylor - asked for clarification regarding the definition of fair housing.
• Councilor Pryor - spoke about his role on the committee that drafted the consolidated plan;
discussed the federal poverty level and the residents who qualify for that designation.
• Councilor Evans - discussed the issue of segregation of persons in housing.
• Councilor Zelenka - spoke about the poverty line of renters and costs of rent; asked about
renter protections committee and work related to codes and ordinances; expressed a desire to
tackle affordable housing.
• Councilor Clark - spoke about renter costs and size of household; talked about an article he
read regarding the differences between living in nuclear or multi -generational households and
the modern culture of single -person households.
• Mayor Vinis - expressed appreciated for the work that went into the consolidated plan.
The meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Carolyn Dimick-Kronberger)
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting here.
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Work Session