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HomeMy WebLinkAbout230419 WSMINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session Eugene, Oregon 97401 April 19, 2023 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Matt Keating, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Randy Groves, Alan Zelenka, Emily Semple, Greg Evans and Lyndsie Leech Mayor Vinis opened the April 19, 2023, work session of the Eugene City Council in a hybrid format at 101 W 10th Avenue, Eugene OR 97401. 1. WORK SESSION: Planning and Development Department Work Plan and Bethel Area Plan Discussion City Manager Sarah Medary introduced Planning and Development Executive Director, Denny Braud and Planning Director, Alissa Hansen, who presented the Planning and Development Department Work Plan and Bethel Area Plan Discussion. Councilor Discussion: • • • • • Councilor Groves -asked how the public health overlay zone would apply to the Clear Lake zone; noted a desire include buffer zones between industry and residential, parks and schools; asked staff when the last neighborhood area plan update was done for the University Neighborhood and Bethel; stated a preference for Bethel area plan to take priority over other neighborhood planning. Councilor Keating -asked why the neighborhood plans do not align with neighborhood associations; asked if the associations are included in the neighborhood planning process; asked how long it takes to develop and implement a neighborhood plan; asked if University and Bethel area plans could be done at the same time; asked about the next neighborhood plan after the University and Bethel areas; asked for a list of previous neighborhood plans; asked if urban design is part of neighborhood planning; expressed interest in future work sessions for tree preservation, gas stations, and the public health overlay concept. Councilor Yeh -asked when short-term rental data will be available; believes that action-oriented plans would meet Bethel's neighborhood needs faster than zone change plans; noted the Bethel area presents a lot of opportunity with proper neighborhood investments; noted a desire to look at the Clear Lake area for opportunities; would like to have clarification on work plan items that were chosen versus required. Councilor Zelenka -would not support putting Bethel ahead of the University in neighborhood planning; stated it has been decades since the University Neighborhood has had neighborhood planning; noted that student housing and short-term rentals are heavily impacting the University Neighborhood; would support both neighborhood plans start at the same time. Councilor Clark-supports the Bethel Neighborhood plan but would not support prioritizing it over University; noted that previous Council members made MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session April 19, 2023 Page 1 commitments to the order of neighborhood planning; would like to create a plan for incentivizing voluntary annexations into the City; asked staff if this type of incentivization is on the work plan • Councilor Evans -noted that Bethel has not had a comprehensive neighborhood plan for 41 years; stated that west Eugene has experienced increased residential growth without commercial development to support it; noted that Bethel is heavily impacted by air, sound and other pollution from industrial activity; intends to bring forth two motions in this work session. • Councilor Leech -would support prioritizing the Bethel area plan; noted that Bethel area has significant challenges that need attention and assistance; noted that the lack of grocery locations has prevented increased grant-funded for housing development. • Councilor Semple -discussed concerns uncompleted neighborhood plans; noted that Santa Clara and River Road planning has been positive; noted the importance of finishing neighborhood plans; would not support prioritizing the Bethel Neighborhood over the University Neighborhood. • Mayor Vinis -would like clarity between the public health overlay zone and changes to land use code; would support the most efficient method for enacting the needed changes; asked staff to explain the difference between robust neighborhood planning and an action plan; noted that there may be an option for more flexible ways to address neighborhood needs; noted concern over the pace of urbanization of some neighborhoods and how the City's development plans intend to keep up with that pace. • Councilor Keating -asked about the challenges that parking enforcement is facing; believes that there are a lot of areas for improvement and increased revenue from improved parking enforcement; indicated an interest in having a work session on parking and the improvement of parking services. • Councilor Yeh -asked if there are ways to address some of the neighborhood issues without or prior to a full neighborhood planning process; noted that Bethel faces unique challenges and would like those challenges to be addressed; noted concern for equitable planning and development to improve living conditions for the Bethel area. • Councilor Zelenka -noted previous promises made to the University Neighborhood for neighborhood planning; stated that the impacts of the University of Oregon on the surrounding neighborhood need to be addressed through a neighborhood plan; asked if it is possible to address issues in both the University and Bethel areas without creating full neighborhood plans. MOTION: Councilor Evans, seconded by Councilor Keating move to direct the city manager to prioritize a city-wide planning process for a public health overlay zone with emphasis on west Eugene. • Councilor Yeh -asked if staff would come back with other options if this motion were passed. • Councilor Evans -is willing to modify the motion on the table to address concerns. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session April 19, 2023 Page 2 ■ Councilor Groves -would like staff to have flexibility to bring back various options; would like to see a plan that addresses issues city-wide. ■ Councilor Leech -would support an option that would create action without the full neighborhood planning process; would like to see community involvement in any chosen course of action. ■ Councilor Zelenka -noted that legacy refinement plans have value and create certainty; noted that the City does not have the resources to create a refinement plan for each neighborhood; asked staff to consider how to accomplish addressing issues in neighborhoods without full refinement plans; asked staff to bring back proposals that address issues instead of focusing on areas. ■ Councilor Evans -asked staff to bring back proposals that address issues impacting individual neighborhoods in a more comprehensive way. MOTION WITHDRAWN: Councilor Evans withdrew his motion; Councilor Keating accepted the withdrawal. Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting at 1:24 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Katie LaSala City Recorder (Recorded by Sara McKinney J Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting here. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session April 19, 2023 Page 3