HomeMy WebLinkAbout230215 WSMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Work Session
Eugene, Oregon 97401
February 15, 2023
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Greg Evans, Matt Keating, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Randy Groves,
Alan Zelenka, and Lyndsie Leech
Councilors Absent: Emily Semple
Mayor Vinis opened the February 15, 2023, work session of the Eugene City Council in a
hybrid format at 101 W 10th Avenue, Eugene OR 97401.
1. WORK SESSION: Urban Reserves
City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced Senior Planner, Rebecca Gershow, and
Planning Director, Alyssa Hansen who presented information on urban reserves.
Councilor Discussion:
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Councilor Groves -asked to clarify if sub area 18 includes the Lane Community
College campus; asked what percentage of area 18 is buildable; asked what
percentage of land is sloped and requires engineering to make it buildable; noted
that sloped land are more difficult for fire protection.
Councilor Clark -asked if state law defines categories of constrained lands; asked if
staff could analyze lands under a specific slope percent; wants to avoid including
lands in the Urban Growth Boundary that are difficult or expensive to develop;
asked when it is appropriate to analyze potential Urban Growth Boundary
expansion lands; does not want to wait ten years before analyzing the Urban Growth
Boundary; is in favor of starting analysis immediately to prepare for fast growth.
Councilor Keating -noted that wildlife and fire danger make expanding the south
hills difficult; cited information from Lane County regarding big game habitat
protection; asked about steps to protect game habitats during Urban Growth
Boundary expansions; asked for clarification regarding the previous vote on October
21, 2020, and who voted in opposition.
Councilor Zelenka -noted that the Planning Commission voted unanimously to
move the urban reserve recommendation forward; asked staff to explain the ten
year review requirement and if it is retroactively applied; asked when the Urban
Growth Boundary was expanded; asked if new state laws will impact current
timelines; thinks that Urban Growth Boundary work should be done on a regular
basis; asked staff to explain Planning Commission recommendations regarding
wetlands; asked about the process for amending the urban reserves and how it
works in conjunction with Lane County; noted that amending a joint process with
another agency is complicated.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
February 15, 2023 Page 1
• Councilor Yeh -recognized the large amount of work that went into the urban
resenrr s by staff, Lane County, and the Envision Eugene Technical Advisory
Committee (EETAC).
• Councilor Leech -asked about the Urban Growth Boundary's proximity to the Fern
Ridge Reservoir and what considerations are being made to preserve and protect
the reservoir.
• Mayor Vinis -noted that there are overlapping timelines in the urban reserves and
Urban Growth Boundary expansion projects; asked staff to provide a grap h that
outlines those timelines and how they overlap.
• Councilor Clark -supports continual analysis of urban reserves and the Urban
Growth Boundary.
• Councilor Zelenka -asked if Councilor Clark intends to make a motion for
amendment to urban reserves.
Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting at 1:06 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Katie LaSala
City Recorder
(Recorded by Sara McKinney)
Webcast of meeting available here.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
February 15, 2023 Page 2