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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/05/09 City Council Newsletter EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER February 5, 2009 City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 (FAX) www.eugene-or.gov IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION WORKSHOPS PLANNED ON RESIDENTIAL INFILL FIREFIGHTERS SHARPEN TERRORIST BOMBING RESPONSE SKILLS DTV TRANSITION UPDATE WORKSHOPS HELP PLAN SAFER STREETS FOR RASOR MIXED-USE CENTER AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT PREPARES TO ERADICATE GYPSY MOTHS IN SOUTHEAST EUGENE EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE SERVICES ODOT HOLDS WILLAMETTE RIVER BRIDGE OPEN HOUSE “GREEN” HOUSE – COMING UP POOL DRAINS COMPLY WITH NATIONAL SAFETY ACT CONFLUENCE ISLAND EXPLORED FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT AROUND THE CITY Workshops Planned on Residential Infill th Heard about height limits for new buildings on East 19 Avenue? How about special requirements for new houses on alleys in Jefferson-Westside? These are just two of the issues being explored by the Infill Compatibility Standards Task Team, a group of 22 community members coming up with solutions for the city. Three core committees - Single-Dwelling Infill, Multi-Dwelling Infill, and Subdivisions and Edge Development - have spent the last year shaping this work. Now it is time for the community to weigh in on the issues and solutions. Three workshops are planned to allow people to discuss the issues directly with neighborhood representatives and other team members. Meeting times and places are: ? February 12 - Eugene Public Library, 7:00–9:00 p.m. in the Bascom-Tykeson Room ? February 26 - South Eugene High School, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the cafeteria ? March 3 - North Eugene High School, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the library The task team invites you to be a part of the discussion and a part of shaping the solutions. To learn more, please visit www.eugene-or.gov/infill or contact Project Manager Terri Harding, at terri.l.harding@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5635. Firefighters Sharpen Terrorist Bombing Response Skills As a part of the Fire & EMS Department's ongoing program of updated emergency medical skills training, Eugene's line firefighters are receiving instruction this month in Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings. The federally developed curriculum, delivered by in-house expert Capt. Jim Montgomery, develops skills in identification of suspicious objects, procedures for responding to or avoiding such objects, types of injuries that can be expected in terrorist bombing incidents, and steps in assessing and treating those injuries in the field. The three-hour training, which includes classroom lectures and hands-on skill stations, also provides opportunities for practice in common trauma skills. The class meets State of Oregon requirements for credit toward recertification of the department's EMTs and Paramedics, which is due at the end of the current fiscal year. For more information, please contact EMS Training Coordinator, Karen Anderson at 682-7134. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 February 5, 2009 DTV Transition Update The DTV Delay Act - S. 352 - passed the United States Senate on January 29, and the House on February 4, 2009, and is expected to be signed into law soon. It implements a number of steps to mitigate the impact on consumers who use non-cable/non-satellite means to receive television signals (such as roof or set-top antennas). Severe problems were experienced during the implementation of the transition that were adversely impacting vulnerable populations such as the disabled, seniors, and the low-income. More than 6.5 million U.S. households, or 5.7 percent, were not ready for the crossover last month, according to an estimate from the Nielsen Company. Major provisions of the bill are: ? Delay the transition by 115 days, extending the license terms of the commercial and public safety entities that will use the DTV spectrum after the transition by a corresponding number of days. ? Permit consumers who never redeemed coupons to reapply for replacement coupons, provided that no household can redeem more than two coupons. ? Preserve the ability of broadcasters to transition before the new transition date, if such a move does not interfere with another broadcast signal. The act makes clear that the existing FCC rules and regulations concerning interference and consumer education will continue to apply. ? Preserve the ability of public safety entities to use the DTV spectrum before the new transition date, subject to existing FCC rules. Authorization/dollars for new coupons and education efforts are not in the bill. Those terms are in the House and Senate stimulus bills (H.R. 1 & S. 336). Congressional discussions indicated 143 stations have turned off their analog transmissions. Between now and June 12, many more will change. Thus, the City cannot assure Eugene residents that all of their analog signals will remain available until June 12; the Register-Guard recently reported that three local broadcast stations have already transitioned. Several federal agencies are formulating plans and new public announcements. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) outreach staff has contacted libraries, senior centers and other agencies in the Eugene area to offer assistance and training, such as, help in setting up DTV converter boxes, ordering coupons, or providing other information. The City cannot endorse any business that might offer that assistance, but if public agencies are offering help, City staff would appreciate that information. Throughout the process, Telecommunications and Cable Program Manager Pam Berrian and representatives of other local governments have been fielding calls about the DTV transition. Local governments have made strides in bringing service gaps to the FCC's attention, such as technological problems with their telephone assistance service. Although many problems have been corrected, this transition delay appears to have brought relief to many. Eugene Public Service Officer Michelle Mortensen and Pam Berrian, will continue to field calls, although the primary contact information for this federal program is as follows: 1. For general information about the federal DTV transition, call 1-888-225-5322 (toll free) or visit www.dtv.gov. 2. For information about converters or ordering coupons for converters, call 1-888-388-2009 or visit www.dtv2009.gov. The FCC scheduled its first open commission meeting under its acting chairman on February 5. The only item on the agenda is an update from commission staff, industry, and consumer groups on the status of the DTV transition. The meeting was designed to help improve public awareness of issues surrounding the transition, as well as find out what still needs to be done to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. For additional information, please contact Telecommunications and Cable Program Manager Pam Berrian at 682-5590. Workshops Help Plan Safer Streets for Rasor Mixed-Use Center On January 15, approximately 120 people attended two public workshops for the Rasor Mixed-Use Center project. The workshops focused on improving transportation in the area, specifically along River Road between Hilliard and the Chambers Overpass. Over 18,000 vehicles move through this major arterial every day. Currently, it poses a barrier between the large residential neighborhoods west of the road, and the parks, open space, bike paths, river, and commercial services to the east. During the workshop, participants learned how transportation improvements could make this section of River Road safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles. Groups then worked on identifying new pedestrian and bike crossings to improve connections, as well as potential sites for stop lights. The Rasor Mixed-Use Center project is planning for the future of this area to protect the historic character of the neighborhood while developing a walkable community that can accommodate more density. A nine-member Community Advisory Committee meets regularly to guide project progress and will review the final concept plan and implementation strategies this June. Next steps include two more public workshops on the topic of land use to be held on March 19, 2009. For more information, visit the web site at www.eugene-orgov/rasorpark or contact Ken Guzowski at 682-5562 or via e-mail (ken.j.guzowski@ci.eugene.or.us). EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 February 5, 2009 Agriculture Department Prepares to Eradicate Gypsy Moths in Southeast Eugene In 2004 the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) found and successfully eradicated a small breeding population of gypsy moths in south Eugene. In 2008, ODA again found a small breeding population on parkland in southeast Eugene. Gypsy moths have defoliated millions of acres of trees in the northeastern United States since the late 1970s. While not common, small isolated populations of this insect are detected and eradicated every few years in Oregon. Not allowing the current moth population to expand is a high priority for ODA. Therefore, they plan to treat an area of about 622 acres in southeast Eugene later this spring. The effort will involve spraying the area with a bacterium commonly found in nature as a normal resident of soil called Bacillus thuringiensis (Btk). It occurs in many forms, several of which are used as biological pest control agents on food crops - including organically grown foods. Btk does not affect people, animals, birds and other desirable insects such as bees, beetles, and spiders. Btk has an excellent safety record. The safety has been established both by laboratory research and monitoring in the U.S., Canada and New Zealand, where it has been used for more than 25 years. ODA will host a public meeting on Thursday, February 19, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Calvary Fellowship in Eugene. Individual notices to the surrounding residences should be mailed within the next week. ODA also plans to place information in the Register-Guard on February 5, 15 and 17. The final decision on implementation of the proposed program will be made by the director of the ODA once the public comment period ends on March 6, 2009, and the final environmental assessment is complete. For more information regarding ODA’s plans, contact Helmuth Rogg, ODA program manager, at (800) 525-0137 or gypsymoth@oda.state.or.us For more information about Btk, call the National Pesticide Information Center, based at Oregon State University, at (800) 858-7378 or visit their website at http://npic.orst.edu. For more information on Eugene parks, please contact Parks and Open Space Division Director Johnny Medlin at 682-4930. Eugene Public Library Launches New Online Services Eugene Public Library is introducing a number of new online services. To try them, visit the Library's Web site at www.eugene-or.gov/library. Some of the services are: ? Mango Languages:Award-winning courses for English speakers to learn conversational Spanish, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Greek, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, or Brazilian Portuguese. In addition, courses on English for those who speak Spanish, Polish, or Brazilian Portuguese are available. The easy-to-follow lessons and user-friendly design are immediately engaging and rewarding. ? Audio books for iPods:The popular Library2Go service offers thousands of titles to download to MP3 players and computers, now including iPods, iPhones, and Mac computers. ? Community book reviews:Find a book in the library catalog, see other readers' reviews, and post your thoughts. ? Library news:Get info about free library events for all ages, delivered online. Sign up at the Library homepage to receive the new monthly e-newsletter or RSS feed. Eugene Public Library's Web site provides a wide range of services online, 24-hours- a-day, every day, including: - L-Net: Live chat reference assistance by professional librarians - Premium online sites offering expert information on many topics, including health and genealogy - Live Homework Help - Access to the library catalog, and - Access to individual password-protected accounts to check due dates and renew loans. For information or assistance, ask Eugene Public Library staff in person or by phone at 682-5450. ODOT Holds Willamette River Bridge Open House The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be holding two open house informational meetings about the replacement of the I-5 Willamette River Bridge on Monday, February 9: ? 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (drop-in) Springfield City Hall, 225 Fifth Street, Library meeting room ? 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (drop-in) Eugene Public Library, 100 W. 10th Avenue, Bascom/Tykeson Rooms The open house is an opportunity to learn more about the project, view bridge images, hear about the proposed theme, and provide input on design elements. The meetings will feature project displays, information about the design process and how to get involved. Refreshments will be available. Local architects and artists are involved in the project. Integrating artists, architects, bridge engineers and the construction contractors will ensure that the bridge design is unified and buildable. Working within the theme, the local chapter of the American Institute of EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 February 5, 2009 Architects, led by Community Advisory Group member, Eric Gunderson will conduct design workshops focused on how best to incorporate above-deck features for a “gateway” feel to the bridge. Arts consultant, Douglas Beauchamp, will convene artist workshops focused on treatments for the sound walls, retaining walls and other surfaces in and around the project area. Recommendations from the workshops will be forthcoming. Further project details (including links to public involvement materials) may be found at the project web site: www.WillametteBridge.org. The City of Eugene staff contact for the Willamette River Bridge project is Chris Henry, transportation planning engineer, at (541) 682-8472 or chris.c.henry@ci.eugene.or.us. “Green” House – Coming Up At approximately 4:05 p.m. on January 16, Building & Permit Services staff issued its first over-the-counter permit for an entire house. The new home permit was a test of the green building incentives package and expansion of the existing express permit track which issues over-the-counter permits for certain building projects, including residential garage conversions and interior remodels, as well as commercial tenant improvements. The home will be one of Eugene’s first LEED-certified single family dwellings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is the U.S. Green Building Council’s internationally accepted third-party certification program for green buildings. The applicant, Arbor South, is striving for LEED Platinum certification, the highest level of "green" in LEED. The City previously partnered with Rainbow Valley Design and Construction in 2005 on the Fairmount Square Rowhouses, which earned LEED certification as part of a residential pilot program. The new home will be an educational project for the local building industry and the public to demonstrate the benefits of building green. Everyone can get a closer look at the house this summer when it will be featured on the Lane County Home Builder's Association Tour of Homes. For additional information about the City’s green building program, please contact Jenna Garmon, Planning & Development Department, at 682-5541, or jenna.r.garmon@ci.eugene.or.us. The City’s website also offers more information about the express permit track at www.eugene-or.gov/buildingpermits Pool Drains Comply with National Safety Act The drains at Sheldon and Echo Hollow pools have been upgraded to comply with the national Virginia Graeme Baker Act to avoid various forms of entrapment. The act was named for the seven-year-old daughter of former Secretary of State James Baker, who drowned in a hot tub in 2002, when she was forced under by the suction of the pool drain which was so strong it hampered her rescue. The improvements equip the pools with unblockable, anti-entrapment drain covers that will protect against body entrapment, hair entanglement and evisceration. The work was designed by Systems West Engineers and completed over two days by Anderson PoolWorks of Sherwood which used scuba diving equipment to avoid having to drain and close the pools. Facility maintenance will install similar drain covers at Amazon Pool prior to its opening this spring. For more information, contact Rich Fay at 682-6336. Confluence Island Explored for Ecological Restoration and Enhancement The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) is exploring ecological restoration and enhancement of Confluence Island, a 260-acre island in the main stem of the Willamette River at its juncture with the McKenzie River, as an effective and beneficial response to anticipated new regulations designed to reduce temperatures of effluents discharged to the river. Wastewater generated by area homes and businesses is conveyed to the Eugene/Springfield Water Pollution Control Facility, where it is treated before being discharged to the Willamette River. This process is regulated by a permit issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under the authority of the federal Clean Water Act. The state has developed new requirements related to water temperature that will be incorporated into the permit. These requirements are quite stringent and, as a result, the MWMC will have to increase the level of wastewater treatment or seek other means to mitigate the temperature impacts of treated wastewater discharges. While direct cooling of wastewater is technologically feasible, it is very costly to build and operate and has significant secondary adverse environmental impacts. For this reason, the MWMC is exploring ecological restoration and enhancement as a more effective and beneficial response to the anticipated temperature reduction requirements. One of the sites being evaluated for its potential benefits for temperature mitigation and ecological preservation is Confluence Island. The island is under predominant ownership of Delta Sand & Gravel Company, with portions also owned by state and county agencies. The island, which has been identified as a “high opportunity and high value” area for aquatic and floodplain restoration action, is currently being mined for aggregate resources. The owners of Delta Sand & Gravel have expressed interest in future beneficial uses for the island, and they are receptive to exploring opportunities for incorporating treated wastewater into their operations and examining other options to protect and restore the environmental attributes of their property. Delta Sand & Gravel has already supported successful habitat enhancement efforts on the island, including enhancement of a channel alcove on the west side of the island that hosts a cool water refuge for salmon rearing. MWMC is evaluating a range of options for temperature mitigation such as tertiary treatment systems (for example, created wetlands), enhancement of shallow groundwater flows, and a variety of restoration actions such as stream bank shading, created alcoves and side channels. This EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 February 5, 2009 evaluation process is a joint activity involving the state universities, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the DEQ, State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, and multiple nongovernmental organizations. For more information, contact Peter Ruffier, director of the Public Works Wastewater Division, at 682-8606. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 February 5, 2009