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HomeMy WebLinkAbout220629 WSMINUTES Eugene City Council Virtual Work Session Eugene, Oregon 97401 June 29, 2022 12:00p.m. Councilors Present: Claire Syrett, Matt Keating, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Randy Groves, Emily Semple, Alan Zelenka, Greg Evans Mayor Vinis opened the June 29, 2022, work session of the Eugene City Council in a virtual format. 1. Work Session: Street Bond Renewal Public Works Director Matt Rodrigues presented street bond information updates. John Harvick of DHM Research presented results from the City of Eugene Transportation Bond Survey. Council Discussion: • • • Councilor Zelenka -asked to clarify that the property tax rate will not increase, not that the tax cost will not increase; noted that in the last bond the three important components were for people to know exactly what was going to be done, rough equity in which everyone gets some benefit, and accountability; stated concern that there is no list for the bike and pedestrian projects; asked if a statement can be added to the resolution to add a project list prior to going to voters; stated it is important for Council to commit to a set project list and make that a package. Councilor Groves -noted he is surprised that traffic calming and street lighting factored in as low as it did; noted Bethel Drive should be listed in Ward 6 and 7; asked staff why Blackburn Street is not on the list; asked how a street can be tied in to the Safe Routes to School program for pedestrian or bicycle upgrades. Councilor Keating -noted that some streets are listed multiple times and asked staff to explain why they are not one continuous project; asked what the process is for a Councilor to get a specific street project on the list; asked if the terms 'complete streets' and 'traffic calming' may have been misunderstood or misinterpreted by those who took the survey, resulting in reduced support for those items; asked if scooters were mentioned in the survey; indicated he would like to see polling data leading up to 2008, 2012 and 2017 bond votes. • Councilor Clark-noted his concerns about safety and the upper area of Warren Street; asked staff if the regular funding for work discussed is funded by fuel taxes, not general funds; noted a desire to find a way for bike and pedestrian traffic to help pay for those paths; asked if there have been discussions about revenue sources from bicyclists; noted a local bicycle licensing system would bring in funding and help the police with stolen bicycles. • Councilor Yeh -noted that the streets she gets complaints about are unimproved streets that would not qualify for these funds; noted that a small percentage responded that they would be in favor if the projects included unimproved streets; asked if the MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session June 29, 2022 Page 1 survey results can show where certain responses came from geographically; noted she is concerned that there is not a list of projects to show how the money will be used; ■ Councilor Syrett -asked for clarification about the Bethel Drive project location; asked staff to clarify the Irvington Road project location; noted she is in support of motion option two and adding streettrees to the projects; asked if there is a way to provide a list of bike/pedestrian projects before the ballot measure statement is due or before November 8. ■ Councilor Zelenka -noted that the reason specific lists were provided previously was to create and build trust and accountability; suggested that the list could have dollars invested, not number of streets, and asked to confirm that list will be available for the July 13, 2022, work session; noted that Scott Altenhoff, Urban Forestry Management Analyst, indicated that Eugene can meet the 30 percent tree canopy goal by using right- of-way lands without regulating private land trees; asked staff if they agree with Mr. Altenhoffs opinion of the tree canopy goal; noted he is in favor of developing a project list over the next four months. ■ Councilor Keating -noted that he does feel this is the right time, politically, to go for a street bond renewal; noted that he would support option two with increased bike and pedestrian path and street tree funding; noted his reservations about going for a bond in a mid-term election year, in the current political and economic climate. ■ Councilor Syrett -noted in 2012 and 2017 that the polling was close to what the end result of the vote was; agreed that having a project list was an advantage in those previous bond measures; recognized the benefit of having the ability to complete projects as they arise when no prescribed list exists; said she would prefer if language were added to direct city staff to work on engagement with the Active Transportation and the Vision Zero committees to develop a list that Council would be responsible for educating the public with. MOTION and VOTE: Councilor Keating, seconded by Councilor Syrett, moved to extend the meeting by fifteen minutes. PASSED 7:1, opposed by Councilor Semple. ■ Councilor Clark -stated he believes that a project list is important; asked staff to clarify why there is an issue providing a project list; suggested altering the process in the future so that the project information comes with the resolution. ■ Mayor Vinis -noted that staff had indicated there could be guidance in developing the list with stakeholders. ■ Councilor Zelenka -noted that Council directing staff to make a project list is not advocating, it is normal work; asked staff to research the issue of staff creating the list; noted it is important to inform voters and make commitments to specific work; asked to confirm that Council can state that a list will be created and adhered to. ■ Councilor Keating -noted that the Lane Community College bond made it clear where the bond dollars would be spent and the college informed the public of that list; asked why pollsters look for support level higher than 60 percent in polling on issues; asked if bond dollars can be used to address areas where streets need cleaning or repair due to unhoused encampments; asked if it is possible for Public Works to denote what projects are being done in response to damage created by an unhoused encampment. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session June 29, 2022 Page 2 • Councilor Syrett -asked staff to confirm that staff can and will make a list of projects but cannot do so until after the vote in November; asked the City Attorney if Council can add language regarding a forthcoming list in the July meeting or if it must be added in the motion in this meeting. MOTION: Councilor Syrett, seconded by Councilor Keating, moved to direct the City Manager to bring back for the Council's consideration a resolution for placing a $61.2 million GO bond measure on the November 2022 ballot to fund capital pavement preservation, walking projects, biking projects, safety projects, and street tree projects, and that dedicates $3 million of those bond funds per year ($15 million) to walking, biking, safety, and street tree projects, and thereby dedicates the remaining $46.2 million to capital pavement preservation and bond issuance costs. • Councilor Keating moved to substitute November 2022 for November 2023. The motion was not seconded and was withdrawn. VOTE ON MOTION: PASSED 8:0 Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting at 1:48 p.m. City Recorder (Recorded by Sara McKinney) Web cast of meeting available here. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session June 29, 2022 Page 3