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Home My WebLink About240110 WSMINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session Eugene, Oregon 97401 January 10, 2024 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Matt Keating, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Lyndsie Leech, and Randy Groves Councilors Absent: Greg Evans Mayor Vinis opened the January 10, 2024, work session of the Eugene City Council in a virtual format. 1. COUNCILOR-INTRODUCED MOTION: Regarding Regional Pickleball Facility and System Development Charges City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced Councilor Zelenka's intended motion regarding the Regional Pickleball Facility and System Development Charges. MOTION: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Keating, moved to direct the City Manager to return to Council before April 1, 2024 with an analysis of whether the regional pickle ball facility is eligible to receive Parks SDC funds, the impact on other projects if the pickle ball facility is added to the City's Parks SDC project list, and if it is eligible, a resolution for Council consideration that would amend the City's Parks and Open Space SDC Project Plan to add the regional pickleball facility. Councilor Discussion: ■ ■ Councilor Zelenka -requested all information in the motion be brought back to Council at the same time; believes the motion would be expeditious; encouraged Council to vote to receive the analysis on the facilities eligibility for System Development Charges funds. Councilor Semple -noted her willingness to dedicate another work session to reviewing the topic; noted concerns with the City using System Development Charges Funds to fill in gaps when there is a problem; asked to know before the next work session how much the City brings in System Development Charges each year, how much the City spends on improvements, and what the state of the City's infrastructure is; indicated her uncertainty for the facility due to the City's budget crisis. ■ Councilor Zelenka -noted that Parks System Development Charges can only be used on parks; highlighted that the City has a project list that the pickleball facility would be added to; noted he is in favor of the facility because it is a fast growing sport, it MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 10, 2024 Page 1 could be an economic and jobs driver for the community, and the proposed location is remote from neighborhoods, minimizing noise impacts. • Councilor Semple -appreciated the clarification that the Parks System Development Charges funds can only be used for parks; stated that she supports the work session with potential reservations. VOTE: PASSED 7:0 2. WORK SESSION: Middle Housing Remand City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced Senior Planner, Jeff Gepper, who provided updates on the City's Middle Housing Code Amendments. Jeff was joined by the Assistant City Attorney, Lauren Sommers. Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Zelenka -asked staff to clarify if the additional language in Attachment B encompassed the changes outlined in the staffs discussion; noted that the majority of the changes are under Goal 11; asked how a developer would know if there are sufficient public facilities and services; asked how developers can proceed if there is a lack of or a constraint on facilities and services; clarified that if there are insufficient facilities or services, the developer must make provisions to pay for them. • Councilor Clark -noted his opposition to the topic in 2022; noted his concern with the potential of a large development in Eugene due to the lack of land space; noted the City's policy to develop by infill; indicated that the City will not be able to build homes fast enough to serve the community's demand; noted his concern with sufficient findings under Goal 11 and the manner in which they are executed; expressed interest in the upcoming Public Hearing regarding the Middle Housing Remand and additional findings; noted that it is the City's job to ensure that it has a sufficient system to handle new housing; noted interest in a Public Works assessment of the City's sufficiency. • Councilor Semple -asked staff if the ordinance went into effect after it was challenged; asked if those following the City's Code would be affected; asked when the new code would go into effect, if passed; asked which projects would have to adhere to the City's new code. • Councilor Leech asked staff for definitions of townhouses based on community emails. • Councilor Groves -indicated his concern with the State's encroachment of home rule; stated he understands why the City tried to tailor the model code to the City code but thinks adopting the model code would have been more streamlined; indicated he dislikes when developers are frustrated, confused, or experiencing delays; noted that the City does not have enough available, buildable land for industry and business; noted that Salem, a city of comparable size to Eugene, has ten more square miles in its Urban Growth Boundary than Eugene; indicated that although he supports infill, the City is limiting its growth by focusing on it. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 10, 2024 Page 2 • Mayor Vinis -noted the City is going back to State Legislature this year for support for infrastructure on Crow Road; noted the legislature has allowed for significant increases in Middle Housing and is likely to increase more in the future. 3. WORK SESSION: Follow-Up Discussion regarding Initiative Petition 2023-2/Measure 20-349 (STAR Voting) City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced City Recorder, Katie LaSala, who provided information regarding STAR Voting. Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Semple -stated that Council should not take a position on STAR Voting; does not support placing a competing measure on the ballot; noted that she is comfortable with people promoting and arguing against it; noted her concern that voters will find the STAR Voting method confusing; suggested that those who are in favor of it have mock elections to demonstrate how it works. • Councilor Keating -noted his concern with moving municipal elections from May and November to only November; indicated that eliminating the primary process increases the funding a candidate would need to viably compete in the race; asked about the cost to the City or County to implement the measure; asked if the City must include implementation costs of STAR Voting in the voters' pamphlet; noted he does not want the Council to propose a competing measure; noted his interest in ranked choice voting; noted that he does not think the Council should urge adoption or defeat of the measure. • Councilor Groves -noted his concerns with having a different form of voting for the City on the same ballot with other races; indicated that community members worked hard to collect signatures to get STAR Voting on the ballot and that he does not think Council should propose a competing measure. • Councilor Clark -noted that he does not think Council as a body should endorse or comment on the measure; indicated that he thinks voters should vote "no" on the measure; believes negative campaigning will increase if the measure is passed. • Councilor Zelenka -noted that he does not think Council should propose an alternative measure, but does believe the Council can take a position on ST AR Voting; noted the he does not like STAR Voting because he does not think the current system is broken; noted that Eugene has one of the highest voter participation rates in the country; believes replacing the current system with a new one would lead to confusion; noted that he thinks the measure would increase negative campaigning and the amount of funding needed to run for election. • Mayor Vinis -noted that the campaign was youth driven; noted that Councilors can express their individual opinions as elected officials on the topic; noted that the League of Women Voters may be interested in hosting a candidate panel or informational forum that Council can participate in; noted that there are potential downsides to the measure related to implementation costs and a potential undervote; encouraged the public to pay attention to STAR Voting closely. Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting at 12:54 p.m. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 10, 2024 Page 3 Respectfully submitted, Katie LaSala City Recorder (Recorded by Natalie Venhuda) Link to the we beast of this City Council meeting here. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 10, 2024 Page 4