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HomeMy WebLinkAbout190410 WSMINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session April 10, 2019 Page 1 MINUTES Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 April 10, 2019 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Alan Zelenka, Mike Clark, Chris Pryor, Greg Evans, Betty Taylor Councilors Absent: Claire Syrett Mayor Vinis opened the April 10, 2019, work session of the Eugene city council. 1.Committee Reports and Items of Interest •Councilor Taylor –commented about potential council action to address 5G concerns,including scheduling a work session. MOTION: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to direct the City Manager to come to council before April 15 with a list of things that it can do, including a moratorium of some sort. •Mayor Vinis – cautioned that it may be difficult to act on the motion by April 15. •Councilor Clark – requested clarification of staff’s current understanding about whatcouncil can do regarding 5g; asked for information about council’s limitation to act. •Councilor Zelenka - discussed limitations for implementing an ordinance and askedwhen council could enact an ordinance; asked Councilor Taylor if time limitations wereacceptable for motion. •Councilor Taylor – asked for information about what council can do and how soon. VOTE: PASSED 6:0, councilors Evans and Syrett absent. 2.Vision Zero UpdateCity Engineer Matthew Rodrigues and Associate Transportation Planner Larisa Varela gavean overview of the final Vision Zero Action Plan as well as implementation progress madeto-date. (Councilor Evans arrived 12:20 p.m.) Council Discussion: •Councilor Clark – commented and inquired about the design of the map of high crashnetwork; initiated questions and discussion about dangerous pedestrian behavior inrelation to Vision Zero planning and implementation; inquired about the budget forVision Zero since 2015. •Councilor Taylor – spoke about reducing speed in school zones; inquired whether VisionZero planning would address driveways on Willamette; requested statistics aboutpedestrians hit by cars in downtown core; requested staff consult neighborhood groupsand other cities regarding their strategies. MINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session April 10, 2019 Page 2 •Councilor Zelenka – reiterated Councilor Taylor’s concerns about speed as factor forcrash fatalities; requested details of how data was extrapolated to create Vision Zerostrategies; asked how staff planned to take action plan and break down into specificprojects to be implemented in the Capital Improvement Plan; asked how CIP projectswere to be prioritized and how Vision Zero actions impact CIP. •Councilor Yeh – inquired about sidewalk infill consideration and prioritization amongprojects; spoke about using data to be proactive rather than reactive in futuredevelopment and increased density. •Councilor Semple – reiterated concern about sidewalk development. Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting of the Eugene City Council and convened a meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency. 3.Riverfront Park and Plaza Funding Requests and Potential Future Riverfront Urban Renewal InvestmentsCommunity Development Director Michael Kinnison presented information on a fundingproposal for Downtown Riverfront development and other future investment opportunitieswithin the Riverfront Urban Renewal District including a process for prioritizing projects.Council Discussion: •Councilor Taylor – suggested moving directly to a vote on the proposed fundingpackage. •Councilor Clark – asked if URA funds could be used in the purchase of EWEBheadquarters and expressed interest in doing so; expressed concern aboutdisproportionate spending on parks in Eugene (e.g. Striker Field versus RiverfrontPark); asked about the ultimate cost of park planning. •Councilor Yeh – communicated her desire to make sure City policy and values connectwith council decisions; reiterated concern about the funding proposal for RiverfrontPark and what may be perceived as an inequitable use of resources. •Councilor Zelenka – described the way money within a City budget can be used;expressed approval for the way this money is proposed to be spent; asked how the Cityplans to prioritize the projects that need to be funded as there is not likely to be enoughmoney for everything; discussed thoughts about what could be prioritized. •Councilor Taylor – explained how past URA funds were used and expressed support forthe project and use of UR funds; suggested larger projects like the Riverfront Parkshould go before voters; however, she would be willing to support this funding request. •Councilor Semple – asked if council was required to approval spending the entire UrbanRenewal District cap; expressed disapproval of the URA mechanism; suggestedreleasing non-UR funds set aside for Riverfront Project to spend on other needs andspend more UR funds on Riverfront Project. •Mayor Vinis – suggested there are insufficient funds in Urban Renewal District funds tosupport entire project; noted that this project is a large economic engine for the city andpart of a long-range plan of economic development; said removing System DevelopmentCharge funds is a broader economic decision about how the City invests dollars. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Clark, moved to extendthe meeting by 10 minutes. PASSED 7:0. •Councilor Semple – inquired about the cost of Riverfront Park compared with otherpark opportunities; suggested there is inequity in the way resources are allocated.