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HomeMy WebLinkAbout190415 WSMINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session April 15, 2019 Page 1 MINUTES Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 April 15, 2019 5:30 p.m. Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Alan Zelenka, Mike Clark, Chris Pryor, Greg Evans, Betty Taylor, Claire Syrett Mayor Vinis opened the April 15, 2019, work session of the Eugene City Council. 1.Committee Reports and Items of Interest •Councilor Taylor – read opening statement of a proposed 5g resolution she will offer atthe council’s April 17 work session. Mayor Vinis adjourned the City Council work session and convened a meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency. 2.Riverfront Urban Renewal UpdateCommunity Development Director Michael Kinnison presented information about fundingfor Riverfront Park development, including an alternative funding proposal, districtfinancial capacity, investment opportunities and future actions.Council Discussion: •Councilor Syrett – expressed concern that the presentation was too brief for her to takeaction after missing last week’s presentation; requested a brief synopsis of thecouncilors’ concerns about the proposed funding strategy and clarification of fundingoptions. •Councilor Yeh – thanked staff for coming back with alternatives; spoke to the importanceof parks. •Councilor Taylor – asked questions about the dollar amounts represented in Options Aand B for alternative funding packages. •Mayor Vinis – suggested putting Option B on the table for a vote. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to authorize the use of $8 million of Riverfront Urban Renewal funds for the park and $4 million for the plaza. PASSED 7:0, Councilor Zelenka absent. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to direct the Agency Director to come back to discuss funding strategies for other potential projects within the Riverfront Urban Renewal District. PASSED 7:0, Councilor Zelenka absent. Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency and reconvened the work session of the Eugene City Council. (Councilor Zelenka arrived at 5:45 p.m.) MINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session April 15, 2019 Page 2 3.Hwy. 99/Bethel Urban Renewal DistrictEconomic Development Planner Anne Fifield presented information on how Urban Renewaldistricts can be used to achieve economic development goals, the potential for an UrbanRenewal district to generate revenue for reinvestment in the area, and the steps to establishan Urban Renewal district.Council Discussion: •Councilor Evans – thanked staff for the presentation; referenced previous neighborhoodimprovements 30-40 years ago and suggested every part of the economic developmenttoolbox should be used to leverage private and public investment; spoke about need foreconomic development in the area as well as different ideas for development; spoke tothe need for investment and diversity in the city’s economic development profile; urgedcouncilors to support development efforts. •Councilor Semple – asked how the City would pay for services or needs initially paid forby Bethel/Hwy. 99 overlapping taxing districts, when incremental tax dollars go to aURD and how the system works; supported an alternative funding option to achieveeconomic development in the area. •Councilor Pryor – expressed his thoughts about why Hwy. 99 would require commitmentto put away money for development and spoke about the developments in recent decades;said Hwy. 99 development is important for the city, regardless of the tool. •Councilor Clark – spoke about using UR funds for private projects rather than publicprojects; expressed concerns about UR in that district; commented on opportunities todevelop Hwy. 99 and desire to do something. •Councilor Taylor – spoke to the attributes and history of urban renewal in Eugene;suggested this tool be voted on by the public rather than the council. •Councilor Syrett – thanked Councilor Evans for bringing this issue up for councildiscussion; spoke about the opportunities for development and expressed interest infurther conversation; suggested potential funding strategies and opportunities;expressed interest in studying funding mechanisms; supported including an end datefor this potential URD; expressed appreciation for Councilor Clark’s commentsregarding private investments and supported the notion of a public vote for URDdesignation. •Councilor Zelenka – expressed appreciation for the report; reiterated support foreconomic development efforts in the area but not using UR as a funding mechanism. •Mayor Vinis – inquired about the dollar potential to leverage money through use ofother mechanisms; asked where this idea fits into the scope of other neighborhoodimprovement efforts in the city. •Councilor Pryor – asked what the UR funds would be used for, noting thatcommunication of this information would be integral to establishing a URD; expresseddesire to identify worthwhile projects. •Councilor Evans – spoke about potential development at “4 Corners” area on Hwy. 99,including multi-unit housing development; suggested investment in this location by theCity would demonstrate equity in funding and development decisions. •Councilor Zelenka – expressed interest in learning about opportunities for othereconomic development tools, how they might operate, and their potential to generatefunds; would like a project scope document for both the set-up of a URD in that area andpotential projects with scoping documents. •Councilor Taylor – voiced concern about not establishing an end date for the URD;spoke to private investments in the area. •Mayor Vinis – reiterated idea of creating a full scope of options.