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HomeMy WebLinkAbout191014 WS MINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session October 14, 2019 Page 1 MINUTES Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 October 14, 2019 5:30 p.m. Councilors Present: Betty Taylor, Emily Semple, Councilor Zelenka, Mike Clark, Chris Pryor, Greg Evans, Claire Syrett Councilors Absent: Jennifer Yeh Mayor Vinis opened the October 14, 2019, work session of the Eugene City Council. 1. Committee Reports and Items of Interest • Councilor Taylor – Discussed recent Lane Regional Air Protection Agency grant as well as recent complaints filed with LRAPA regarding two local agencies; raised concerns about e-scooters in Eugene; expressed desire to address short-term rental housing needs; discussed concerns about state-issued funds for upcoming IAAF championships in light of funding needs for mental health institutions. • Mayor Vinis – Discussed conversations she had related to collaboration with other jurisdictions on emergency preparedness. 2. WORK SESSION: Human Rights Commission Work Plan – Fiscal Year 2020 Equity Accessibility Analyst Fabio Andrade and Human Rights Commission Chair Joel Iboa the Human Rights Commission Work Plan review for Fiscal Year 2019 and proposal for Fiscal Year 2020. Council Discussion • Councilor Syrett – Expressed appreciation for work plan and presentation; discussed desire for staff and the commission to focus on recognized neighborhood associations rather than on the Neighborhood Leaders Council. • Councilor Semple – Expressed appreciation for the report and for Human Rights Commission’s work throughout the year; expressed appreciation for recommendations from the commission on appointment of new members; asked for clarification of previous actions categorized under “continuous work”; said this is critical work and not enough people know about what the Human Rights Commission does; asked commissioners to spend time educating public about the work they are doing; expressed anticipation of filling the new Multicultural Liaison/Marginalized Communities Liaison position. • Councilor Zelenka - Expressed appreciation for the work plan and commission as well as the new Multicultural Liaison position; reiterated Councilor Syrett’s comments regarding connecting with neighborhood associations rather than the Neighborhood Leaders Council. • Mayor Vinis – Expressed appreciation for the commission’s work; discussed goals in developing multicultural systems in the city and the work of commission in highlighting current activities happening in the community. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to approve the Human Rights Commission FY 2020 Work Plan. PASSED 7:0 Mayor Vinis adjourned the work session of the Eugene City Council and convened a work session of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency. MINUTES – Eugene City Council Work Session October 14, 2019 Page 2 3. WORK SESSION: Riverfront and Downtown Urban Renewal Overview Planning and Development Director Denny Braud and Community Development Director Michael Kinnison provided a high-level overview of projects in two urban renewal districts. Council Discussion • Councilor Taylor – Supported the use of the Montgomery Ward Building as a day center and homeless shelter; inquired about and discussed the cost of each quiet zone; expressed appreciation for discussions with a local business owner about opening the walls of buildings he owns near Kesey Square. • Councilor Syrett- Asked if, in upcoming agenda materials, staff could provide for each urban renewal district the related cost of each project as well as current capacity of district; discussed the difference between the current idea for use of the LCC building as compared to previous direction given by the URA board; asked if the board would need to take action if visions change; expressed appreciation for vision of workforce housing in that space but need to ensure the board is in compliance with previous approvals. • Councilor Zelenka – Asked how the downtown high-speed fiber service area was determined; reiterated Councilor Syrett’s comments regarding the difference in vision of innovation space versus workforce housing; inquired about upcoming conversations about the Town Square; raised concerns about the timing of development of Town Square and City Hall and expressed his desire to discuss City Hall funding strategies. • Councilor Clark – Discussed desire of staff to incorporate needs of public in development of market square space; reiterated Councilor Zelenka’s comments about the high-speed fiber connections and inquired about the next steps for expanding the footprint of high-speed fiber development; discussed use of private/public partnerships in development and expansion of the fiber optics technology. • Councilor Pryor – Discussed list of questions related to needs, capacity, and timelines of the proposed projects. • Councilor Syrett – Reiterated Councilor Clark’s comments about building out the fiber optic network; discussed next steps of developments and expressed concerns about equity of developments in certain areas of town. • Councilor Zelenka – Appreciated Councilor Syrett’s comments about equity, inquired about service of fiber within a particular area; discussed intentions for initial infrastructure to serve high speed fiber and challenges in development; inquired about the slide showcasing upload and download speed of high-speed fiber optics in downtown; discussed the impact of high-speed internet connection on economy and employment. • Councilor Clark – Discussed downtown developments and successes, including historical amenities that enabled cities to succeed; discussed idea of leveraging this tool to increase success of city, especially in underdeveloped areas and expressed desire to hear more. • Mayor Vinis – Continued Councilor Clark’s comments about focusing more on underdeveloped areas, including using the building out of those areas to install fiber optics infrastructure during construction. • Councilor Pryor – Discussed global methods for installing fiber optics in economical ways and use of creativity to make development happen cheaper and faster; discussed use of fiber optics instead of 5G for connection to the internet. Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency and reopened the meeting of the Eugene City Council.