Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout250416 WSMINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session Eugene, Oregon 97401 April 16, 2025 12:59 p.m. Councilors Present: Eliza Kashinsky, Matt Keating, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans, Lyndsie Leech, and Randy Groves Mayor Knudson opened the April 16, 2025, Eugene City Council Work Session in a virtual format. 1. WORK SESSION and POSSIBLE ACTION: MUPTE Application -Station House City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced Development Analyst, Dylan Huber-Heidorn, who presented the Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) application for the Station House development on 5th Avenue at Oak Street. Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Clark -noted Council receives a lot of communication about MUPTE approvals; stated the current annual tax for the property is $60 thousand dollars and in 11 years that property tax will increase to $1.1 million if this MUPTE project is approved and completed; stated nothing will be developed on this property without a MUPTE approval; stated this investment makes financial sense when the City is facing revenue deficits. • Councilor Kashinsky -asked if adding commercial parking on this property would increase the assessed value and if so, would there be an associated tax revenue increase; asked if the funds for the moderate income housing would go into a separate fund; asked if the Gordon Lofts are the same height as the proposed development; asked if the City spends any money toward this development beyond staff time to review and present the MUPTE application to Council. • Councilor Yeh -does not believe more retail space in this location is a public benefit; asked how much of the tax reduction would be applied to the retail space; asked staff how many MUPTEs have been approved with commercial space as part of the development; believes more housing would be a greater public benefit. • Councilor Leech -asked to confirm if the project has two retail spaces; asked if there has been any discussion of providing retail space for grocery or pharmacy locations; stated the work this developer does is valued and will benefit the neighborhood; supports approving the MUPTE as written. • Councilor Groves -noted a MUPTE will be required for this land to be developed to increase the property value and property tax revenue; stated this project will lead to MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session April 16, 2025 Page 1 sizable property tax increase when the exemption period ends; supports the project; believes that mixed use of the land is an improvement for the neighborhood. • Councilor Keating -asked why Spencer's Butte is not in the proposed drawings and whether or not the proposed building would block the view of the butte; stated that the butte is the best public benefit; would prefer to have MUPTEs approved for investment along Highway 99; noted concern over local businesses that were disrupted for new developments; noted concern over the extension of the building height limit, the lack of environmental studies, and bird migration near the butte; does not support the approval of this project; would prefer that future proposals show the impacts to local views and the landscape. • Councilor Zelenka -noted many aspects of the proposal that he supports such as energy efficiency, interesting design, electric vehicle parking, setback, adding more housing to the area, and adding housing downtown; recommends more infrastructure for increased electric vehicle parking; asked where customers of the Spaghetti Factory will be able to park; noted that there are buildings in the area that were built without a MUPTE; noted concern for approving a MUPTE at this time with budget deficits. MOTION: Councilor Leech, seconded by Councilor Evans, moved to extend the meeting by ten minutes. VOTE: 8:0 PASSED IN FAVOR: Kashinsky, Keating, Zelenka, Yeh, Clark, Evans, Leech, Groves OPPOSED: None Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Groves -noted that a past presentation provided photos to show how the building would impact the view of the butte. • Councilor Keating -stated that he voted against the original proposal when the photos mentioned were shown. MOTION: Councilor Evans, seconded by Councilor Leech, moved to adopt the resolution approving a Multiple-Unit Property Tax Exemption for property located at 131 East 5th Avenue, attached as Attachment B to this AIS VOTE: 6:2 PASSED IN FAVOR: Kashinsky, Yeh, Clark, Evans, Leech, Groves OPPOSED: Keating and Zelenka Councilor Mayor Knudson adjourned the meeting at 1:33 p.m. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session April 16, 2025 Page 2 Respectfully submitted, Katie LaSala City Recorder (Recorded by Sara McKinney) Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting here. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session April 16, 2025 Page 3