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Home My WebLink About04/08/10 - City Council Newsletter EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER April 8, 2010 City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 (FAX) www.eugene-or.gov IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION EUGENE EARNS TOP FIVE RANKING IN LIST OF MOST BIKE-FRIENDLY CITIES IN AMERICA EUGENE AIRPORT TO GAIN NONSTOP SERVICE TO LAX BESTSELLING SCIENCE AUTHOR REBECCA SKLOOT AT DOWNTOWN LIBRARY ON APRIL 18 NOTICES BEING MAILED TO OWNERS OF PROPERTIES IN SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA STAFF PARTICIPATES IN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING FAIR AROUND THE CITY Eugene Earns Top Five Ranking in List of Most Bike-Friendly Cities in America Ample bike parking, lit bike paths, and the Smart Ways to School program are just three of the reasons Eugene has been named the fifth most bike-friendly city in America by Bicycling magazine. The world’s largest bicycling magazine this week announced its ranking of the 50 most bike-friendly cities in the U.S. The top five, in order, are Minneapolis, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Boulder, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; and Eugene. According to the magazine, the rankings pay homage to cities that have shown real innovation, as well as local government support and a vibrant bike culture. “This year’s list is evidence that a much- needed, far-reaching, pro-bike movement is in full swing, all across the country,” said Editor-in-Chief of Bicycling Loren Mooney. To compile the list, Bicycling editors considered cities with populations of 100,000 or more. They used factors such as cycling- friendly statistics (numbers of bike lanes and routes, bike racks, city projects completed and planned), changes in these statistics and a city’s future plans since the last survey. They also took into account the bike culture (number of bike commuters, cycling clubs, cycling events, renowned bike shops). Editors also referenced the Bicycling and Walking in the United States 2010 Benchmarking Report prepared by the Alliance for Biking and Walking, the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America project, and interviews with national and local advocates, bike shops, and other experts. Eugene has 153 miles of paths, bike lanes and bike routes and a well-developed City bicycle education program, including the Eye-to-Eye traffic safety campaign and a well-organized Safe Routes to Schools program. In 2009, those factors helped Eugene earn a gold-level bike designation by the League of American Bicyclists. For the complete top 50 list or for more on Bicycling’s Best Bike Cities, visit www.bicycling.com or contact Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator Lee Shoemaker at 541-682-5471. Eugene Airport to Gain Nonstop Service to LAX Allegiant Air has announced new, nonstop jet service between Eugene and Los Angeles. Allegiant will utilize 150-seat, MD-80 series aircraft on the route. The service will begin June 3, 2010. The new flights will operate twice a week between Eugene and Los Angeles with service Thursday and Sunday. Flights will depart Eugene at 6:30 p.m., arriving in Los Angeles at 8:40 p.m. Flights leaving Los Angeles will depart at 3:40 p.m., arriving in Eugene at 5:50 p.m. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 April 8, 2010 Allegiant Air offers low-cost, nonstop service to three other destinations from Eugene: Las Vegas, Phoenix and the San Francisco-Oakland area. With this latest addition, Allegiant continues to add nonstop flights at the Eugene Airport (EUG) to underserved markets. An introductory fare special is being offered through April 28, 2010. For more information, go to http://www.flyEUG.com or contact Eugene Airport Director of Marketing and Public Relations Cathryn Stephens at 541-682-6638 or cathryn.e.stephens@ci.eugene.or.us. Bestselling Science Author Rebecca Skloot at Downtown Library on April 18 Science writer Rebecca Skloot will give a free reading and talk at the Downtown Eugene Public Library, on Sunday, April 18, at 2 p.m. Skloot is on a national tour with her bestselling first book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Books for purchase and signing will be made available courtesy of the University of Oregon Bookstore/Duck Store. Released earlier this year, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” has received glowing reviews. It has been featured everywhere - from The New York Times Magazine to Popular Science, and has been excerpted in O, The Oprah Magazine. In recent months, Skloot has been interviewed widely on national television and radio. The book tells the true tale of Henrietta Lacks, a cancer patient in the “colored” ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951. Doctors took samples of her cells without her knowledge – and they became the first human cells to live indefinitely outside the body. The HeLa cell line became one of the most important tools in medicine, helping scientists eradicate polio, test medications, and better understand cancer and viruses. Though her cells launched a multimillion-dollar biotech industry, Lacks’ family didn’t know about the HeLa cells until more than 20 years after she died, and they never saw any of the profits. Her relatives still wrestle with mixed feelings of pride, betrayal and fear, and questions, including, “If Henrietta was so important to medicine, why can’t her children afford health insurance?” According to a starred review in Booklist, “With a novelist’s artistry, a biologist’s expertise, and the zeal of an investigative reporter, Skloot tells a truly astonishing story of racism and poverty, science and conscience, spirituality and family.” For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. Notices Being Mailed to Owners of Properties in Special Flood Hazard Area In the next week, Public Works Engineering will be mailing a floodplain awareness bulletin to the owners of almost 4,000 properties identified as within or near the Special Flood Hazard Area, which is the area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as statistically having a one percent or greater chance of being flooded in any given year. The City of Eugene participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Community Rating System (CRS). The mailing is an annual CRS outreach activity intended to promote flood risk awareness, the availability of flood insurance for structures and contents, the availability of floodplain determination services at the Permit & Information Center, and the additional resources and information that are available on the City of Eugene’s website www.eugene- or.gov/flood. The City’s participation in the NFIP and CRS programs provides a direct benefit to the community. As a Class 7 CRS community, flood insurance premiums for structures and contents within the Special Flood Hazard Area are automatically reduced by 15 percent, while those outside the Special Flood Hazard Area receive a five percent discount. In addition, the CRS rating provides a standard benchmark for measuring the provision of EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 Flooding in Alton Baker Park in 2006 April 8, 2010 stormwater and flood hazard mitigation services. Questions regarding the City of Eugene’s participation in the CRS program can be directed to Certified Floodplain Manager Quentin Blattler at 541-682-6064. Staff Participates in Highly Successful Off-Campus Housing Fair City staff participated in the first-ever University of Oregon (UO) Off-Campus Housing Fair held on March 31. The fair was organized by the UO Office of Student Life and attended by more than 2,000 students transitioning to housing off- campus. Property managers, City staff and other community partners provided information at booths and workshops on housing and transportation options, utility services, recycling, rental housing code, renter rights and responsibilities, finding roommates and good neighbor behavior. Neighborhood Services staffed a booth with leaders from the West University, South University, Harlow, and Downtown Neighborhood Associations providing information on campus-area neighborhoods and engaging in conversations about the advantages and responsibilities of off-campus living. Neighborhood leaders (including UO students) facilitated two workshops that promoted green and safe living, and how to maintain good relations with established neighbors. A festive atmosphere was promoted with raffle prizes and fun activities such as the popular Wheel of Wisdom that challenged student knowledge of rules of conduct for living off-campus. Other City staff represented the Rental Housing Program, Eugene Police Department Crime Prevention Unit and Public Works Transportation Planning. For more information, please contact Michael Kinnison, Neighborhood Services, at 682-5009 or Michael.j.kinnison@ci.eugene.or.us. NEXT WEEK 04/12 M 5:30pm All Council Work Session McNutt Room 04/12 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting CouncilChamber 04/14 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room UPCOMING APRIL 04/19 M 7:30pm All Council Public Hearing Council Chamber 04/21 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 04/26 M 5:30pm All Council Work Session McNutt Room 04/26 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 04/28 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 04/28 W 5:30pm All Budget Committee Meeting Bascom/Tykeson Rm MAY 05/03 M 5:30pm All Budget Committee Meeting Bascom/Tykeson Rm 05/05 W 5:30pm All Budget Committee Meeting Bascom/Tykeson Rm 05/10 M 5:30pm All Council Work Session McNutt Room 05/10 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 05/12 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 05/12 W 5:30pm All Budget Committee Meeting Bascom/Tykeson Rm 05/17 M 5:30pm All Budget Committee Meeting McNutt Room 05/17 M 7:30pm All Budget Committee Public Hearing Council Chamber 05/17 M 8:30pm All Council Public Hearing Council Chamber 05/19 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 05/19 W 5:30pm All Budget Committee Meeting Bascom/Tykeson Rm 05/24 M 5:30pm All Council Work Session McNutt Room 05/24 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 05/26 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room JUNE 06/09 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 06/14 M 5:30pm All Council Work Session McNutt Room 06/14 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 06/16 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 06/21 M 7:30pm All Council Public Hearing Council Chamber 06/23 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room 06/28 M 5:30pm All Council Work Session McNutt Room 06/28 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 06/30 W Noon All Council Work Session McNutt Room EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 April 8, 2010