HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/17/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
February 17, 2011
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
LOCAL FOOD MARKET RESEARCH PROJECT EARNS NATIONAL AWARD
MEET THE CAT IN THE HAT AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ONLINE SURVEY COLLECTS FEEDBACK ON ENVISION EUGENE DRAFT PROPOSAL
COMMUNITY SCREENING OF AWARD-WINNING “DEEP GREEN” PLANNED
RECORD JANUARY FOR EUGENE AIRPORT
NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT COBURG AND FRONTIER OPERATIONAL NEXT WEEK
AROUND THE CITY
Local Food Market Research Project Earns National Award
A City of Eugene project has led to a national award for University of Oregon (UO) students. The American Institute
of Certified Planners Student Award for Applied Research was awarded to the student team for their work on the
Local Food Market Analysis. The project was the result of the students’ collaboration with staff from the City of
Eugene, Eugene Water & Electric Board,
Lane County, and the University’s
Community Planning Workshop, and
followed an initial food security scoping
plan developed at the recommendation
of the Sustainability Commission.
Students completed in-depth research
which identified and assessed the local
supply and demand for local food crops.
This research resulted in market
development strategies under
consideration by the partner agencies.
The UO students will receive their award
at the annual American Planning Association’s conference in Boston this April. A copy of the market analysis can be
found on the City’s Waste Prevention and Green Building website www.EugeneRecycles.org under the Urban
Agriculture resources section.
For more information on this project, please contact Ethan Nelson of the Planning & Development Department at
ethan.a.nelson@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5224.
Meet the Cat in the Hat at the Eugene Public Library
Celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday with the Cat in the Hat. Meet the Cat in the Hat at the Downtown Eugene Public Library
on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 1 - 2 p.m., and bring a camera to snap a photo. Admission is free.
The Cat in the Hat’s tour is sponsored by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) in connection with
Read Across America, a campaign of the National Education Association to encourage children
and adults to read together.
For more information, call the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-8316 or visit
www.eugene.or.gov/library.
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February 17, 2011
Online Survey Collects Feedback on Envision Eugene Draft Proposal
The City Manager’s draft proposal, “Envision Eugene: A Legacy of Livability,” sets out draft goals and strategies to
accommodate Eugene’s projected growth over the next 20 years. The proposal is available online at the Envision
Eugene website at www.EnvisionEugene.org.
Public feedback on the proposal is being collected through an online survey
which is also available on the website at www.EnvisionEugene.org.
Questions or requests for the survey in an alternative format can be directed
to Envision Eugene staff at 541-682-5635 or email Envision Eugene Public
Involvement Manager Terri Harding at terri.l.harding@ci.eugene.or.us.
Para información en Español, llame al 541-682-5686.
Community Screening of Award-Winning “Deep Green” Planned
On Thursday, Feb. 24, the City of Eugene and community partners will host a screening of the critically acclaimed
climate change film, “Deep Green,” at 6 p.m. in the Soreng Theater at the Hult Center. This award-winning
documentary has been energizing audiences across the country and in places as far away as Berlin and Indonesia.
“Deep Green” aligns with many of Eugene’s climate and energy
goals. The film makes it easy to get involved by providing essential
tips on how every individual can make a difference, while also
highlighting examples of innovation from around the globe. Produced
and directed by University of Oregon graduate Matt Briggs, “Deep
Green” features insights from such leading authorities as Lester
Brown, Michael Pollan, Amory Lovins, and Dr. David Suzuki.
The Portland-based filmmaker will be present to both introduce his
film and participate in discussions following the showing. The event
will also highlight local opportunities for community action that would
reduce the carbon footprint while enriching lives. The screening has
been made possible by the generous support of the City of Eugene
Waste Prevention & Green Building Program, Lane Transit District,
Mountain Rose Herbs, Robertson-Sherwood Architects, and
SOLARC Architecture & Engineering. Additional sponsors include
Eugene Water & Electric Board, Solar Assist, Cascadia Green Building Council (Eugene Branch), Epark (the City’s
Parking Services Program), Rowell Brokaw Architects, and Soraci Designs.
Admission is a $5 suggested donation at the door; no one will be turned away.
For more information, please contact Jenna Garmon at 541-682-5541 or jenna.r.garmon@ci.eugene.or.us. Learn
more about the film at www.eugene-or.gov/deepgreen.
Record January for Eugene Airport
The Eugene Airport (EUG) saw record passenger traffic in January 2011, thanks in part to Oregon Duck fans
traveling to the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona. January is typically a slow month for air
travel, but the best month record was achieved without even counting the charters for the BCS game.
Enplaned revenue passengers (departing) this January totaled 30,206, a 24.37% increase over January 2010. The
next highest January enplanements were in 1994, at 28,150. Total revenue passengers (arrivals and departures)
were 60,739, compared to 56,449 in 1994.
The Eugene Airport was very busy the week of the BCS game. Between January 5 and January 10, EUG served
about 8,100 departing passengers. The busiest travel day was Saturday, January 8,with more than 1,800 departing
passengers. To put that in perspective, an average day in January last year had about 815 departing passengers.
Charter flights to the BCS game accounted for about 1,900 departing passengers. Another 516 departure seats were
added by airlines serving Eugene to accommodate the increased demand.
More increases in air service are scheduled around spring break. In March, Allegiant Air is adding 11 flights to its four
destinations; Las Vegas, Phoenix-Mesa, Oakland, and Los Angeles. That’s an additional 1,650 departing seats. The
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February 17, 2011
airline will also add 35 flights this summer, from June 15 through August 14, for an additional 5250 departing seats.
In addition, United Express will add a third flight per day to Denver, starting June 9. This is a seasonal addition, which
if fully utilized, could be extended into the fall schedule.
For more information, contact Director of Communication and Development Cathryn Stephens at
cathryn.e.stephens@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5430.
New Traffic Signal at Coburg and Frontier Operational Next Week
Eugene’s newest traffic signal is scheduled to become operational next week. The signal, located at the intersection
of Coburg Road and Frontier Drive (about 1,000 feet south of Harlow Road), is scheduled to be turned on Tuesday
morning, Feb. 22.
The signal and accompanying intersection improvements are the result of a public-private partnership designed to
increase safety and improve commercial access in the rapidly developing Coburg Road area. The new signal is
designed to serve the Coburg Station shopping area and businesses on the west side of the road, as well as the
commercial and residential developments on the east side of the road. Under the “privately engineered public
improvement” partnership, the owners of the Coburg Station commercial development paid approximately $240,000
to install the signal and agreed to design and construct the signal and crosswalks to meet City traffic standards. The
City agreed to take ownership of the signal after it is completed and to pay the ongoing costs of operating and
maintaining the signal.
The new signal is interconnected with other Coburg Road signals to maximize traffic flow on Coburg Road.
Approximately 33,000 vehicles a day travel through this section of Coburg Road, and the new signal will allow safer
turning and traffic queuing options for the estimated 1,000 people driving to and from the commercial areas in the
vicinity of Frontier Drive each day. The new traffic signal includes a flashing yellow arrow function for
protected/permissive turns from Coburg Road. Both the traffic and pedestrian signals use energy-efficient LED
technology, and the pedestrian signals include both audible and visual countdown features. This signal brings to 241
the number of traffic signals in Eugene.
For more information about the signal project, contact Senior Transportation Planner Gary McNeel at 541-682-8451
or City Traffic Engineer Tom Larsen at 541-682-4959.
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February 17, 2011