HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/28/13 - City Council Newsletter
City of Eugene
125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor
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Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
March 28, 2013
IN THIS EDITION
FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NAMED FINALIST FOR GREENPOWER GRANT
BRING A BAG CAMPAIGN KICKOFF
EXTENDED CLOSURE OF OLIVE STREET TO START APRIL 1 FOR SAFETY REASONS
REGISTER FOR POPULAR SOFTBALL LEAGUES
LEARN TO USE TECHNOLOGY AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
APRIL 1 OPENING FOR FIRST NEW DISC GOLF COURSE IN EUGENE IN 25 YEARS
AROUND THE CITY
Future Affordable Housing Development Named Finalist for Greenpower Grant
New affordable homes, planned for a former City landbank site, could receive a $100,000 grant from Eugene Water &
Electric Board (EWEB) to make them as energy efficient as possible. Housing and Community Services Agency of Lane
County and the Neighborhood Economic Development Organization are partnering to develop 20 new energy-efficient,
single-family homes that will be available to first-time
home buyers of modest means. The development is located
on Hatton Avenue in northwest Eugene, a landbank site the
City transferred to HACSA in 2005 to support the
development of affordable housing.
The Greenpower Grant supports renewable energy usage in
the community. If awarded, it would fund the installation of
renewable solar hot water systems in each of the 20 homes,
helping first-time homeowners save money by reducing
their out-of-pocket expenses on utilities.
Greenpower ballots are mailed out to Greenpower
customers in early April, and EWEB will announce the
winner of the grant at Eugene’s Earth Day event on April
20. For information about the grant or the Greenpower
Example of home using solar hot water system.
program, go to http://www.eweb.org/greenpower/grants
or contact Becky Wheeler at 541-682-5532.
Bring a Bag Campaign Kickoff
On Oct. 22, 2012, the Eugene City Council approved a Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance, which will take effect on May 1,
2013. The ordinance encourages use of reusable bags by banning single-use plastic bags at the point of sale in all retail
establishments within Eugene city limits. The City is conducting a public education and awareness campaign that focuses
on raising awareness about reusing bags, helping residents remember to use reusable bags when shopping, and connecting
residents with resources for free and reduced-price bags
There are a few simple steps shoppers can follow to keep reusable bags clean and to keep themselves and their families
safe from germs. Remember to wash reusable grocery bags often:
Cloth reusable bags should be washed in a washing machine using laundry detergent and dried in the dryer or air-
dried.
Plastic-lined reusable bags should be wiped using hot water and soap, and air-dried.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
March 28, 2013
Cloth and plastic-lined reusable bags should be completely dry before being stored.
Always put raw meats into a disposable plastic bag before putting them in a reusable bag. When using reusable bags, keep
meats, fresh produce, and ready-to-eat foods separated from other food products. Additionally, consumers should clean
any reusable bags used for carrying food before using for other purposes such as carrying books or gym clothes.
Tips to help remember to use bags include:
Always start a shopping list with “Bring Bags.”
Keep a collapsible bag in a purse, backpack, or briefcase.
Keep bags in the car.
City staff will hold two business information sessions for retailers to learn about the new law on Thursday, April 11, 2013.
The noon session will take place from 12 – 1 p.m. at Oregon Community Credit Union located at 2880 Chad Drive. The
evening session will take place from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the Bascom Room of the Eugene Public Library (first floor, 100 West
10 Avenue).
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To learn more about the ordinance, and to view a listing of locations that offer free or reduced price bags, please visit
www.eugene-or.gov/plasticbags or contact Stephanie Scafa at 541-682-5652.
Extended Closure of Olive Street to Start April 1 for Safety Reasons
Olive Street between 12 and 13 avenues will be closed for approximately six months starting Monday, April 1, to protect
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motorists, cyclists and pedestrians from heavy equipment and construction activity on a major housing project being
constructed by Capstone Collegiate Communities.
The closure includes sidewalks on both sides of Olive Street between 12 and
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13 avenues as well as the sidewalks on the north side of 13 Avenue between
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Charnelton and Willamette and the sidewalk on the west side of Willamette next
to the building site. The closed areas will be fenced off to keep motorists,
cyclists and pedestrians a safe distance from active work zones. Last fall, the
West 12 Alley between Olive and Willamette streets was closed, and that
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access route will remain closed until a new accessway for pedestrians and
cyclists is opened. Also this spring, one lane on the north side of 13 Avenue
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between Charnelton and Olive streets will be closed to allow trucks to off-load
materials and equipment for the construction of the second phase of the
Capstone project on the west side of Olive Street.
Safety is the main reason for closing the rights-of-way during construction.
Large cranes will be moving heavy loads overhead, including across Olive
Street. Large trucks, concrete pumpers and other heavy equipment will be
parked in, or crossing, Olive Street and off-loading materials on the north side of
13th Avenue. Building walls and other structures will be built near the closed
sidewalks, and pedestrians and cyclists could be injured by falling equipment or
construction materials. As an indication of the amount of truck traffic, the
Capstone contractor estimates an average of 60 trucks will enter the work zone
each day, and as many as 100 trucks per day may enter the site on a busy day.
Under the terms of a City-approved traffic control plan, advanced signage will be installed to advise travelers to use
alternate routes. Traffic conditions will be monitored, and traffic control will be modified if necessary. The City’s traffic
engineer has worked with Lane Transit District staff to develop alternate routes for buses that currently use the Olive
Street corridor.
In preparation for the closure, staff developed informational signage that the contractor will be installing. Key stakeholders
were contacted, and the project web site at www.eugene-or.gov/CapstoneClosures has been updated with a question-and-
answer fact sheet and other materials.
For more information, contact Traffic Engineer Tom Larsen at 541-682-4959 or Tom.C.Larsen@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
March 28, 2013
Register for Popular Softball Leagues
Each year, thousands of men and women have fun and get exercise playing on City sport leagues, including more than
3,300 individuals who play softball every summer. Registration for the summer men’s,
women’s and co-ed softball teams will be held April 2 - 5 at the Athletics Office in
Amazon Center, 2700 Hilyard Street. Registration is by team only.
To register, teams must complete a league classification sheet, fill out a roster with
player’s signatures and take the documents, along with the total fee, to the Athletics
Office. Documents and fee information are available online at www.eugene-
or.gov/athletics, or at the Athletics Office.
Registration for returning teams is April 2, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and April 3, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
New teams may register on a space-available basis on April 4 and 5, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Play gets underway on May 19 for the 10-week summer softball season. For more information, contact Dave Battaglia at
541-682-5409.
Learn to Use Technology at Eugene Public Library
In a world of ever-expanding choices in information and entertainment technology, the Eugene Public Library provides
user-friendly assistance to community members with new devices and interests. Admission to these two-hour classes is
free.
Discover expert techniques for “Successful Internet Searching” at a new class on
Thursday, April 18, at 1:30 p.m. Participants will learn professional methods to
find information on the web – and save time.
The Library will present “eBooks: How to Choose an eReader or Tablet” on Sunday,
April 14, at 2:30 p.m. This workshop helps participants figure out which device is
right for them, with different types on hand to test-drive.
Bring a Nook to “eBooks for Nook” on Monday, April 15, at 5:30 p.m., to learn how to download free eBooks from the
Eugene Public Library. Similar classes for new owners of other devices are “iPad for Beginners” on Sunday, April 7, at 2:30
p.m. or Monday, April 22, at 5:30 p.m., and “eBooks for Kindle” on Monday, April 1, at 5:30 p.m.
On Saturday, April 20, at 10 a.m., learn how to “Store and Share Digital Photos.” Beginners get a user-friendly “Intro to
Computers” on Sunday, April 21, at 1:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
April 1 Opening for First New Disc Golf Course in Eugene in 25 Years
A new 18-hole disc golf course in Alton Baker Park will open to the public on April 1, 25 years after the last disc golf course
opened in Westmoreland Park.
The course was intentionally designed in the underused and overgrown areas of the park,
and stresses the importance of the safety of other park users. As part of his management
contract, Andy Rich has taken over the City’s responsibilities for mowing and
maintenance of the course’s 14 acres and will also pay the City a monthly fee.
The Alton Baker course is also the City’s first pay-to-play disc golf course. The fee is $3
daily and memberships sell for $40-$60 and allow open play for a year and other benefits.
It’s serendipitous that Andy Rich is contract manager of the new course. He was inspired
to take up the sport when, at age 10, he first saw disc golf being played at Westmoreland.
Six years later, he was Oregon Disc Golf Champion. As the manager of the Alton Baker course, Rich will no doubt help
dozens of other kids, and adults, start playing the sport.
The Alton Baker course will soon also feature a pro shop, snack bar and food cart. Later this summer, Rich says players will
be able to call or go online to reserve tee times. For more information, call Recreation’s Athletics Manager Dave Battaglia at
541-682-5409.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
March 28, 2013