HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 05/08/13 Work SessionMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8 1 h Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
May 8, 2013
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: George Brown, Betty Taylor, George Poling, Mike Clark, Chris Pryor, Claire Syrett,
Greg Evans, Alan Zelenka (via conference phone).
Her Honor, Mayor Piercy opened the May 8, 2013, work session of the Eugene City Council.
A. WORK SESSION: Comprehensive Plan for Bringing Properties into City
City Manager Jon Ruiz, Executive Director of Library, Recreation and Cultural Services Renee
Grube, Senior Planner Terri Harding, and Principal Planner Steve Nystrom provided background
information noting that their presentation was focused on the River Road and Santa Clara areas
only, even though other parts of town do have properties that are outside the incorporated area
that could be annexed.
Santa Clara River Road Outreach and Learning Project ( SCRROL) members Carleen Reilly and
Kate Perle added the perspectives of the neighborhoods they represent as well as information
about the SCRROL process and longer -term goals.
Council Clark recapped the five principles he hoped would be used to guide the council's
deliberations and be incorporated into the plan.
1) No property owner should be forced to annex into the city.
2) Different incentives should be developed and implemented for applicable separate types of
property owners.
3) The city should develop an extensive communications plan to insure these residentsget
accurate information about the city's intentions and the property owner's opportunity to
benefit from annexation.
4) The process for annexation should be simplified and potentially discounted to allow for the
greatest number of property owners to take advantage of the opportunity.
5) The city will collaborate with the existing service providers and special districts in the area to
ensure greatest benefit to the area residents and to maintain to the extent possible locally
valued assets.
Council Discussion /Questions /Issues /Challenges:
There is general support for the City's policy to wait for a trigger such as proposed
development to initiate an annexation.
Changes to State law requiring all annexations to be contiguous with City properties
creates many challenges.
New tools to make annexation more attractive should be identified and developed.
There will be benefits to bringing all City services to a more complete level.
Considerable time and care must be given to determining the best way to merge the
River Road Parks District with the City's recreation programs.
Protection of farm lands and food security is the highest priority.
MINUTES — Eugene City Council May 8, 2013 Page 1
Work Session
Mayor Piercy noted that Margaret Harter, her assistant for the past six years, is retiring at the end of
May. Mayor Piercy introduced Dawn Branham, the new Mayor and Council Assistant.
Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Mortensen
Deputy City Recorder
MINUTES — Eugene City Council May 8, 2013 Page 2
Work Session