HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 05/13/13 Work SessionMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8` Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
May 13, 2013
5:30 p.m.
Councilors Present: George Brown, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, George Poling, Mike Clark, Chris Pryor,
Claire Syrett, Greg Evans
Her Honor, Mayor Piercy, called the May 13, 2013, City Council work session to order.
A. COMMITTEE REPORTS: Chamber of Commerce, Housing Policy Board, Lane Regional Air
Protection Agency, Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission
Councilors reported on recent activities, projects, and items for committees they represent,
including:
• Highlights of the Dalai Lama visit
• Opening of new shelter for women at Eugene Mission
• Traffic safety issues around 30th and Hilyard
• Issues with new law requiring 5� charge for paper bags.
• Reports from Housing Policy Board, Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission,
Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, and Police Commission meetings
• Upcoming or recent neighborhood meetings
• Gang Summit
• Success of University of Oregon men's and women's track teams and women's softball
team.
Councilors debated the merits of revisiting the ordinance banning the use of plastic bags, sharing
specific concerns about the 5� charge for paper bags.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Taylor, moved to bring
back an ordinance to suspend enforcement of the 5� per bag surcharge while the council
evaluates the impact of this new ordinance. PASSED 5:3, Councilors Syrett, Zelenka and
Evans opposed.
B. WORK SESSION:
Multi -Unit Property Tax Exemption ( MUPTE) Program
Urban Services Manager Denny Braud gave a recap of MUPTE and presented information and
options for revising the program to the council.
Councilors expressed their support for the following elements: local hiring„ housing type, family
MINUTES — Eugene City Council May 13, 2013 Page 1
Work Session
size units, affordable units, project location, features, open space, parking, compatibility with
existing neighborhood and increased or additional public benefit.
There was general support for convening a panel of local business people /stakeholders to review
the program and proposed changes. Other suggestions and ideas included:
• Confirm local hiring requirement by using a certified payroll service to show zip codes of
all workers.
• LEED certification is important.
• Application deadline should be once a year and request for funds should be competitive.
• Put a cap on the amount of financial exemption.
• Neighborhood contact and collaboration are important.
• Align MUPTE boundaries with Envision Eugene boundaries.
• Third party verification is one way to evaluate the effectiveness of the process.
• Scalability and flexibility are important.
• Consider contract preferences for women- and minority -owned businesses.
• Triple bottom line important in creating program and evaluating proposals.
• Establishing a minimum threshold allows applicants to improve project for bigger
exemption.
• No exemptions for uses that compete with existing businesses.
Mayor Piercy asked that a poll be taken to determine council support for a panel discussion with
local developers, financiers, engineers, builders, etc., in order to better understand the issues,
concerns, elements and challenges applicants must address to receive the tax exemption.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Mortensen
Deputy City Recorder
MINUTES — Eugene City Council May 13, 2013 Page 2
Work Session