Planning Commission

SUMMARY MINUTES Regular Meeting Eugene Planning Commission Sloat Room—The Atrium—99 West 10th Avenue June 18, 2007 11:30 a.m. PRESENT: Rick Duncan, President; Randy Hledik, Vice President; Jon Belcher, Phillip Carroll, Ann Kneeland, Anthony McCown, members; Denny Braud, Sue Cutsogeorge, Nan Laurence, Susan Muir, Steve Nystrom, Richie Weinman, Planning and Development Department; Gary McNeel, Public Works Department; Deb Brewer, Charles Biggs, Rick Varnum, Rosie Pryor, Zachary Vishanoff, Jim Spickerman, Rick Satre, Rob Dehnert, Debbie Jeffries. ABSENT: John Lawless, member; Mike Sullivan, ex officio. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES--Minutes of April 9, 23, and 24, 2007. II. URBAN RENEWAL UPDATE AND CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT PLAN Staff: Richie Weinman, 682-5533 Mr. Carroll, seconded by Mr. Hledik, moved to recommend the amendments of the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan amendments and the citizen involvement strategy. Mr. Carroll withdrew his motion and Mr. Hledik withdrew is second. Mr. Belcher, seconded by Mr. McCown, moved to acknowledge receipt of the plan by the Planning Commission and given the relative completeness of the citizen involvement process, had no comments to offer. The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. III. PROCESS SESSION: PREPARATION FOR PLANNING COMMISSION DELIBERATION OF MCKENZIE-WILLAMETTE PLAN AMENDMENTS/ZONE CHANGE Staff: Steve Nystrom, 682-8385 IV. ITEMS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Other Items from Staff B. Other Items from Commission MINUTES—Eugene Planning Commission June 18, 2007 Page 1  MINUTES Regular Meeting Eugene Planning Commission Sloat Room—The Atrium—99 West 10th Avenue June 18, 2007 11:30 a.m. PRESENT: Rick Duncan, President; Randy Hledik, Vice President; Jon Belcher, Phillip Carroll, Ann Kneeland, Anthony McCown, members; Denny Braud, Sue Cutsogeorge, Nan Laurence, Susan Muir, Steve Nystrom, Richie Weinman, Planning and Development Department; Gary McNeel, Public Works Department; Deb Brewer, Charles Biggs, Rick Varnum, Rosie Pryor, Zachary Vishanoff, Jim Spickerman, Rick Satre, Rob Dehnert, Debbie Jeffries. ABSENT: John Lawless, member; Mike Sullivan, ex officio. Mr. Duncan convened the Planning Commission meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Charles Biggs, 540 Antelope Way, hoped the Planning Commission would change its zone change decision making efforts. He hoped every time commission ensured a balance was achieved when making refinement plan changes. He said previous hospital rezoning actions resulted in less housing. He expressed concern that the proposed zoning changes associated with the McKenzie Willamette Medical Center would result in less housing in the Willakenzie area. I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES--Minutes of April 9, 23, and 24, 2007. Mr. Hledik offered a correction to the April 24, 2007 minutes. Upon noting two commissioners absent from today’s meeting may wish to provide corrections to the April 9, 23, or 24, 2007 minutes, there was consensus to carry this item forward to the June 25, 2007 Planning Commission meeting. II. URBAN RENEWAL UPDATE AND CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT PLAN Richie Weinman provided the staff report. He said on May 29, 2007 the City Council, acting as the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) Board of Directors, initiated a process to amend the Central Eugene Project (also known as the Downtown District) Urban Renewal Plan. The plan update would increase the “maximum indebtedness” permitted in this district. The increase would enable spending to assist the West Broadway Redevelopment Project. The Planning Commission was asked to review draft amendments to the Urban Renewal Plan and to approve the citizen involvement plan (CIP). The CIP included opportunities to comment on the urban renewal amendment as well as other public involvement opportunities related to the West Broadway Redevelopment project. The City of Eugene was pursuing redevelopment of properties on West Broadway between MINUTES—Eugene Planning Commission June 18, 2007 Page 1 Willamette Street and Charnelton Streets. At a work session on May 14, 2007, the City Council directed staff to work with two developers for redevelopment of this area, and to create a Citizens Advisory Committee to provide input into the project. Based on council action, there were potentially four major areas for public involvement: • Urban Renew Plan amendment public hearing on July 16; • W. Broadway Citizens Advisory Committee meetings; • General public information sessions; • Possible code amendments that may be required to facilitate the project. Mr. Weinman said in order for the projects to move forward, the City’s finance plan included the use of urban renewal funds to purchase the properties and to pay for public improvements. This required a change of “maximum indebtedness,” and an amendment to the urban renewal plan for that district. The current maximum indebtedness of $33 million has virtually been spent, primarily for the library. The proposed increase of $40 million would bring the total allowable “maximum indebtedness” to $73 million. Based upon Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS), changing the maximum indebtedness is a “substantial amendment” which required an opportunity for the Planning Commission to review and comment on proposed amendments; notification to the governing body of each taxing district impacted by the plan; a public notice mailed to the general public; a display advertisement in the newspaper; and a public hearing. Mr. Weinman stated an information session was anticipating a possible information session during the July 6, 2007 Downtown Art Walk and a City Council public hearing had been scheduled for July 16, 2007. In response to a question from Mr. Belcher, Mr. Weinman said it was the responsibility of the Planning Commission to approve CIPs, but the City Council had already directed staff to do the CIP. Mr. Belcher expressed concern that the request was being brought to the Planning Commission “after the fact”, and was unsure what the commission was being asked to approve. He said if the commission was supposed to be involved, it was not, and wished the commission had been involved because he believed this was a high interest/high controversy issue for the community. Mr. Weinman was asking the commission to comment, if it wished, on any elements of the Urban Renewal Plan update, and the Citizen Involvement Plan. It was not necessary to the commission to approve either item. He said there had been a significant amount of process and media attention around the Broadway Project. He added both the Eugene Redevelopment Advisory Committee (ERAC) and the City Council discussed the issue at several public sessions, and a public information session attended by 100’s of people had occurred at the Eugene Public Library (EPL) in May. Mr. Weinman added that it was not too late for the Planning Commission to make citizen involvement suggestions. Mr. Carroll said it would be useful to know how the public information sessions tied into the process. Ms. Laurence said there was no requirement for a CIP for developments that were permitted by right, however, the City Council initiated one because of the high publicity and the importance of the project. She added any code amendments resulting from the project would be brought to the Planning Commission. She stated the purpose of the public involvement for the project was to information the advisory committee and the role of the advisory committee was to inform the City Council, as directed by a council motion. MINUTES—Eugene Planning Commission June 18, 2007 Page 2 Mr. Weinman said Mayor Kitty Piercy had appointed an eleven member citizen advisory committee to review the downtown project and a facilitator for the project would be retained through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process. Mr. Duncan concurred with Mr. Belcher that the request for the commission to recommend the amendments to the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan was a request to rubber stamp a recommendation without having been provided an opportunity offer input on the CIP. Mr. Carroll understood the request was to adhere to state law and would support the proposed amendment. Mr. Carroll, seconded by Mr. Hledik, moved to recommend the amendments of the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan amendments and the citizen involvement strategy. Mr. Belcher said he preferred to acknowledge receipt of the document but refrain from making a recommendation to the council. Mr. Weinman explained the citizen involvement strategy that had occurred to date. Mr. Carroll withdrew his motion and Mr. Hledik withdrew is second. Mr. Belcher, seconded by Mr. McCown, moved to acknowledge receipt of the plan by the Planning Commission and given the relative completeness of the citizen involvement process, had no comments to offer. Mr. Carroll said he did not feel as though the commission was rubber stamping the amendments, and there would be opportunity for public comments through a City Council public hearing. He was comfortable with the amount of maximum indebtedness and approved of the dollar figure. The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. III. PROCESS SESSION: PREPARATION FOR PLANNING COMMISSION DELIBERATION OF MCKENZIE-WILLAMETTE PLAN AMENDMENTS/ZONE CHANGE Mr. Nystrom offered the staff presentation. He said the purpose of today’s process session is to coordinate with the Planning Commission in advance of their deliberations to maximize the effectiveness of their review. He stated the session would not involve any substantive discussion regarding the application itself. He said the council would consider the issue in September and the commission needed to reach a decision on a recommendation to the council by the end of August. Mr. Nystrom asked the commission to address the following topics: 1. Overall schedule (both Planning Commission and City Council). 2. Establishment of topic or criteria based agendas for each meeting. 3. Strategies for effective deliberation and decision making. Mr. Duncan reminded commissioners they would not be deliberating today, but asked them to MINUTES—Eugene Planning Commission June 18, 2007 Page 3 adopt a constructive strategy for discussion and deliberation of the McKenzie-Willamette Plan Amendment/Zone Change. Mr. Duncan facilitated a discussion to develop a discussion and deliberation strategy for the McKenzie-Willamette Plan Amendment/Zone Change. The commissioners reached consensus on the following: • It was the role of the Planning Commission to raise issues and concerns for the City Council. • There will be places where they disagree. • It was important to ensure there was an opportunity for all to be heard. • Give minority thought a good airing with each issue and convey those differences of opinion to the council. The Planning Commission agreed on the following schedule and topic list for the June 26, 27 and July 9, 2007 meetings: June 26 11:00 a.m. City Hall Council Chambers Goal 12 June 27 4:00 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Statewide Goals Metro Plan July 9 11:00 a.m. Library--Bascom/Tykeson Room Refinement Plan Policies Zone Change IV. ITEMS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Other Items from Staff Mr. Nystrom reminded commissioners they would meet in regular session on June 25, 2007. B. Other Items from Commission There were no other items from the commission. Mr. Duncan adjourned the Planning Commission meeting at 12:50 p.m. (Recorded by Linda Henry) m:\2007\planning and development department\planning division\planning commission\pc070618.doc MINUTES—Eugene Planning Commission June 18, 2007 Page 4