Oregon Daily
MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1993
EUGENE, OREGON
VOLUME 94, ISSUE 133
City planning to weigh
proposed amendments
j Changes designed to
reduce car use but increase
use of other transportation
By Meg Dedolph
Oregon Defy fmerakl
The Eugene Planning Commission will
consider tin* Transportation Rule Imple
mentation Project code amendments
designed to reduce car use and encourage
alternative transportation — at a public
hearing Tuesday.
The TRIP amendments affect land-use
codes, hicvcle parking and pedestrian and
transit access to buildings
The hearing is scheduled for 7:.'t() p.m.
Tuesday at the Citv Hall Council Cham
ber.
Seeing the world from the perspective
ol those who don't have cars or choose
not to use them is difficult, said Allen
Lowe, an associate city planner who man
aged the project
'Only a bike rider knows about the
problems of riding bikes." Lowe said.
"Car users don't. It's real important for
people who are pedestrians and bicyclists
to come to this meeting."
Lowe said the code amendments will
help i reate a more "pedestrian-friendly"
environment with better nighttime light
ing. benches to rest on and a sidewalk
system without gaps
Franklin Boulevard is an example of a
street unfriendly to pedestrians, he said.
"All the sidewalks are curbside side
walks.” Lowe said. "Sometimes your
elbow is within two feet of a passing car
Someone might jump the curb and wipe
you out."
The proposed amendments would
require sidewalks on streets like Franklin
to lie set back from the street and separat
ed from traffic by trees. Lowe said.
Other code amendments would require
businesses to provide both short- and
long-term covered bicycle parking for
patrons and employees
The amendments require long-term
parking spaces to f>e in a secure enclosure
to discourage theft.
Lowe said businesses may resist this
because of the hassle in building the
enclosures, prov iding kin s for employees
nud re-keying the locks in case a key is
lost
l.owe said he expects parking lot size
will he one of the most controversial
amendments Even though its purpose is
to provide another incentive for people to
leave their cars at home, he said he fears
it may he perceived .is an anti-business
regulation
Sue Prichard, a broker and owner of
Prichard and Evans Commercial Keal
Estate Company, said she is concerned
that limiting parking lot size will hurt
small and medium-sized businesses
"If it makes it difficult for small busi
nesses, buildings and investors to make
a living, it's bad for the future." she said.
I .owe said business owners are worried
that without parking, i ustomers will tie
lost and hanks will he reluctant to loan
money to the business
I .owe also said be hopes limiting park
ing lot size will reduce the construction
of seasonal parking lots like those built by
large stores to accommodate holiday
shoppers.
"For the rest of the year, there's a huge
oversupply of parking." l.owe said "We
have to ask if that's wise land-use policy."
The TRIP amendments also affei t
building density, the amount of land
taken up by a building, and the amount
reserved for parking on a specific lot
For example, under the proposed
amendments, a building on 1.000 square
feet of land in the downtown district
would have to be 2.000 square feet, result
ing in a two-story building
Buildings like this could become multi
use buildings with retail space on the
ground floor and apartments or office
space above, l.owe said
Bv clustering downtown buildings
together, increasing the number of people
in these buildings anil reducing the
amount of available parking for cars, the
amendments hope to encourage the use of
public: transportation
‘‘We're preferring more lots be occu
pied by buildings, and less by parking."
Lowe said
The TRIP amendments will probably
Turn to PROJECT. Page f>
Bonnet brouhaha
R*0*O by Aftfftgrty Kwfw&y
Walt Parrish, owner of Paragon Goldsmiths in the Fifth Street Public
Market, shows off his bonnet m the fourth annual Best Bonnet contest
All store owners and employees were eligible to enter
Jury ponders fate of policemen involved in King beating
j For conviction, jury must find an
intent to inflict unreasonable force
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury resumed deliberating
the guilt or innocence of four policemen in the fleeting of
Rodney King Sunday after five jurors spent the morning
attending Easter services.
The jurors got under way about noon in their unusual
holiday session and planned to continue until 5 p m
At one point. U S. District Judge John (i Davies
refused a request by jurors to give them the transcript of
testimony by a key witness — California Highway Patrol*
woman Melanie Singer
Although she hod Iteen called to testify as a defense
witness. Singer ended up weeping on the stand, saving
she saw one of the officers strike King in the fat e with a
baton. Baton blows to the head ore banned by police
rules.
"Even if I hod it. I would not have sent it in because
that tends to emphasize testimony." the judge told
lawyers during a brief hearing
Davies had included in the jury's legal instructions a
warning that they hod to rely on their own memories id
testimony in trying to reach a dec ision.
The jury received the federal civil rights case Saturday
after a last round of final arguments and spent two-nnd
a lialf flours getting started on their task.
Some defense lawyers were at the courthouse and oth
Turn to TRIAL. Page 4
WEATHER
Clouds should prevail over
most of the Eugene-Spring field
area today with a few breaks of
sunshine
Rain and cloudiness will con
tinue into the week.
Today in History
In 1877. the catchers mask
was first used in a baseball
game.
FROM
THE
PAST
Members of ihe Della
On hestra perform in
Ihe Delta House, owned
by Ihe Gamma Phi Beta
sorority. The Della
Orchestra was together
from 1924-26
Arcfwe Photo
_SPORTS
ARLINGTON. Tinas (AP>— Roger Clemen* is off lo his
usual start in a most unusual way
Given a big lead early. Clemens breezed through the potent
Texas lineup Saturday night, giving up six hits in seven
innings as Boston won 10-2.
)uan Gonzalez hit a home run off of a thigh-high fastball in
the sixth for the only run off Glemens (2-0). who walked
none, strui k out seven and threw 71 of 1(11 pitches for
stnkes.
Clemens, w ho beat Kansas City 3-1 on opening night, ha*
given up two earned runs in his first 15 innings this season
lora 1.20 ERA