Oregon daily emerald., January 13, 2004, Image 1

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iuesday, January 13, 2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 77
Council
to hear
rezoning
proposal
The recommended zonal
change for East Campus
would allow the University
to use and develop the land
By Nika Carlson
News Reporter
After nearly two years of contentious
negotiations and unprecedented input
from neighborhood residents, the East
Campus area is on its way to a long-term
change in character.
The Eugene Planning Commission vot
ed unanimously Monday to recommend
changes to the city's East Campus area pol
icy to the Eugene City Council. The deci
sion paves the way for increased develop
ment on University lands in the East
Campus area.
If approved by the city council, zoning
in much of the approximately 12-block
area will be changed from residential to
government and education, allowing for
student housing and other University
services to be built in the now mostly
residential area.
A transition of high-density residential
and institutional buildings followed by a
buffer of residential housing will separate
the area from the surrounding Fairmount
neighborhood.
"It was clear that it was time to get in a
place so we could use those lands for ex
pansion," said Jan Oliver, University asso
ciate vice president of Institutional Affairs.
The University purchased the lands, locat
ed east of Agate Street and south of East
15th Avenue, nearly 40 years ago with the
intention of developing them, she said.
Turn to EAST, page 8
Downtown debate
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Before Monday
evening’s protest in
front of Eugene City
Hall, KEZI’s Andrea
Ash speaks with
several protesters
(left to right): attorney
Brian Michaels,
University ulumnas
Zachary Vishanoff,
Web designer Brooke
Robertshaw and
local activist Michael
Carrigan.
Tim Bobosky
Photographer
About 50 people protested
on Monday about an ordinance
that requires groups in the
downtown area to have permits
By Nika Carlson
News Reporter
On Christmas Eve, a group of 85 carolers
marched through downtown Eugene, braving
not only the driving rain but the threat of
fines and jail time for gathering in a group of
more than 25.
Monday evening they gathered again in a
group of nearly 50 before the Eugene City
Council's meeting to protest the recently passed
city ordinance that can punish them.
Eugene Ordinance No. 20303, passed Nov.
24, requires groups of more than 25 to obtain a
permit before assembling in the downtown
core, among other restrictions it puts on down
town activities.
The punishment for not following the law is
a fine of $500 for an unplanned gathering and
up to $ 1,000 and one year of jail time for inten
tionally congregating.
"We the people don't feel we need a permit
to exercise our constitutional right to assemble,"
said Michael Carrigan, one of the organizers of
the ad hoc coalition of protesters.
The provision requires groups to pay a fee to
obtain a permit through the nonprofit group
Downtown Eugene Inc., an organization of
downtown business owners and property own
ers in the downtown activity zone, the 35
blocks located in the area between Sixth Avenue
and 11th Avenue and running from Lincoln
Street to High Street.
The provision existed in a previous ordinance
adopted about 10 years ago, but in November
the area it applied to was expanded by five
blocks from Chamelton to Lincoln streets.
City Manager Dennis Taylor said the city at
torney and the police chief were working to
simplify the permitting process and limit it to
commercial activities. He expects them to
have results to bring before the Council in
several weeks.
Nine people from the crowd of more than
70 spoke against the ordinance during the
meeting's public forum, expressing shock and
Turn to PROTEST, page 8
Danielle Hickey Photo Editor
The new Moss Street Children’s Center, located at East 17th Avenue and
Moss Street, is still under construction but opened five classrooms Jan. 5.
Child-care center nears completion
Only five classrooms are open
now, but the $3 million center will
serve 120 children in eight rooms
By Chelsea Duncan
News Reporter
The hallways are unheated, and two of
the playgrounds are not yet built, but
fresh finger-paintings already decorate
the classroom walls of the newly opened
Moss Street Children's Center.
The new center, a culmination of the
University Child Care and Development
Center's programs, opened five of its
classrooms Jan. 5 after about two years of
planning and development, CCDC
Child Care Coordinator Dennis
Reynolds said.
"It's just cool," he said. "It's beautiful,
and it works."
The center provides child care services
mainly to University students, as well as
some faculty, staff and community
members.
Reynolds said he has been dreaming of
a center like this since he submitted his first
proposal to the University in 1988.
"A generation or two of kids later, we
got a new building," he said.
Construction at the center is expected
to be completed in February, and more
programs will be added in the summer.
The nearly $3 million building, which
was funded by student building fees, will
eventually operate eight classrooms and
accommodate about 120 children,
Reynolds said.
He said the center brings together
child-care programs that were located in
the EMU with programs based in three
facilities located on Moss Street, which
Turn to CHILD CARE, page 4
WEATHER
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43
HIGH
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INSIDE
Campus buzz.4
Classifieds.7
Commentary..2
Crossword.7
Crossword solutions.3
Sports.5
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