Renewal plan faces challenge
A petition contesting the
proposed Riverfront Urban
Renewal District may pass
the issue to voters this fall
By Parker Howell
News Reporter
Voters may need to approve the
city's plan to fund projects in the
Riverfront Urban Renewal District af
ter opponents of the plan submitted
a petition challenging it April 9. The
Eugene City Council had approved
the new district on March 8.
The urban renewal district covers
areas east of downtown, including the
Eugene Water and Electric Board
headquarters and the Riverfront Re
search Park. The plan also includes a
controversial proposal to reroute
Broadway to run east of the planned
federal courthouse site.
Petitioners collected 4,235 signa
tures but only needed 3,722 valid
signatures of registered voters to put
the referendum on the ballot. If ap
proved, the referendum would give
voters the opportunity to approve or
reject the urban renewal district.
The city has forwarded 4,166 signa
tures to Lane County for final ap
proval and county officials have until
April 26 to verily the signatures.
. Differences between the present and
future assessed value of property within
the urban renewal district would create
^ taxes to be used for public improve
ment projects in the district.
Opponents cite different reasons
for opposing the plan, saying the
district would divert money from
other needed services and may lead
to construction along the
Willamette River.
Housing and Neighborhoods Man
ager Richie Weinman said the referen
dum could appear on either a Sep
tember special election ballot or
during the Nov. 2 general election.
Eugene resident Ruth Duemler or
ganized the petition effort, coordi
nating about a dozen signature gath
erers. Duemler said the petition met
with public support, and she be
lieved enough signatures were col
lected to place the referendum on
the ballot.
"People were eager to sign," Duem
ler said.
"We are not against
development — we
want the public to have
a say in how their
money is spent
as taxpayers."
Ruth Duemler
Eugene resident
Duemler said urban renewal is not
the city's best use of tax revenues.
"I think (people) are fearful of
spending so much money (on urban
renewal) when we have other priori
ties," she said.
Duemler said petitioners were not
opposed to developing the area,
however.
"We've seen some very fine build
ings go up without urban renewal
funding," Duemler said. "We are not
against development — we want the
public to have a say in how their
money is spent as taxpayers."
Eugene resident and land-use ac
tivist Zachary Vishanoff said he hoped
the city would cease work on urban
renewal until more public hearings
were held.
'The problem is, urban renewal has
a bad track record in terms of ac
countability," Vishanoff said.
Vishanoff said he didn't feel the city
had solicited enough input from resi
dents about urban renewal plans.
"What I would like to see is the city
having a real dialogue with people on
urban renewal," he said. "I'm pes
simistic about the city's decision and
timetable on this thing."
Ward 3 City Councilor David Kel
ly, who voted in favor of creating the
district, said he supports the plan as
a tool to help improve the down
town area.
"I think that central-city revitaliza
tion is really important for Eugene's
continued health," Kelly said.
Kelly said the plan will reshape the
entrance to downtown and increase
accessibility to the Willamette River
for pedestrians who aren't familiar
with the area.
He said he would like the plan to
be "a good deal more specific" in
terms of the projects it allows. Kelly
said he pushed for a clause in the
plan that refers any projects of
$250,000 or more to the council for
approval. Citizens would be able to
have a say in such projects through
the council, he said.
If voters reject the Riverfront plan,
Kelly said that "significantly less" de
velopment would occur in the area.
"We're going to see less activity and
less success of the area," Kelly said.
Kelly said some opponents are
concerned about rerouting Broad
way because it would be too close to
the river. However, he said the road
would actually be south of the rail
road tracks.
"You can have a debate as to how
close to the river that is," Kelly said.
Kelly emphasized that money ear
marked for urban renewal would
come from tax increases in the area
that would not likely be generated at
all without the urban renewal district.
Contact the city/state politics reporter
at parkerhowell@dailyemerald.com.
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Friday and weekend
• Art exhibit featuring Bachelor of Fine Arts painting by Meghan Calhoun
and Miki'ala Souza, BFA sculpture by Lee Ann Peterson and BFA ceram
ics by Rosemary Raburn, LaVerne Krause Gallery, Lawrence Hall, Friday,
10a.m.-3p.m.
• Oregon Ballroom Dance, Room 220, Gertinger Hall, Friday, 7:30-11:30
p.m.
• Play reading directed by Jennifer Thomas, Robinson Theatre, Friday,
7:30 p.m,
• Welcome Back Swifts event - thousands of Vaux’s Swifts will enter the
Agate Hall chimney to roost for the night. The birds begin circling about
30 minutes before sunset, Agate Hall, Friday, 7:30 p.m. A second swifts
event is planned April 23.
• Repertory Dance Company Concert Tour, Dougherty Dance Theatre,
Gerlinger Annex, Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m.
• Historic Preservation lecture featuring a presentation by Tama Tochihara en
titled “Lost and Found: Preserving the Japanese Gardens of the Issei in Seat
tie,” and by Jose Gamez entitled "Painting the Town: Muralism and the Poli
tics of Identity in East LA." Room 282, Lillis Hall, Saturday, 9-10:45 a.m.
• 29ttvannual Hui O' Hawai'i Lu'au featuring authentic Hawai'ian food,
traditional dancing and live music, McArthur Court, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
• Chamber Music Series Concert entitled “Masters of Indian Music,”
Beall Concert Hall, Saturday, 8 p.m.
• Outdoor Fiber-In, sunny weather: EMU East Lawn; rainy weather: EMU
Fishbowl, Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
• University Symphony, Beall Concert Hall, Sunday, 3 p.m.
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2004 ASUO Elections
Voter’s Guide Correction
Question:
Shall the ASUO Constitution be changed to strike the following language?
Section 6.15
The ASUO recommended incidental fee assessment for each of the following
Major Programs:
1) ASUO Programs
2) The Athletic Department, and
3) The incidental fee portion of the EMU budget;
excluding replenishment for expenditures from the previous year's building reserves,
shall not exceed a 7% increase over the previous year’s student incidental fee
assessment, unless individually approved by an initiative or referendum shall
under Section 14 of this Constitution. If placed on the ballot, the measure shall
specify the exact amount in both percentage and dollars by which the 7% limitation
will be exceeded.
Explanation:
The Oregon University System policies governing the maintenance and funding of
building and equipment reserves has been changed. Where the old model was based
on a two part allocation, an annual percentage addition as well as a replenishment of
the past year’s expenditures, the new model is based solely on a five year plan for
expected expenditures. The language we ask to strike was added last year to
accommodate the old OUS system and requirements.
Submitted:
Maddy Melton, ASUO President 03-04
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