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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2003)
Alternative Accredited High School · Wellsprings Friends School Open House Wednesday 6:30-8:30 p.111. August 21st & 27th based on unconditional acceptance • experiential learning emphasized small classes, supportive community • problem-solving approach to social & academic issues valuing non-violence, diversity, & living in the Quaker spirit of mutual respect '~ Culture of Affirmation.'' 3590 w. 18th Avenue Eugene-. 686~1223 FRIENDS SCHOOL Your McKenzie River ADVENTURE SOURCE RAFT RENTALS WHITEWATER TRIPS RIVER CENTER FISHING TRIPS KAYAK CLASSES & GEAR II want to just say the supply is 2,000 acres short, add that land, and lose it." The governor's task force draft report also recognized the problem ofland owners seeking to rezone their industrial land to make more money. "R_esidential and com- mercial land sells for two to 20 times indus- trial land," the study noted. The Register-Gua_rd company, which is one of the region's largest developers , is now seeking to ~hange zoning rules to allow it to make more money by allowing medical offices on its 4 7 acres of industrial land along Chad Drive. The City Council is now moving forward with new zoning rules to allow hospitals to be built on industrial land, Segel points out. The city needs to tighten its zoning and protect existing industrial sites instead of allowing commercial development "pretty much wherever anybody wants it," Bettman says. "It's destructive." SHIVEL READY Sprawl supporters say opening up the growth boundary will create jobs when big industry is attracted to build in new "shov- el ready" greenfield sites. But Bettman says that what sprawl sup- porters are shoveling doesn't smell like jobs. The state and city have pursued a strategy of attracting big industry for the ple want to live here, want to do business here; and are attracted here." Urbllll sprawl creates high costs for tax- payers, often low-wage big-box and strip mall jobs and isn't good for the local econ- omy, Bettman says. Segel says sprawl takes away resource lands that are a key part of the st~te and local economy. "We have an industry in • Oregon, it's called farming and forestry" "There's 1;10 data connecting the expan- sion of the urban growth boundary with creating jobs, " Bettman says. But a few wobbling council votes may be all that stands in th'e .way of developers ~ashing in on sprawl at.taxpayer expense. · A council majority (Meisner, George Poling, Gary Pape, Jennifer Solomon and mayor Jirn Torrey) voted to take scarce meeting time for the Metro Partnership's presentation . last month~on . growth bound- . ary expansion. Kelly, as a member of the partnership board, voted for the business group's letter urging the council to study expansion. Kelly said he favors a broad study that includes redevelopment alternatives, but not necessarily UGB expansion. " If the let- ter had said expand the UGB period , I wouldn't have voted for it." City planning staff often provide key guidance to councilors on such decisions. ~ Located on the McKenzie River, next to Mom's Pies FREE RAFT DELIVERY & PICK UP! Adventure River Center 49701 McKenzie Hwy, Blue River, Oregon www.AdventureRiverCenter.com • 822-3888 'There are land speculators out there that will profit obscenely depending on where the UGB is.' - Bonny Bettman REMEMBER UPCOMING ISSUES WHEN OUR TOWN HAD~ COUNTRYSIDE AUG 28 College Football Season Preview . ??? _·SEPT 4 Nevada Football Game Preview SEPT 11 Arizona Football Game Preview SEPT 18 Michigan Football Game Preview SEPT 25 Washington Football Game Preview 0 UNIVE RS ITY past decade and unemployment has gotten worse, not better, Bettman says. "Those are failed economic development strategies." Kelly and Bettman say the city should focus on existing small businesses. "The vast majority of new jobs created in a com- munity come from local businesses," Kelly says. He points to a recent R-G story r~rt- ing that in the local enterprise zones, "the great majority of small tax-break recipients . . . have prospered, while many of the big tax-break recipients have closed plants or cut jobs ." Bettman says rather than giving away big tax breaks and funding urban SJ?rawl, ' the city should fund good schools, parks and other livable city services "so that peo- But the city planning department recently lost its planning director and another veter- . an planner to retirements and has yet to weigh in on the issue. City planner Kurt Yeiter says launching a UGB expansion study now, "seems just a little premature." An ongoing city natural resource inventory and parks acquisition program could effect the available land sup- ply over the next six months, he said. "We should wait for some of those to wind down so we know what land it is we are measur- ing." Roberts told the council he has already contacted a private consultant to do the UGB expansion study which he wants to IW start next month .
