Eugene weekly., October 13, 2011, Page 9, Image 9

NEWS BRIEFS
“Give us our money back,” An Naitair said, “Create jobs
that are meaningful and are going to help us, the people.”
In addition to another Bank of America protest on Oct.
13, Occupy Eugene is planning an occupation protest of
its own at an as-of-yet undisclosed location on Oct. 15. Go
to occupyeugene.com or call 541-525-0130 for updates on
protests, meetings and other organizing details. — Dante
Zuñiga-West
BICYCLE SHARING
PHOTO BY DANTE ZUÑIGA-WEST
In response to a concern from Councilor Betty Taylor,
city planner Carolyn Weiss said the city is working
on changing the building code to allow density while
preserving solar access by requiring stepped or sloped
setbacks.
Councilor Pat Farr said he was glad the city was
working on the density issue. “One of the ways we prevent
spreading out is by building up,” he said.
Mayor Kitty Piercy said the city has made progress in
cutting utility bills for low income housing by as much as
half using federal stimulus funds for weatherization.
“This is really good news,” said Councilor Andrea Ortiz
of the energy and money savings.
McRae said the city is looking at ways to better align
monetary incentives for landlords to weatherize if tenants
are paying the utility bill.
But Piercy appeared willing to loosen a proposed
“complete streets” policy calling for bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure in every project. “How do we build some
fl exibility around that?” she asked, calling for “some way
of not locking ourselves in.”
Taylor also questioned whether the city should not do
more to keep neighborhood schools open for 20-minute
neighborhoods. “It’s one of the most important things,” she
said.
McRae said that he talked to 4J about the closures and
found their reasons complex. “I’m not sure that’s something
we would choose to push fairly hard on,” he said.
City transportation planner Rob Inerfeld said the city
is working on a new transportation plan that will include a
draft bicycle and pedestrian plan that calls for infrastructure
to double walking and biking rates in the next 20 years.
McRae said a key element will be funding the bike and
pedestrian improvements. Future street funding measures
could include money to add new sidewalks and bike ways
outside existing right-of-ways, he said. “Bonds could be
passed that had funding set aside.” — Alan Pittman
EUGENE, OCCUPIED
The Bank of America protest organized by Occupy
Eugene on Oct. 6 added local voices to the Occupy Wall
Street protests taking the nation by storm.
Approximately two hundred people gathered at the
intersection of East 11th and Pearl Street to protest in
solidarity with thousands of others who rallied in the larger
cities of New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland and
more. Protesters rallied against what they call the abuse
of corporate power and misuse of federal funding. Activist
Seamus An Naitair dressed as Robin Hood and used the
rally as a catalyst to close his Bank of America account.
“While the service at this branch has always been really
good, I just don’t agree with what’s happening at the top of
their organization and all the taxpayer money that all those
people received,” he said.
Eugene may get a bike-sharing program where people
can check sturdy bikes out of automated streetside kiosks.
The program depends on whether a grant comes through
for a feasibility study and the study shows the bike rental
system will work. The Lane Transit District has applied for
an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) grant to
conduct the feasibility study through its federally funded
point2point solutions program promoting alternative
transportation.
Many other cities including Washington, D.C., Boulder,
Colo., Madison, Wisc. and Boston, Mass. have used
bike sharing programs to reduce traffi c congestion, cut
greenhouse pollution and promote fi tness and livability.
Portland and New York City plan to create bike share
systems using a private vendor.
The feasibility study would examine the costs, benefi ts,
preferred locations, operations and implementing steps for
a bike share system in Eugene, according to information
provided to the Metropolitan Policy Committee this
week. The study will focus on downtown Eugene, close-
in neighborhoods, UO, LCC and Northwest Christian
University.
The Wisconsin-based B-cycle company demonstrated
its bicycle share kiosk at the Eugene Celebration in August.
ODOT has $21 million available to give “fl exible funds”
grants statewide. — Alan Pittman
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EUGENE WEEKLY OCTOBER 13, 2011 9