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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11-19 SEDA Meeting Minutes MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY HELD MONDAY,NOVEMBER 19, 2007 The Springfield Economic Development Agency met in the Jesse Maine Room,225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon on Monday,November 19, 2007 at 6:45 p.m.,with Board Chair John Woodrow calling the meeting to order. ATTENDANCE Present were Board Chair John Woodrow and Board Members Anne Ballew,Bill Dwyer, Sid Leiken,Christine Lundberg,Joe Pishioneri,Dave Ralston,and Hillary Wylie. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi,Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, SEDA Attorney Joe Leahy, Community Development Manager John Tamulonis and City Recorder Amy Sowa. Board member Faye Stewart was absent(excused). APPROVAL MINUTES a. Minutes of October 8,2007. IT WAS MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER LEIKEN WITH A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER PISHIONERI TO APPROVE THE OCTOBER 8,2007 SEDA MINUTES. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 8 FOR AND 0 AGAINST(1 Absent—Stewart). COMMUNICATIONS a. Business from the Audience 1. Fred Simmons, 312 South 52°d Place, Springfield,OR.Mr. Simmons said there was a requirement in ORS 457 that in August of each year SEDA publish a financial statement. He asked SEDA to instruct staff to do that. He referred to a report that he received by the Finance Department that only showed financial activity during the fiscal year,but they were required by state statute to produce a financial document showing revenue and expenditures.He asked that they conform to that requirement. Board Member Leiken asked that two copies of the report be sent to Mr. Simmons and Mr. Curtiss Greer. Mr. Tamulonis displayed the report that was filed in August 2006.They were waiting until they had been audited before submitting the report for 2007.That material was now available and would be included in the 2007 report. b. Correspondence None. REPORT OF CHAIR Springfield Economic Development Agency Minutes November 19,2007 Page 2 None. REPORT OF COMMITTEES None. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. OLD BUSINESS a. Springfield Downtown Urban Renewal Plan and Report. Mr.Tamulonis presented the staff report on this item. On November 6,2007,the Springfield electorate authorized the City Council to allocate taxes to a downtown urban renewal district. Allocation of taxes to an urban renewal district requires the creation and adoption of an urban renewal plan and report. A draft of the Springfield Downtown Urban Renewal Plan was reviewed by Council on September 17,2007. Council authorized staff to consult and confer with other affected taxing agencies and present the draft for review by the general public. On October 2, 2007,the proposed Springfield Downtown Urban Renewal Plan was reviewed by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan and Report with a minor text change describing how urban renewal could affect school funding. "Town Hall"events were held on August 7th and September 20th to present the draft plan for public review and comment. These events were publicized by display ads in the Register Guard,by media stories and by direct mail (September 20th meeting)to residents and property owners within the urban renewal plan boundary. Staff also made presentations to numerous community organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce,Rotary,and Lions Clubs. Presentations,consultations and conferring occurred with the staff and elected officials of the affected taxing bodies including Lane County, School District 19, Lane Educational Service District, Willamalane Park and Recreation District,and Lane Community College. Attachment 1 is the Springfield Downtown Urban Renewal Plan and Report and would become Exhibit A in the adopting ordinance for Council to consider November 19,2007 and November 26,2007. Attachment 2 summarizes the staff report to City Council for adoption of the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan. Attachment 3 summarizes comments and recommendations from the affected taxing bodies,the public,and those received through the Planning Commission review held on October 2°d. In response, staff has included in the Attachment 3,a series of recommended amendments that are intended to respond to these comments and to make changes that staff has identified to improve the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan and Report. Springfield Economic Development Agency Minutes November 19,2007 Page 3 Mr.Tamulonis distributed documentation of the notices sent out regarding the meetings on the Urban Renewal Plan. The ballot measure for an Urban Renewal District for Downtown was approved by the electors of Springfield and the official certified results of that election would be presented to Council on November 26. He referred to the other notices that had been placed in the newspaper as well as mailed out to the electors of Springfield regarding tonight's public hearing on the Urban Renewal Plan before the City Council. It was required by ORS 457 that SEDA look at the plan,make any necessary changes or comments and forward it on to the City Council.He referred to the attachments in the agenda packet. Attachment 3 included the recommendations from comments during the Planning Commission meeting. Mr.Tamulonis distributed a document that addressed the comment from Planning Commissioner Bill Carpenter regarding benefits of the public buildings projects.Mr.Tamulonis referred to Mr. Simmons recommendation on the list regarding downtown parking and explained how that could be added into the project list. Mr.Tamulonis noted that the expenditures in the project list were just suggestions. The actual amounts would be based on actual projects. He explained further. Discussion was held regarding surface parking and parking structures. Mr.Tamulonis referred to the other concerns by Mr. Simmons that were also addressed. He noted that the recommendations were from the Planning Commission. SEDA could comment on those recommendations and the City Council would make the final decision. Board Member Leiken asked if the school board voted on the original plan or the plan with the recommendations following the Planning Commission meeting. Mr. Tamulonis said they voted on the plan itself,but it was after the Planning Commission meeting. He explained the school districts discussion on the resolution. Board Member Leiken referred to the discussion from School Board Member Al King during their meeting on the plan and noted that Mr.King was an investment banker and past legislator and understood the financial issues. Board Member Dwyer said the school board made their decision based on the way the State allocated funding to the school per student. Mr.Tamulonis discussed a request from Willamalane to include the Memorial Building in the urban renewal district.He distributed a memo from Bob Keefer of Willamalane regarding that request and noted their other request from the Planning Commission meeting to include Meadow Park on the project list. Mr. Tamulonis said his hope was that SEDA would approve the urban renewal plan and forward it on to the City Council. Board member Ballew said she thought the School District had bought the Memorial Building. Mr.Tamulonis said Willamalane still owned it,but the school leased it. There were some seismic upgrades that needed to be made to the building. Springfield Economic Development Agency Minutes November 19,2007 Page 4 Board Member Ballew discussed the recommendation to"Adjust Schools Revenue Forgone statement". Mr.Tamulonis explained that it was just an explanation that SEDA tax increment funds would not be going to the school. Board Member Leiken recalled that Willamalane had once had the Memorial Building on the market,but it did not sell. It seemed that Willamalane was asking SEDA to help with upgrades and then they could turn around and sell it.He would like to ask Mr. Keefer. Board Member Dwyer said that issue could be accommodated with appropriate language. Board Member Ralston referred to page 25 of the urban renewal report and asked if the figures were based on the boundary going out to 23'd Street. He asked if the numbers would change if the boundary was made smaller. Mr.Tamulonis said that was correct. Board Chair Woodrow said when Council met on July 23'd,they approved the boundary to 23'd Street by a vote of 4 to 2. IT WAS MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER LEIKEN WITH A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER PISHIONERI TO FORWARD THE PROPOSED SPRINGFIELD DOWNTOWN URBAN RENEWAL PLAN TO THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL FOR POSSIBLE ADOPTION. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 8 FOR AND 0 AGAINST(1 Absent—Stewart). Board Member Ballew asked about the Memorial Building. Mr.Tamulonis said Council could consider the issue on the Memorial Building during their next meeting.He referred to some photos on display of the 14th Street bike path project,the first SEDA project in Glenwood. NEW BUSINESS Board member Dwyer announced that he would again be raising funds to provide turkeys to be distributed for Christmas. His goal this year was to raise$10,000 for the turkey feed. St.Vincent DePaul and the food bank would provide the distribution. ADJOURNMENT A member of the audience asked if there were any plans for South A Street between 19th and 23rd Streets,especially regarding private homes. Mr.Tamulonis said SEDA had no plans of acquiring any property,although they could do some housing rehabilitation.There was nothing else planned in that area. The citizen said she had heard that there was a possibility of improving the couplet at Main Street and South A Street in that area. Springfield Economic Development Agency Minutes November 19,2007 Page 5 Mr.Tamulonis said discussions had been held about making improvements to that couplet,but it had been discussion only.He said it was likely to be years out before any plans were made. The meeting was adjourned at 7:13 pm. Minutes Recorder—Amy Sowa Christine Lundberg Secretary