FY 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

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Major Initiatives City Council Goals. .,~ :::'~ Each year, the Eugene City Council reviews the progress on previously adopted Council goals and then adopts a revised set of priority issues that will inspire the development of work plans over the next year. The Council goals __:' were most recently reviewed and updated by the Council in January and February 2007. The following goals ;: ~ were pursued in FY08: • Neighborhood Empowerment -This goal includes redesign of the neighborhood initiative to support the neighborhoods, which includes: public participation in the livability and protection of neighborhoods, identification of specific redevelopment strategies that preserves the integrity of residential uses including; design standards, site review, down zoning, infill regulation, and bolstering and empowering neighborhood associations to become more involved. In FY08, the neighborhood empowerment staff team began joint meetings with representatives of the Neighborhood Leaders Council. An important focus has been to continue to implement the Council- approved Neighborhood Empowerment Action Plan. As recommended in the plan, a neighborhood planning position was filled in December 2007 to assist neighborhood associations to be better informed and to be more effective participants in the land use review process. Review of the minor land use code amendment process continued in FY08 with an emphasis on a community-based approach. Task teams were assembled to work on two other items called out in the neighborhood action plan: infill compatibility standards, and opportunity siting. These teams will report back in FY09. A Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan was adopted that contained many items to address neighborhood concerns and improve safety; and transportation planning staff developed a public engagement process for all street design projects. A contractor was selected to evaluate the City's neighborhood services program and to provide recommendations regarding structure, organization, and staffing of the program. Eight proposals were approved from those submitted for neighborhood matching grants in early 2008. ` • Adopt Implementation Plan for Parallel Process for City Hall and Patrol Facility Construction - Completed in 1964, the existing City Hall building is nearing the end of its useful life without major capital reinvestment. In addition to being expensive to operate and maintain, the building is functionally inadequate, especially for Municipal Courts and Police, while structural deficiencies leave the building vulnerable to catastrophic damage from an earthquake. At the same time, various City functions once housed in City Hall are spread out all over downtown in a variety of City-owned and leased space. Resolution of this priority issue will need to address such policy-level questions as whether City Hall should be renovated or replaced, what level of City service consolidation should be planned for, and how any desired improvements should be financed. In July 2007, the City Council voted to use the existing City Hall site for the planning and design of a new City Hall. The Council also approved the development of design concepts for both a fully consolidated option and an incrementally consolidated option. Following these decisions, groups of residents with specific expertise were assembled to assist the design team. Multiple public involvement opportunities were also provided over the fiscal year. In November 2007, the Council voted to delay a potential bond measure for a new City Hall until at least November 2010. This decision required an interim plan to manage City Hall issues such as failing systems and chronic lack of space. The Council intended to continue consideration of the City Hall complex design team's strategic recommendations and to provide policy direction on issues relating to the existing City Hall, a potential police patrol facility, and the use of funds available in the City's facility reserve fund. t' ., Facilitate the Development of aFull-service Hospital in Eugene -The City Council has taken several -- actions designed to encourage afull-service hospital to locate within the City of Eugene. In 2005, ` McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center signed a purchase agreement for the Delta Ridge site in north ~" , Eugene. However, in January 2008, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center withdrew its land use application and began to examine other sites. City staff met several times with McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center to partner on potential sites within Eugene. Council directed staff to focus discussions on ~~ the Riverfront Research Park as the priority site. Discussions are continuing with McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and the University of Oregon which owns the Riverfront Research Park. Staff were also directed by Council to examine other sites that may be suitable. i~ ; '_ 5 `.. ;' _ _ ___ - -_ __