Voters may need to approve the city’s plan to fund projects in the Riverfront Urban Renewal District after 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 Research Park. The plan also includes a controversial proposal to reroute Broadway to run east of the planned federal courthouse site.
Petitioners collected 4,235 signatures but only needed 3,722 valid signatures of registered voters to put the referendum on the ballot. If approved, the referendum would give voters the opportunity to approve or reject the urban renewal district.
The city has forwarded 4,166 signatures to Lane County for final approval and county officials have until April 26 to verify 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 improvement 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 Manager Richie Weinman said the referendum could appear on either a September special election ballot or during the Nov. 2 general election.
Eugene resident Ruth Duemler organized the petition effort, coordinating about a dozen signature gatherers. Duemler said the petition met with public support, and she believed enough signatures were collected to place the referendum on the ballot.
“People were eager to sign,” Duemler said.
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 priorities,” she said.
Duemler said petitioners were not opposed to developing the area, however.
“We’ve seen some very fine buildings 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 activist 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 accountability,” Vishanoff said.
Vishanoff said he didn’t feel the city had solicited enough input from residents 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 pessimistic about the city’s decision and timetable on this thing.”
Ward 3 City Councilor David Kelly, who voted in favor of creating the district, said he supports the plan as a tool to help improve the downtown area.
“I think that central-city revitalization 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” development 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 Broadway because it would be too close to the river. However, he said the road would actually be south of the railroad tracks.
“You can have a debate as to how close to the river that is,” Kelly said.
Kelly emphasized that money earmarked for urban renewal would come from tax increases in the area that would not likely be generated at all without the urban renewal district.