Connecting Eugene, a local group working with ASUO President Amelie Rousseau, is changing its tactics in its opposition of the Riverfront development.
During the summer, Connecting Eugene tried to appeal a Riverfront development permit extension with the city and the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.
The permit extension granted those working on the development an additional three years to the 20 years they had previously.
The group lost both appeals to the permit extension and withdrew based on the LUBA’s decision, which concluded that a 23-year-old permit was not significantly different from a 20-year-old permit.Paul Cziko, a University graduate student and member of the group, said Connecting Eugene abandoned its appeal because fighting administrative systems wasn’t worth its time and money. This year, Connecting Eugene will instead focus its attention on making sure the plans comply with land use laws and checking the contract between the University and the Oregon University System.
A big part of the group’s plan this year will be to include University President Richard Lariviere in the discussion.
“This is a student voice issue … (Former University President Dave) Frohnmayer paid no attention to student voice on this issue,” Cziko said. “This president has an opportunity to do better.”
Cziko said the University is trying to construct a building in the development area and then hold the Oregon University System-mandated review process, and Connecting Eugene opposes this completely.
“We need to be included before you build anything,” Cziko said.
ASUO Environmental Advocate Nathan Howard is working on a resolution for the University Senate. Over the years, ASUO Senate has passed resolutions condemning the non-transparent method of simply renewing the permit for the lease without consulting student input.
“The Campus Planning Committee serves as the primary mechanism for student voice with regards to University Development, and was not properly consulted with regards to this specific 4.2-acre site,” a 2009 ASUO Senate resolution read.
A large part of the group’s opposition to the development is based on the fact that the proposal was originally permitted in October 1989 and was approved for an extension last year for three more years while they feel the community was not allowed comment.
Rousseau and former ASUO presidents Emma Kallaway and Sam Dotters-Katz have worked with Connecting Eugene, but ASUO involvement began in October 1989 with the original permit request. There was an ASUO ballot measure at the end of the 1989-90 school year that was passed to discourage development place north of the railroad tracks.
Rousseau said she does not oppose the purpose of the building, but the location of the proposal. She would like to see a plan to redesign the building to promote a better use of space.
“We’re not against research, but it shouldn’t be in our precious green spaces,” she said.
Cziko went to a meeting of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education in June with Rousseau and attorney Jan Wilson of the Western Environmental Law Center. They were not on the official agenda for the meeting but presented anyway in an attempt to get the attention of and put pressure on Lariviere.
Their intentions with the meeting in June and the University Senate proposal have been to compel Lariviere into some action on the proposed development.
“Connecting Eugene is trying to keep the conversation going,” Rousseau said. “Why are they building the structure that the entire community doesn’t want?”
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