City development plan causes a stir.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran 10/29/04): A story on Page B1 Thursday included a quote that was unattributed. Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey told City Councilor Bonny Bettman that "you may not always get your way. But you will always be heard."

A move to simplify Eugene's development code and give city planners more flexibility in evaluating construction projects sparked a contentious debate at the City Council on Wednesday, the latest flare-up between the council majority and minority.

Councilors were debating a recommendation by Mayor Jim Torrey's Committee on Economic Development, which urged the introduction of guiding principles to make the city's often complex land use rules easier to understand, and to eliminate inconsistences.

Among other things, the principles called on the code to be "more flexible and adaptable on a project-by-project basis." "Empower (planning) staff to use creative problem solving to achieve set policies and goals," another principle said.

Councilors David Kelly, Bonny Bettman and Betty Taylor, who often are in the minority of council votes, were uncomfortable with adopting the principles.

Kelly, for example, said the proposed motion to adopt the principles from Planning Director Tom Coyle was too broad, and unnecessary because the planning department already has permission to be flexible in dealing with development. "You can go forth and do this stuff without the motion" to approve the principles, Kelly said.

Bettman said the city went through a long process to update the land use code a few years ago, partly to make it more responsive to requests for development.

"What I see you asking for is maximum discretion for staff to change what the community came up with before," she told Coyle and City Manager Dennis Taylor.

The five other councilors said they didn't see the principles as a threat. "It's not an attempt to subvert the rules as much as it is an attempt to clarify the rules," Councilor Nancy Nathanson said.

Tempers grew short toward the end. "I refuse to live in a world where staff can't be trusted" in making adjustments to the land use code, Councilor Scott Meisner said.

Councilor Gary Pape said that Bettman and other councilors uncomfortable with the proposed language could work with Taylor and Coyle to make the proposal more to their liking.

But Bettman replied that her suggestions to Taylor in the past have been ignored.

"You may not always get your way," he said to Bettman. "But you will always be heard."

In the end, Councilors Jennifer Solomon, George Poling, Nathanson, Pape and Meisner voted to direct Taylor to start a process to revise the land use code with the principles as guidelines. Taylor, Bettman and Kelly were opposed.