Downtown proposal comments sought.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy three months ago appointed an 11-member citizens committee to advise the City Council on the possible West Broadway redevelopment.

The committee last week completed its work. Now, Piercy wants to know what residents think of the group's recommendations. They'll get their first chance to comment at a forum on Wednesday.

At the meeting, residents will be able to speak to the mayor and any councilors who attend.

The council last May tentatively picked KWG Development Partners and Beam Development, both of Portland, to renovate West Broadway.

The city is prepared to acquire several properties on West Broadway and possibly sell them at a discount to the developers, plus provide other financial assistance.

After three months of study, the committee produced 36 main recommendations on the types of housing and businesses that should be part of the development, parking options, public open space, design elements and transition help for existing West Broadway businesses.

But much has to happen before redevelopment occurs.

On Nov. 6, for example, Eugene voters will be asked to give the council authority to spend $40 million downtown during the next 23 years. Voter approval is key to the potential two-block redevelopment of West Broadway, between Willamette and Charnelton streets.

The committee's recommendations include additional suggestions.

For example, as part of the recommendation that the development include "unique entertainment, cultural and retail uses" not found in regional malls, the committee lists some possibilities: exceptional dinner restaurants, speciality food stores, a smaller brew-and-film cinema (one to four screens), full-service late-hours newsstand, and a boutique hotel with a ground-floor bar and restaurant at Broadway and Willamette Street.

The committee also liked the idea of pubs, coffeehouses and music venues; children's activities, such as a day care center, schools and teen center; a 25,000-square-foot grocery store; arts and gallery spaces; clothing stores; and other businesses.

The council will discuss the committee's recommendations at noon Wednesday, a few hours before the public forum.

Piercy has invited councilors to attend the public forum.

"I will be there and I encourage you all to attend if you have the time to do so," she said in an e-mail to councilors. "In any case, the input from the forum will be available to you and helpful to your deliberations."

Councilors are scheduled to decide next Monday whether to endorse all or some of the recommendations. After that, voters will decide the fate of the financing measure.

The ballot measure has become controversial because some residents oppose the proposal, mainly because of concerns that the KWG concept would bring national retailers downtown to compete with local merchants. Other critics say the proposal would be too costly and displace existing West Broadway businesses and nonprofit groups.

A city report shows that the city would negotiate project terms with Beam and KWG in November and December. Agreements could be signed with the developers next March, the report said, with the needed property acquisition by the city occurring about the same time.

West Broadway Advisory Committee member Rob Handy did not agree with the group's deliberations or the recommendations. He issued a dissenting report.

Handy, a member of Citizens for Public Accountability, said he had hoped that the committee would "consider the balance of public investment with demonstrable public benefit. How will the public money be spent and for what."

But that did not happen, Handy wrote in his report.

Also, the committee's recommendations are "broad, weak or so vague that they are open to multiple interpretations," Handy wrote. "The developers and City Council can interpret them in whatever way best supports their particular agenda."

FINAL WEST BROADWAY RECOMMENDATIONS

The West Broadway Advisory Committee has sent the Eugene City Council 36 recommendations on downtown redevelopment. A sampling:

Mix of uses: Provide a broad mix of housing and maximum retail coverage on ground floor. Provide unique entertainment, cultural and retail uses not found in regional malls. Provide opportunities for local businesses. Ensure that late-night uses are compatible with nearby housing.

Parking: Maximize use of existing structured parking. Increase on-street parking.

Open space: Focus on great sidewalks as primary public open space. Provide public open space across from library.

Design: Maintain active building facades, especially on Broadway and Willamette Street. Maintain adequate light at ground level. Provide awnings or canopies for weather protection and design enhancement. Reinforce Eugene history and local design.

Existing business transition: Use a third-party relocation specialist. Use city economic development programs to help with relocation. Include language in developer agreements that provides opportunities for local businesses to be part of new development.

What's next: The City Council will discuss the recommendations at noon Wednesday, Council Chamber, City Hall, 777 Pearl St. The meeting will be televised on Comcast channel 21. The public will be able to comment at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber.

Read committee report/recommendations: Online at www.eugene-or.gov/westbroadway, at the Atrium Building reception desk, 99 W. 10th Ave., or the reference desk at the public library.

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