From the editor
As we open a lovely weekend, your editor is off to a rainy weekend in the Midwest, but offers a long newsletter.
SHiNA/CDCA will hold a board meeting on the 21st. We are trying out a new feature. At the beginning of the meeting anybody can come and suggest ideas or criticisms. Your don’t need worked-out plans, just ideas that would help the neighborhood or correct flaws. You don’t have to attend the whole meeting, just come at 7 and speak your mind.
The next general gathering will be June 19. The theme will be emergency preparedness. We will hear about how you can protect your area and your home from wildfires amid the trees. Also about surviving our local wildlife.
Our August picnic will feature international musicians, drums, a potluck, ice cream, games, chances to meet your neighbors, and representatives from community organizations.
The dates:
May 21, board meeting, event planning, contacts, and looking for suggestions, at 7 PM on the balcony at the 29th Market of Choice.
June 19, gathering, fire and disaster and wildlife, Morse Family Farm House, 2-4 pm
August 21, Summer Picnic, international music and drums, Moree Family Farm, 2-5 pm
(We’ll hold several board meetings during the summer; they will be announced in this newsletter.)
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Speaking of the Farm, you won’t want to miss their annual open house.
“An Afternoon At Edgewood Farm”
2015 Historic Preservation Open House
Wayne Morse Family Farm
595 Crest Drive
Sunday, May 17
1-4 pm FREE
• Historic home and farm trail tours
• Exhibits featuring the Morse family and their horses, political cartoons
• Children’s Clue Hunt
• Ice Cream Social
Sponsored by the Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation, http://www.waynemorse.org
Edgewood Farm was home to Wayne Morse – UO Law School Dean, labor arbitrator and United States Senator – and his family for 40 years. It became a Eugene City Park in 1979. Built in 1936, the family home and farm were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
( We’ll be with a table, too.)
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The South Willamette concept plan which will be revising the zoning for the neighborhood just to the north of us along the Willamette Street, will hold an open house at the library on May 20 from 4 to 6.d
if you are planning as you should to attend our August picnic to hear some of the wonderful international music we are planning, why not go all the way:
Host an International High School Exchange Student
Sponsored by the US Department of State
Would you like to have a cross-cultural experience in your community while contributing to improved relations between the United States and other countries?
If so, consider hosting an exchange student sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in your home or school. Each year, almost 2,000 high school students representing over 50 countries are awarded highly competitive merit-based State Department scholarships to study in the United States for an academic year. These promising young leaders live with American host families across the country, attend high school, and participate in extracurricular and community service activities. When they return to their home countries, they engage in alumni activities to share what they learned, put their new skills in practice, and maintain their links to the United States as they become leaders in their communities.
The benefits of hosting Department of State-sponsored exchange student go beyond simply welcoming someone new into your family or school and sharing American culture, values, and traditions — when you host an exchange student you welcome a new culture and language, and all the richness that comes with it into your community, help a young person learn and grow, and create long-lasting relationships and memories. Learn more and fill out an interest form at hosting.state.gov or email us at youthprograms@state.gov.
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And if you enjoy our local park, why not enjoy more of the city:
Eugene Sunday Streets Thanks You for Year 5!
On behalf of Eugene Sunday Streets and the City of Eugene, please let me extend our thanks for your support of Eugene Sunday Streets in the past. We could not create such amazing events without the help of over 200 volunteers and local community sponsors and donors for each event.
I would like to update you on this year’s exciting upcoming events marking our fifth year of Eugene Sunday Streets, thanks largely to you! This summer, we are anticipating our most well attended events, growing from our previous year’s success. We are welcoming back popular musicians and bike demonstrations from last year and also introducing new performers, sponsors and fitness offerings, creating two dynamic and interactive free summer events!
Our first Sunday Streets will be Sunday July 26th in the heart of Downtown Eugene, and the second, Sunday September 20th in the Friendly St. neighborhood. The downtown route will head straight down Broadway with a stages at Kesey Square and Monroe Park. Our Friendly St. event will zig zag from Friendly St. park, to Common Grounds Community Gardens and feature musicians, a kids activity center and gardening booths. Have an idea for an activity? Please share!
For more information contact: Emily Farthing, Sunday Streets Coordinator 2015 or visit http://www.eugenesundaystreets.org
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And speaking about streets:
Road Repairs Need to Happen – Sitting in Traffic Doesn’t
Don’t get stuck in traffic this construction season. Go to KeepUsMoving.Info to sign up for weekly updates about regional construction projects, detours and scheduled closures. Check out regional transportation options for the best way to get to your destination. KeepUsMoving.info is a partnership between the Lane Council of Governments, the cities of Eugene, Springfield, and Coburg, Lane County, ODOT, and Lane Transit District. We’re working together to keep you moving
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Breakfast at the Bike Bridges – Coming soon to a bike bridge near you!
Enjoy FREE coffee, bagels, cream cheese, bike bells, bike safety checks, bike registration, friends and fun! If you’re biking or walking to work, school, or for fun, come join us! Breakfast at the bike bridges will be kicked off this year with the Business Commute Challenge on Tuesday May 12th at the DeFazio Bridge and our regular event Friday May 29th at Blue Heron Bridge.
Event schedule:
• May 12: DeFazio Bridge (west side) with LTD’s Business Commute Challenge featuring Arriving by Bikebicycle shop!
• May 29: Blue Heron Bridge behind Cesar Chavez Elementary on Fern Ridge Path featuring Patchwork Repair bicycle shop!
• June 26: DeFazio Bridge (West side) featuring Blue Heron bicycle shop!
• July 31: Greenway Bridge at Maurie Jacobs Park featuring Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life bicycle shop!
• August 28: 24th Ave. and Amazon Path near the softball fields featuring Arriving by Bike bicycle shop!
• September 25: Delta Ponds Bridge just north of the river path intersection featuring Klink Cycles bicycle shop!
• October 30: Frohnmayer Bike Bridge, formerly known as Autzen footbridge, featuring the UO Bike Program!
For more information visit http://www.eugene-or.gov/bbb or contact Claudia Denton at Claudia.M.Denton@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5059.
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Public Works Draft ADA Transition Plan
Now Available for Review
The City of Eugene Public Works Department has conducted an evaluation of its public rights of way and drafted a transition plan that outlines how the organization will continue to comply with ADA regulations and provide, to the extent possible, safe access within the rights of way for all individuals. This plan will be a separate companion plan to the City’s existing ADA Transition Plan.
As part of this new transition plan, Public Works collected detailed data on over 15,000 sidewalk ramps and 250 pedestrian signals to develop transition schedules specific to these facilities. In addition to the inventory of ramps and pedestrian signals and schedules, the transition plan for the public rights of way also includes a system of barrier removal prioritization, information on how to request barrier removals from right-of-way facilities, and an appeals process.
The draft plan is available for public comment through May 31. An electronic copy of the draft transition plan is available on the City website at http://www.eugene-or.gov/adaplan. Paper copies of the draft transition plan for facilities in the public rights of way are also available at multiple locations: the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office (99 West 10th Ave, Suite 116), the Downtown Library (100 West 10th Avenue), the City Manager’s Office (125 East 8th Avenue, 2nd Floor), and Public Works Maintenance Office (1820 Roosevelt Boulevard).
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Welcoming Parks for our Latino Neighbors
Bienvenidos!
‘Bienvenidos’ or ‘welcome’ is something we want Eugene’s Latino community members to feel in Eugene parks. A local study done in 2012 identified that Eugene’s Latino community members do not always feel welcome in Eugene parks. The Office of Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement (HRNI), in partnership with the University of Oregon Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies (CLLAS), is working with staff in Parks and Recreation to do specialized outreach with the Latino community as part of the Parks & Recreation System Plan. The Parks and Recreation System Plan will guide the development and operation of Eugene’s parks, trails, recreation facilities and sports fields for the next 10 years. The project’s outreach efforts will help us plan a park and recreation system that is welcoming to everyone in our community.
Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement is sponsoring a special training on effectively engaging Latino and marginalized communities in civic planning and decision making; the emphasis will be on an innovative, grass-roots method using art and personal stories as a medium to engage and vision. Staff from throughout the organization and from community partner agencies will be trained along with parks and recreation staff. The training will kick off the Latino community outreach component of the PRSP update and will be followed by two weeks of intensive outreach efforts with the Latino community.
Outreach activities are varied and include many organizations and venues serving Latinos in our area, from Latino middle school youth and families learning English to Latino businesses. Please feel free to stop by our two public venues to experience the outreach in action, get to know some of your Latino neighbors and have some food and fun – ‘Nos Vemos’ or ‘see you there’:
• Plaza Latina: Saturday, May 16th between 10am-4pm (1333 W 7th, Eugene)
• Festival Latino: Saturday, May 30th between 1-6pm (418 A Street, Springfield)
Playborhood & FreeRange Kids
Creating a better city for kids and families! May 15th – 6 PM – 8:30 PM
Giving Our Children Freedom, Independence, and Health; from Free Range Kids to Playborhoods, how can we as a community help families and kids rediscover childhood? Mike Lanza, author of Playborhood will speak and then we will hold a forum and workshop session on the topic of creating a better city for kids and families s and building a culture that supports childhood independence and freedom.
While the parents gather at the Hilyard Center the kids will work on some fun activities and games next door at the Amazon Community Center. It’s like a date-night, except dinner is free, the drinks aren’t as strong and you get to build a better community!
Join us for this special LiveMove, City of Eugene, and Safe Routes to School event!
Please register for this free event on May 15 so we know how many people to expect (childcare provided).
Hilyard Community Center (2580 Hilyard) and Amazon Community Center, 2700 Hilyard Street
6:00-6:30pm Social
6:30-7:30pm Speaker Mike Lanza
7:30-8:30pm Forum & Workshop
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We hope to have this organization join us at our August picnic and to explain their work:
New Generations Film Festival
“Love Where You Live” free viewing and awards – May 23
The New Generations Film Festival is a film-making competition for middle and high school students in Eugene that values the contribution students can make to the ongoing conversation about the communities they live in. The purpose of the festival is to get students thinking about their neighborhoods, give them a forum to have their voices heard, foster an interest in continued community involvement and have fun!
The free Viewing and Awards Ceremony is May 23, 11am at the Willamette High School Powers Auditorium. Students’ films will be shared with the community and winners will be announced and given prizes. It will be an excellent opportunity for the community to show support for student artist expression and the exchange of ideas across generations.
A social after the event from 12:30-1pm will give people a chance to celebrate, mingle and talk to filmmakers.
The competition is the idea of Monroe Middle School student Nathan Yeh, who with support from the City of Eugene’s Youth to Make it Happen program at the Petersen Barn, the Human Rights Commission and area neighborhood associations is getting students thinking about their neighborhoods, giving them a forum to have their voices heard and fostering an interest in continued community involvement.
The theme for the festival is “Love Where You Live.”The students’ 1-3 minute films will be about a neighborhood highlight, issue, project, or problem they want to solve. This might include a local role model, problem faced at school, favorite location, a group working to improve their community, a cultural celebration in their neighborhood and more.
The 2016 competition will see expanded advertising into alternative middle and high schools in Eugene as well as into Creswell.
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Making Great Cities:
The Dollars and Sense of Downtown Development
With Keynote Presentation by Joe Minicozzi, Principal of Urban3 in Asheville, NC
Joe Minicozzi is an expert in urban economics and principal of Urban3, an Asheville-based consulting firm whose representation of economic productivity has prompted a paradigm shift in understanding the economic value of well-designed cities. Urban3’s studies in the United States and Canada have helped to create a broader understanding of the market dynamics created by tax policy.
Thursday, May 21, 2015 @ 5:30 PM
The Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette Street
Lecture at 6:00 PM / Light reception to follow
RSVP Required – dxoregon@gmail.com
Continuing Education Credits available for professionals
The Design Excellence Program is a volunteer-led effort by the local American Institute of Architects, and this May’s program is made possible by a partnership with local community members and The Eugene Association of Realtors and Downtown Eugene, Inc. Our goal is to help support an ongoing conversation about the importance of quality in our built environment. We hope you will join us on May 21.
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With the election coming up, here’s some more information about the proposed Lane County Vehicle Fee
Potential Projects in Eugene Identified
In May, Lane County voters will decide whether Lane County should establish a county vehicle registration fee. If authorized by the voters, 40% of the funds will be shared with the incorporated cities throughout the county. The proposed Lane County registration fee amount is $35 per year for most vehicles and $20 per year for motorcycles and mopeds. $35 per year is equivalent to $2.92 per month.
Fee Details
If adopted, the county fee would be collected by Oregon DMV at the same time motorists obtain or renew their state vehicle registration. Most new vehicles are registered for a four-year period; subsequent renewals typically occur every two years. Certain vehicles would be exempt from the county fee under state law. Disabled veteran, government, school, farm, antique, special interest and recreational vehicles and heavy vehicles paying the weight-mile tax would be exempt from the fee under state law.
If adopted the $35 annual fee would generate approximately $11 million countywide. Approximately $6.6 million would go to the county and $4.4 million to cities based on population. The eight largest cities and projected revenues are: Eugene (about $2.7 million); Springfield (about $1 million); Cottage Grove (about $165,000); Florence (about $145,000); Junction City (about $94,000); Creswell (about $85,000); Veneta (about $80,000) and Oakridge (about $55,000).
Potential Projects
At the request of Lane County, the City of Eugene identified three projects that are currently unfunded, but could be implemented if funding becomes available, and are in need of repair according to the City’s pavement management system:
• Amazon Parkway from 24th to approximately 29th avenues, an overlay project that would cost about $440,000 and fix about 1.4 lane miles
• Franklin (westbound) from Walnut to Agate streets, an overlay project that would cost about $430,000 and fix about 1.4 lane miles
• The City portion of NW Expressway from Maxwell to about a half mile south, a reconstruction project that would cost about $1.7 million and fix about 1.9 lane miles
Oregon’s Constitution requires taxes and fees on motor vehicle fuel and use, including vehicle registration fees, to be used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair, maintenance and operation or use of public highways, roads, streets and roadside rest areas in this state.
SHiNA 