Health Options Digest
November 14, 2004
Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES)
In This Issue
From the Editor
Week In Review
The serious game of "Musical Hospitals" in coming to a head, but not necessarily a conclusion.
PeaceHealth's plans to move to the Gateway area may have hit a serious speed bump -- what some last week termed a "bombshell." The plans depend on improvements to the I-5/Beltline interchange being built in a timely fashion, which depend on Congress allocating much of the needed funding. But Congress and President Bush have been at odds over transportation funding and will likely remain so well into next year.
PeaceHealth dismisses the option of moving to Glenwood as, well, having too many speed bumps.
Meanwhile, Triad Hospital, Inc., has raised their offer to purchase the EWEB site for a new McKenzie-Willamette hospital. But EWEB's board wants to make sure that ratepayers aren't stuck paying for the costs of moving EWEB's headquarters to a new location.
After Oregon voters narrowly defeated Measure 35, which would have placed a limit on pain and suffering awards in medical malpractice lawsuits, questions remain about how to pay for the rising costs of health care.
Local real estate broker Hugh Prichard observed that the Willamette River isn't developed well for people nor protected well for nature.
The Lane County Board of Commissioners has concerns that residents of Glenwood aren't being adequately represented in the newly approved Glenwood Renewal District. Although Glenwood is administered by the City of Springfield, it is outside the city limits, so residents don't get a vote on Springfield matters.
Strapped for cash, Springfield is looking for new ways to increase city coffers.
Lastly, in the wake of the passage of Measure 37, people all around the state are trying to figure out exactly what voters approved and what it will mean for Oregon's landmark land use planning program. While Measure 37 is unlikely to have a direct impact on plans for hospitals, it does shake the foundations of the system in which we are considering those plans. An editorial in The Oregonian observes, "Since the Nov. 2 election, more stories about Ballot Measure 37 have appeared on the front page of The Oregonian than in the many months leading up to the vote on the measure. The newspaper's editors only now are fully catching up to the potential significance of the land-use measure. In hindsight, several editors are chagrined that the newspaper gave limited coverage of the measure before the election, and part of the coverage ran after voters began casting their ballots." This week, CHOICES offers extended coverage of Measure 37 with news and views from around the state.
In other news, the City of Coburg may revise their form of government, Eugene's newest newspaper, AVA Oregon, has hit the streets, the Air America radio network is now broadcasting from Eugene, and our friend Arnold Schwarzenegger just completed his first year as governor of California.
Looking Ahead
Pull out your calendars: A busy week is ahead.
On Monday, the Springfield City Council will hear from Roscoe Divine of Glenwood Options, Inc., about an option for PeaceHealth to relocate to Glenwood. The city council will also hold a public hearing on the Glenwood Urban Renewal Plan.
Also on Monday, the Eugene City Council will hold a public hearing on a process for filing claims under Measure 37.
On Tuesday, the Springfield City Council and Planning Commission will hold the only scheduled public hearing on PeaceHealth's revised plans.
Also on Tuesday, the EWEB board will accept or reject Triad's latest offer to purchase the EWEB site.
On Wednesday, the Eugene City Council will discuss the possibility of constructing a full I-5/Franklin interchange south of the Willamette River, which would improve access to Glenwood, as well as to downtown Eugene and Springfield.
On Thursday, the Metropolitan Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on an update to TransPlan, the regional transportation plan for Eugene, Springfield and Coburg. At issue is funding for the West Eugene Parkway, the I-5/Beltline interchange, a possible I-5/Franklin interchange, and so on.
A meeting to respond to transportation issues raised in the case of Jaqua v. City of Springfield (PeaceHealth) has been postponed until December 1.
According to Norman Maclean, author of A River Runs Through It, eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. As you can see, many of the different issues facing our community -- hospital siting, urban renewal, transportation, and so forth -- are merging into one, and many of the issues have to do with how we treat the two rivers, McKenzie and Willamette, that flow through, gave birth to, divide and enhance our communities.
The river speaks to all of us, but each of us hears something different. As we as a community try to navigate rough waters, what course shall we take? What does do the rivers say?
Rob Zako, Editor
343-5201
rzako@efn.org
Calendar
Monday, November 15 -- Springfield City Council
City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield
Contact: Amy Sowa, City Manager's Office, 726-3700
7:00 pm, Regular Meeting, Council Meeting Room
* Public Hearing and First Reading of Ordinance of City of Springfield Approving the Glenwood Urban Renewal Plan.
* Business from the Audience: Roscoe Divine, Glenwood Options, Inc.
Monday, November 15 -- Eugene City Council
City Hall, 777 Pearl Street, Eugene
Contact: Lynda Rose, 682-5017, lynda.l.rose@ci.eugene.or.us
7:30 pm, Public Hearing, Council Chamber
2. Measure 37: An Ordinance Concerning Real Property Compensation; Adding Sections 2.070, 2.075, 2.080, 2.085, 2.090, and 2.095 to the Eugene Code, 1971; Declaring an Emergency; and Providing an Immediate Effective Date.
Tuesday, November 16 -- Springfield City Council & Planning Commission
City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield
Contact: Amy Sowa, City Manager's Office, 726-3700
6:00 pm, Work Session, Jesse Maine Room
* Joint Planning Commission/City Council Work Session on Remand of Metro Plan and Gateway Refinement Plan Amendments and Council Initiated Amendments to the Commercial Lands Study and Development Code (PeaceHealth).
7:00 pm, Public Hearing, Council Meeting Room
* Joint Planning Commission/City Council Work Session on Remand of Metro Plan and Gateway Refinement Plan Amendments and Council Initiated Amendments to the Commercial Lands Study and Development Code (PeaceHealth).
Tuesday, November 16 -- EWEB Board
7:30 pm, Regular Board Meeting, EWEB Board Room, 500 East 4th Avenue
Eugene
* Sale of the EWEB Headquarters Property to McKenzie Willamette Medical Center.
Wednesday, November 17 -- Eugene City Council
City Hall, 777 Pearl Street, Eugene
Contact: Lynda Rose, 682-5017, lynda.l.rose@ci.eugene.or.us
Noon, Work Session, McNutt Room
2. Grade Separated Ramp Connections for the I-5/Willamette River Bridge.
Thursday, November 18 -- Metropolitan Policy Committee
11:30 am, Public Hearing, Eugene Public Library, Bascom-Tykeson Room
Contact: Tom Schwetz, 682-4044
The Metropolitan Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on the update to the regional transportation plan, a.k.a., TransPlan. A second public hearing and adoption is scheduled for December 9.
Wednesday, December 1 -- Joint OTC/LCDC TPR Subcommittee
Morning, Work Session, Salem
Contact: Bob Cortright, DLCD, (503) 373-0050 x241, bob.cortright@state.or.us
A joint subcommittee of the Oregon Transportation Commission and the Land Conservation and Development Commission will continue reviewing options for improving how transportation and land use planning are coordinated. Their effort is a response to the court decisions in the case of Jaqua v. City of Springfield.
Thursday, December 9 -- Springfield Planning Commission
City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield, 726-3753
Regular Meeting
A. PeaceHealth Plan Amendments
Monday, January 10 -- Springfield City Council
City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield
Contact: Amy Sowa, City Manager's Office, 726-3700
Regular Meeting
A. PeaceHealth Plan Amendments
Opportunities
Budget Committee seats -- Ward 1, Ward 2 -- to open
By Bob Keefer
The Register-Guard | October 30, 2004 |
The city will have two openings next year on the Budget Committee, which reviews the city's financial plans and policies and helps work out the annual budget.
One position is for Ward 1 residents and one is for Ward 2. Ward 1 includes the northwest corner of the city from Interstate 5 to Debra Drive and north of Highway 126; Ward 2 is in southwest Springfield, bounded roughly by 6th and 7th streets on the east, Highway 126 to the north and I-5 on the west.
Budget Committee members Donald Manning, from Ward 1, and Hilary Larsen-Wylie, from Ward 2, are both eligible for second terms and may re-apply.
Other interested applicants should pick up forms at the City Manager's Office, City Hall, 225 Fifth St., and return them filled out by 5 p.m. Nov. 23.
The Budget Committee mostly meets between April and June to prepare the annual budget.
Positions open on Historic Commission
| The Springfield News | October 20, 2004 |
The City of Springfield is accepting applications to fill two positions on its seven-member historic commission. The two appointees will assume the duties of terms that expire March 2006.
Preference will be given to applicants with technical expertise and backgrounds in historic preservation, local history, architecture, construction, archaeology, or preservation-related disciplines. Applicants do not necessarily need to be residents or property owners in Springfield; however, they must meet State Historic Preservation Office guidelines.
The historic commission promotes stewardship for historic preservation through education and participation. The commission conducts tours of historic sites; organizes historical programs to help the community develop an appreciation of its historic heritage; reviews development and restoration requests in the Washburne Historic District; and, reviews any proposals that affect Springfield's historic resources.
Historic commission meetings are held the first Monday of every month, at 5: 30 p.m. in the Library Meeting Room at city hall. The next scheduled public meeting of the historic commission is Monday, Nov. 1. Interested candidates are asked to attend this meeting in order to familiarize themselves with the duties of the commission. Candidate interviews will take place at the Dec. 6 meeting and then candidate interviews before the Springfield City Council shall be held Jan. 10. Appointments will be made Jan. 18 at the regular city council public meeting.
Applications are available at the city manager's office in city hall, at Fifth and A streets. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., Thursday Nov. 18.
For more information contact Kitti Gale at 726-3632.
PeaceHealth
PeaceHealth's plan falls victim to politics
By Bob Keefer
The Register-Guard | November 10, 2004 |
SPRINGFIELD -- An unexpected glitch resulting from election-year politics could further delay PeaceHealth's efforts to build a new $350 million hospital on rural land next to the McKenzie River north of town.
The glitch could cost PeaceHealth as much as $15 million to fix. The gist of the complicated story is this: (more...)
Interchange agreement may emerge
By Bob Keefer
The Register-Guard | November 13, 2004 |
PeaceHealth and the city may have reached an agreement guaranteeing the city's $15 million share of a proposed renovation of the freeway interchange at Interstate 5 and Belt Line Road.
The freeway work is necessary, planners say, to alleviate additional traffic generated by PeaceHealth's proposed new hospital at RiverBend north of town.
The city had asked the corporation to guarantee the funding, which was held up when a federal transportation bill became mired in election year politics.
PeaceHealth spokesman Brian Terrett said Friday afternoon that he hadn't heard of any agreement.
But the City Council and planning commission will hold a work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday followed by a meeting at 7 p.m. to discuss proposed changes to the Eugene Springfield Metropolitan Area Plan to allow hospital construction. Both meetings will be at City Hall, 225 Main St.
Documents prepared for the meetings say that "PeaceHealth has agreed to act as a guarantor" for the proposed improvements, which must be in place by the time the hospital opens in early 2008.
"If in fact that language is in there, then yes, we have reached some sort of agreement," Terrett said. He could provide no other details.
City planner Colin Stephens, though, said that nothing is agreed to in writing yet and that negotiations with PeaceHealth are continuing.
He said the language in the document about the agreement had come from PeaceHealth. "That page is from the TIA (transportation impact analysis) they submitted," he said.
PeaceHealth has until Nov. 23 to submit final written material, he said.
Glenwood Option
Hospital proposal offers win-win for PeaceHealth and community.
By Alan Pittman
Eugene Weekly | November 11, 2004 |
In the past three years of pushing its controversial plan to move PeaceHealth hospital from downtown Eugene to the pristine banks of the McKenzie River in far north Springfield, hospital officials have argued that RiverBend is their only option for a new hospital.
But now, a citizen group has presented a detailed plan for an alternative to the sprawl-inducing RiverBend site -- build the hospital at a different river bend just down the street from Eugene's downtown, in Glenwood.
PeaceHealth officials have balked at the Glenwood option citing a host of obstacles. But the Glenwood Option, Inc. group has responses to them all, save perhaps the biggest hurdle, actually convincing PeaceHealth to change its plans. (more...)
Slant -- PeaceHealth in Glenwood?
| Eugene Weekly | November 11, 2004 |
Locate PeaceHealth's new medical center in Glenwood instead of north Springfield? Excellent idea, and PeaceHealth's objections about poor traffic access to Glenwood are silly. The area is on a main highway between Eugene and Springfield, bus rapid transit is already planned, a new I-5 interchange at Franklin has been talked about for years, the hospital could have its "healing" river frontage (there's even a river bend nearby), Glenwood could use an economic boost, and PeaceHealth's major donors in Eugene might respond better to a less contentious and more central location for the new hospital. We suspect PeaceHealth's biggest objection is that it has already poured millions into its flawed plans at RiverBend.
McKenzie-Willamette/Triad
McKenzie-Willamette raises offer to EWEB
By Rosie Pryor
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center | November 12, 2004 |
Today, the Eugene Water and Electric Board met to review our revised offer to purchase their property. We are offering to purchase 22.47 acres for $24,835,000.
Our offer includes letting EWEB retain ownership of the riverbank and water rights adjacent to the riverbank, as well as the steam plant and easements for water transmission lines. It also permits EWEB to sell the riparian land (the strip along the riverbank containing the bicycle and foot paths) to the City of Eugene. Our proposal gives both parties a period of time for feasibility studies and inspections, and to cancel the contract if this due diligence reveals problems.
The EWEB Board will meet in public session on Tuesday evening, November 16th, to take action on our offer. When we met with EWEB staff, we learned a great deal more about the challenges EWEB faces if it is to accelerate its long-range plans to relocate out of downtown Eugene. We hope our revised offer reflects our increased understanding of these issues. We continue to be optimistic that the EWEB Board will respond favorably to our offer.
Questions? Please feel free to give me a call. Thanks. Happy Friday!
Rosie Pryor
Director, Marketing and Planning
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center
1460 G Street
Springfield, OR 97477-4197
744-6164
rospry@mckweb.com
EWEB To Make Decision on Property Sale
Behind closed doors, in Executive Session, the five member EWEB Board discusses an offer to sell the utility's property to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital. After the meeting, Dorothy Anderson, EWEB Commissioner, says, "I have very serious concerns myself, because of concerns over the possible rate increase, and I also don't think it's the best use of this site for the citizens of Eugene." (more...)
McKenzie Willamette Ups EWEB Bid
EUGENE -- McKenzie Willamette Hospital Friday upped its offer to buy property owned by the Eugene Water and Electric Board.
The hospital tacked another $2 million onto the bid to relocate to downtown Eugene.
It is the latest overture by Triad McKenzie-Willamette to build a hospital in Eugene.
The offer includes more money, and also provides specifics about the bike path, steam plant and other features of the prime real estate. (more...)
Triad Hospitals raises offer on EWEB land to $24.8 million
By Joe Harwood
The Register-Guard | November 13, 2004 |
Triad Hospitals Inc. sweetened its offer by almost $2 million for 22.5 riverside acres now occupied by the Eugene Water & Electric Board, but whether the increase will be enough to persuade the utility to sell remains unclear.
Texas-based Triad, which wants to build a new McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center on the site, submitted a bid of $24.8 million this week after being told its initial offer of $22.9 million was not acceptable.
Triad, the majority owner of McKenzie-Willamette, wants to replace its aging Springfield facility with a five-story, $85 million medical center on EWEB's downtown property.
The utility's board met in a nonpublic session to review what EWEB General Manager Randy Berggren called a "conceptual agreement" with Triad. The offer resembles a framework that would be expanded into a sales contract over an eight-month review period. The utility's board will vote Tuesday night whether to accept the proposal and continue negotiations.
After the closed meeting, two board members expressed concern over whether Triad could offer enough money to make sure EWEB customers aren't burdened with a portion of costs of moving the EWEB headquarters and other facilities to a new location, and whether a hospital is the best use of EWEB's riverfront property. (more...)
Health Care
Editorial -- Unsatisfying outcome: LIPA settlement could have been handled better
| The Register-Guard | November 14, 2004 |
A good compromise solves problems and brings opponents closer together. The test of a good compromise is acknowledgement on the part of opponents -- however grudging -- that concessions have been evenly shared, and that each side has a clearer understanding of the other's position.
The recent settlement with state regulators reached by a Eugene insurer over its treatment of Oregon Health Plan clients fails this test. The opponents are no closer together, nor do they appear to share a clearer understanding of each other's position.
What they do share, though not to the same degree, is responsibility for not working harder to establish the trust necessary to make a compromise work. (more...)
Group's goal is to keep medical grads in state
| The Associated Press | November 9, 2004 |
PORTLAND -- The Oregon Medical Association has agreed to work with Oregon Health Sciences Universities to keep more of its graduates practicing medicine in Oregon.
The association's governing body met in Portland over the weekend. (more...)
Report: Oregon health improved faster since 1990, declined last year
| The Associated Press | November 8, 2004 |
PORTLAND -- A new report on the nation's health says that Oregon improved more quickly that most of the country since 1990.
But the report also says the overall rate of health improvement for Oregonians declined this past year. (more...)
Legislature next arena in malpractice battle
SALEM -- After narrowly losing in the Nov. 2 election, Oregon doctors who pushed for a cap on jury awards in malpractice lawsuits are preparing to take their fight to another arena -- the 2005 Legislature.
The physicians won't seek another limit like Measure 35, since the Oregon Supreme Court has said the Legislature lacks authority to impose one.
So doctors will ask lawmakers to consider other ways to provide relief from rising malpractice insurance rates that have forced some doctors to retire early or drop high-risk specialties like obstetrics. (more...)
$1 million proposed for state hospital
| The Register-Guard | November 14, 2004 |
PORTLAND -- Senate President Peter Courtney is seeking almost $1 million to help the troubled Oregon State Hospital and plan for the future of the psychiatric care facility.
Courtney, D-Salem, said he will ask the Legislative Emergency Board at a meeting next week for $976,242 to pay for three additional staff positions.
The money also would be used to contract with other hospitals to house state mental patients when the Salem facility nears capacity.
In addition, the funding would finance a master plan to determine what role the state psychiatric hospital would play in the future of Oregon's mental health system. Under Courtney's proposal, the master plan could recommend a reduced role for the hospital or even its replacement.
Courtney began investigating the hospital after a series in The Oregonian detailed the sexual abuse by psychiatric aides of as many as a dozen patients in the hospital's adolescent unit from 1989 to 1994.
Many employees caught in health care squeeze
By Yuki Noguchi
The Washington Post | November 8, 2004 |
Lucia Kane, who owns a spa in Falls Church, Va., spent the past three weeks fretting about health insurance instead of doing oatmeal facials and full-body wraps.
She estimated that she lost $3,000 in revenue while she pored over various options for health care for her 20 employees. None of the plans was ideal, and all were pricey. Last year, after costs went up 30 percent, Capelli Hair and Skin Spa switched insurers and Kane agreed to contribute $50 of the $380 monthly cost. But five of her employees still decided they couldn't afford the insurance. When one of them got sick, Kane found a free clinic for the employee and drove her there.
This year, Kane is bracing for another increase. "It's a panic; we're all nervous about it,'' Kane said. She said she fears that if benefit costs rise significantly, her employees will leave for bigger companies that can offer better deals. (more...)
Nearby Developments
Hugh Prichard -- Trucks and ducks: Riverfront supports neither
By Hugh Prichard
The Register-Guard | November 14, 2004 |
The Willamette River runs past more than six miles of riverfront property as it flows through Eugene -- twice that if you count both banks. There are exactly two commercial establishments where it is possible to enjoy a beverage and gaze out on this beautiful sight.
This is ridiculous. There should be dozens of such opportunities.
You are probably thinking that the reason for this lack of choice is because of the great job we are doing preserving and restoring the "natural" riverfront ecosystem. We prevent development near the river because it would destroy this natural environment.
That's exactly what I thought, until I stopped for a closer look. I figured that if my vision of an urban riverfront wasn't emerging, then the natural or native riverfront must be winning.
Well, it isn't. We have managed to create a riverfront that is neither healthy for the river nor enjoyable year-round for the majority of humans who live here. (more...)
County wants a voice in Glenwood plans: Commissioners give their conditional OK
By Amber Fossen
The Springfield News | November 12, 2004 |
Lane County Commissioners gave their nod to the Glenwood Urban Renewal Plan earlier this week -- but not without some conditions.
After hearing from Glenwood residents who expressed concern with the lack of representation for their community, commissioners pledged to participate on the Springfield Economic Development Agency, which oversees implementing and administering the renewal district. The commission also requested a minimum of four Glenwood community members be appointed to an advisory committee -- two members chosen by the city, two by the county.
Jan Wilson, an attorney representing Glenwood residents and business owners, said the biggest concern for the Glenwood community is the lack of a voice. (more...)
City toys with ideas for new tax
By Amber Fossen
The Springfield News | November 10, 2004 |
In the search for revenue, Springfield city councilors are leaving no stone unturned.
Faced with a looming budget deficit, city councilors explored an array of revenue-generating proposals, including a utility tax, a business license fee, a fire district merger, and the formation of a library district.
Councilors directed city staff members at a Monday night work session to continue looking into revenue proposals. (more...)
No Deal Yet
No deal yet... that's the word after a morning meeting between the University of Oregon and the owners of Williams' Bakery. The University wants to put a new basketball arena on the Williams' Bakery property in Eugene. Both sides say they are walking away from this meeting with a positive outlook. They want to reach a sale agreement. But, right now, it all comes down to money. (more...)
Work on Santa Clara parks continues with design hearing
By Edward Russo
The Register-Guard | November 14, 2004 |
Eugene's Parks and Open Space Division has taken its lumps lately over controversial plans for a 77-acre park in the Santa Clara area, on the northern edge of the city.
Some residents in the Irvington Drive area raised enough of a fuss about the park and an affiliated 120-acre housing development that parks officials called time out to get a clearer idea of whether people want the park or not.
That delay, however, has not stopped the parks department from improving a Santa Clara park and inviting residents to help develop another one. (more...)
Transportation
City gets help to fix deadly street
By Amber Fossen
The Springfield News | November 10, 2004 |
The City of Springfield, determined to move forward with the proposed reconstruction of South 42nd Street, is tapping the county for help.
An intergovernmental agreement, approved last week, will allow the city to use county engineering services -- not to exceed an amount of $1,245,000 -- to reconstruct the minor arterial street and improve safety conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Community members raised considerable public concern regarding the safety of South 42nd Street when Daniel Ryan Lindsey died in 2002 after a trailer struck his bicycle as he crossed the street. (more...)
Walterville Residents S.M.A.S.H. Freight Truck Route
WALTERVILLE -- Residents along the McKenzie Highway are fighting efforts to have Highway 126 designed as a freight route.
The group hosted a community meeting Wednesday night in hopes of derailing the proposal.
Oregon Department of Transportation officials say a freight route designation would give the McKenzie Highway more money to deal with truck traffic.
But a group called SMASH, Scenic McKenzie Association for Safe Highways, says public safety and quality of life are more important. "The road is not designed for truck traffic. It's very curvy, two lanes, very narrow and a lot of communities and a lot of residences along the highway so it's made it quite treacherous the last couple of years," SMASH member Monica LaRosa said. (more...)
Highway 126 neighbors fight label
By Greg Bolt
The Register-Guard | November 11, 2004 |
WALTERVILLE -- Residents of the McKenzie Valley put an exclamation point on their opposition to a proposal to designate Highway 126 a freight route Wednesday night, peppering transportation officials with questions and cheering legislators who promised to help them in the fight.
A community meeting at Walterville Elementary School drew more than 100 residents, all of whom seemed set on blocking the Oregon Department of Transportation proposal. The crowd remained mostly calm and polite but made it clear they want the highway to remain a scenic corridor and not a through-route for 18-wheelers. (more...)
Neighbors rally against plan: ODOT proposes to designate Highway 126 a freight route; neighbors ready for a fight
By Amber Fossen
The Springfield News | November 12, 2004 |
The effort to preserve McKenzie Highway's scenic beauty is amassing significant support among residents who oppose the Oregon Department of Transportation's proposed freight-route designation for the highway.
It was a full house Wednesday night at the Walterville Elementary School gym as community members met with local and state representatives, ODOT officials and other interested parties to ask questions, express concerns and air comments related to Highway 126's proposed inclusion in the state highway freight system.
The issue almost slid under the table with little public awareness, but an article published in the McKenzie River Reflections newspaper clued local residents in, and they promptly organized action. (more...)
Caution: Traffic headaches ahead for commuters along I-105
By Diane Dietz
The Register-Guard | November 12, 2004 |
State traffic engineers plan to rip up and renovate Interstate 105 -- Eugene's major east-west thoroughfare -- next spring, and they've issued a simple warning:
"Expect significant traffic congestion on both the state and local systems."
Here's another way to put it: This will be detour hell for about 30,000 commuters who ply I-105 each day. We're talking 43 days of lane or road closures, including more than three weeks when freeway traffic will be routed through a Coburg Road traffic light.
"Oh my God," said Teresa Miceli, a Gray's Garden Center employee who takes the road. "I don't know quite what I'll do. I've got to go to work."
Work on the $17 million project begins in February and ends in October, with the biggest disruption during May, June and July.
Thereafter, transportation officials are promising a smoother and safer ride.
Elections
Editorial -- A new, old alignment: Stewart's election may return rural-urban split
| The Register-Guard | November 8, 2004 |
A lot of folks expect the Lane County Board of Commissioners to take a sudden lurch to the political right in the wake of Faye Stewart's election Tuesday to the East Lane seat on the board. (more...)
Measure 37
Governor's Statement
| By Governor Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 2004 |
On Nov. 5, 2004, the Governor authorized the following statement regarding Measure 37:
"The Governor has directed his staff and state agencies affected by Measure 37 to craft a process that provides for a clear and consistent mechanism for citizens to file claims under the adopted measure. He has asked that the process be developed in time to meet the effective date of measure. He has asked that the process be designed to ensure that it meets the needs of both state and local government. Further, the Governor is in consultation with the Attorney General to ascertain the full meaning and impact of the measure so as to better chart how to proceed as we move forward toward implementation and into the legislative session."
Message from the Director
| By Lane Shetterly, Director, DLCD | |
In response to the Governor«s message, the department is approaching the implementation of Ballot Measure 37 as follows:
* We are working with the Governor«s office, in cooperation with the Department of Administrative Services, the Department of Justice and other affected state agencies to develop a coordinated process to receive and evaluate claims for compensation.
* We are assisting in the ongoing review of the measure to determine its scope and impact on state and local governments.
* We will be coordinating our work with our local government partners. We encourage cities and counties to stay in communication with the department, to ensure that -- to the maximum extent possible -- we are working together as we move forward toward the implementation of the measure. We welcome your questions and your input.
Please revisit this website often, as we will be updating the information as we are able.
Measure 37 could change state
By James Sinks
The Bend Bulletin | October 31, 2004 |
SALEM -- Ten years from now, Oregon could be a different place.
It could start Tuesday.
The headlines leading to Election Day have buzzed about the high-profile choices on the ballot, from the tight presidential race, to the battle for control of the state assembly, and to well-financed initiatives to cap medical malpractice awards, to shutter the state's workers' compensation insurer and to outlaw same-sex marriages.
Depending who you ask, any of those individual issues is the most significant on the ballot. (more...)
Approval of Measure 37 throws development restrictions into uncertainty
By Jeff Barnard
The Associated Press | November 3, 2004 |
PORTLAND -- Oregon's system of land use and environmental laws has been thrown into uncertainty by passage of a ballot measure that demands governments pay landowners for value lost to restrictions on development.
While the Legislature still has to work out details, passage Tuesday of Measure 37 sends Oregon into a new era where zoning, the preservation of farm and forest land, and logging restrictions taken for granted the past three decades are no longer guaranteed if landowners owned their property before those restrictions went into effect.
With 89 percent of the vote counted early Wednesday, Measure 37 had 880,708 yes votes, for 60 percent, to 588,526 no votes, for 40 percent.
Supporters downplayed the potential upheaval, saying few properties have been owned long enough to qualify for claims, and owners who do qualify could be counted on to do the right thing, but opponents predicted a morass of litigation, unbudgeted expenditures, and a loss of control over development. (more...)
Editorial -- Measures 36 and 37: a step back
| The Oregonian | November 3, 2004 |
Voters pushed Oregon a step backward by passing the two most significant and unfortunate measures on the statewide ballot. They supported Measure 36, a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, and Measure 37, a colossal change in property rights.
But Tuesday's vote is anything but the last word. (more...)
Property-rights measure throws Oregon land-use regs into question
By Jeff Barnard
The Associated Press | November 4, 2004 |
PORTLAND -- Oregon has been a national leader for more than 30 years in fighting urban sprawl and protecting forests and farmland from turning into houses as the population grows.
And for all those years, there have been property owners who chafed at the idea that they couldn't use their land as they saw fit.
That has all changed with passage Tuesday of Measure 37, which allows landowners to make claims against governments when land-use regulations reduce the value of their property.
The measure also gives governments the option of waiving regulations instead of paying compensation, which would create a patchwork of development regulation around the state based on when a piece of proparty was acquired.
The nuts and bolts remain to be worked out, but it is clear that owners of millions of acres of family farms and small timberlands near fast-growing cities are at ground zero. (more...)
Victory gives Oregon pause on land goals
By Laura Oppenheimer
The Oregonian | November 4, 2004 |
A day after voters resoundingly passed Measure 37, frustrated landowners pictured the dream houses they've fought to build or the businesses they've longed to launch.
Alarmed environmentalists and politicians saw something less pleasant: Oregon landmarks peppered with subdivisions and neighborhoods spliced by factories.
The measure taps into Oregonians' dissatisfaction with the nuts and bolts of the state's iconic land-use planning system by unscrambling laws that hem in property owners. (more...)
Linn prepares for land-use law changes
By Les Gehrett
Albany Democrat-Herald | November 4, 2004 |
Before all the votes had even been counted, Linn County was preparing for the implementation of Measure 37.
Passed with strong support from Oregon's voters, the measure requires governments either to compensate some property owners who are hurt financially by the state's land-use laws or to waive those rules.
Steve Michaels, director of the Linn County Planning and Building Department, said enactment of Measure 37 will not end land-use planning, as some people have feared, but it will complicate it. (more...)
Editorial -- Disasters? Maybe not
By Hasso Hering
Albany Democrat-Herald | November 4, 2004 |
Opponents predicted disaster if Measure 37 passed. Now we'll see.
Oregon voters strongly supported the initiative, which says government must pay owners if regulation lowers the value of their real estate since they or their families have owned it. If governments can't pay, they must forgo enforcing the regulation. People voted for this measure because it sounded basically fair.
There may not be a problem, though, if reason prevails in the administration of this measure.
In some cases, owners may claim that regulation has lowered the value of their land even though in fact it has not. There ought to be a standard of proof, and it ought to be strict.
In some cases, the result of the measure could be absurd. Part of Albany's historic neighborhoods used to be zoned for apartments, Councilman Dick Olsen remembers. He and others requested and got their property rezoned for single-family homes in the 1970s, and now the neighborhood is a showcase of beautiful houses. Thirty-some years ago the land might have been sold for apartments instead. So would the owners be entitled now to claim that the downzoning cost them money? Any council or court that said yes would be insane.
Measure 37 is vague on how it would be carried out. Proper interpretation might be able to keep it from becoming a nightmare for farmers who want to keep farming and other property owners who like where they live and don't want protective regulations dropped. (hh)
Farms, timber interests look to next steps
Large landholders celebrate but fret as they await decisions on Oregon's land-use direction
By Alex Pulaski and Michael Milstein
The Oregonian | November 5, 2004 |
HOOD RIVER -- Tuesday night, when it became clear that Measure 37 would pass and potentially rescue Gail and Scott Hagee from a pool of farming debt, they invited a neighbor over to celebrate.
Over a magnum of 1990 champagne, the Hagees foresaw a new day for Oregon's notoriously strict land-use laws. In 1979, the Hagees bought 40 acres in the Hood River Valley. They want to sell off part of their land, but state rules won't allow a home to be built on the new piece. Measure 37's passage promises to change that.
Across Oregon, owners of farms and timberland -- the families and individuals with the most to gain or lose -- are celebrating or gritting their teeth, and trying to figure out just how broad a swath Measure 37 is going to cut. The agencies that set such rules are holding off on new logging and other land regulations as they assess the measure's implications. (more...)
Measure 37 complicates state land-use planning
By Chris Barker
The Bend Bulletin | November 5, 2004 |
Faced with a clear message from Oregon voters, lawmakers, government officials and attorneys are scrambling to interpret substantial changes to the state system of land-use planning.
But the passage of Measure 37, which requires government compensation to property owners handcuffed by land-use regulations, represents only the latest chapter of a debate that will likely end up in Salem. (more...)
Editorial -- Governor must respond quickly
In response to Measure 37, the state should centralize the tracking of claims and look for a way to pay them
| The Oregonian | November 7, 2004 |
Last week, more than a million Oregonians voted to zap inequity in the state's land-use system. You can see the gallantry of what they were trying to do. But in approving Measure 37, what Oregon voters actually did was rent "Fairness: The Video Game."
State and local governments now are left to sort out the complexity, ambiguity and what may be the impossibility of making this measure work. (more...)
Editorial -- Logical solution
| Medford Mail Tribune | November 7, 2004 |
Legislators will need to fix flaws of Measure 37 while respecting voters
It's not often you'll encounter a ballot measure proposal filled with such outrageous concepts that even supporters talk of how it should be altered if it becomes law.
That's how supporters talked about Measure 37, though.
In election endorsement interviews with the Mail Tribune editorial board throughout the fall, most candidates who supported the land-use compensation measure also acknowledged it would hurt the state if enacted as written, either bankrupting local governments or trashing good regulation along with the bad.
The subtext of these conversations: Someone will fix this law before it gets out of hand -- the apparent someone, of course, being the Oregon Legislature. (more...)
Editorial -- No double compensation: Measure 37 ignores decades of tax breaks
| The Register-Guard | November 9, 2004 |
Of all the problems that state lawmakers must now address in the turbulent wake of Measure 37's passage, none is more important than reconciling the new law's compensation requirements with the billions of dollars in tax breaks already received by farm and forest land owners. (more...)
Oregon voters sent a mixed message on Election Day
By James Sinks
The Bend Bulletin | November 9, 2004 |
SALEM -- Last week, voters appeared to set course in two opposing directions -- simultaneously favoring a slate of Democratic Party candidates including presidential challenger John Kerry, while at the same time approving "conservative" ballot measures to outlaw gay marriage and loosen zoning laws.
Politically speaking, it may seem akin to the scarecrow on the side of the yellow brick road, pointing opposite ways when asked for directions.
"It is striking that thousands of people in this state voted for John Kerry and also Measure 36," said Bill Lunch, the chairman of the political science department at Oregon State University. "It may seem ideologically inconsistent, but it's not for them."
Poll data suggests older Democrats were more likely to vote for Measure 36. That crossover social vote was not enough to undercut their support for Kerry and more liberal economic and political issues. Those include working-class issues such as the minimum wage, he said.
Measure 37 passed largely due to the Libertarian-leaning, less-government-controlling-your-life attitude that's been a hallmark of Oregonians for years, Lunch said. (more...)
Crook County sets Measure 37 rules
| The Associated Press | November 12, 2004 |
PRINEVILLE -- Crook County officials have given their initial approval to an ordinance that spells out the procedure for landowners filing claims under Measure 37.
Their action comes despite many unanswered questions about how the property compensation measure will be carried out.
The measure requires the state, counties and cities to compensate landowners if regulations limit how they can develop or use their land. Otherwise, government must exempt those landowners from those regulations.
Sixty percent of Oregon voters approved the measure. In Crook County, the percentage was 70 percent.
The Crook County ordinance, which is expected to be formally approved on Nov. 24, details the information that a landowner will have to provide before his or her claim can be processed. (more...)
Challenges to land law face slim prospects
Measure 37 appears likely to take effect in the face of daunting legal hurdles, time constraints and legislative complexities
By Laura Oppenheimer and Ashbel S. Green
The Oregonian | November 12, 2004 |
With Oregon's new property compensation law set to take effect in less than three weeks, critics are exploring legal and legislative ways to pull it apart.
Three possible options have emerged to gut or change Measure 37, but all have significant legal or political obstacles. It appears more likely that, beginning Dec. 2, governments will waive Oregon's unique land-use rules or pay owners, then address problems as they arise. (more...)
Measure 37 Q&A
| The Oregonian | November 12, 2004 |
What exactly does Measure 37 promise property owners?
If a land-use regulation hurts property value, the owner is guaranteed one of two things: a waiver from the rule or money to compensate for the financial effect. It's up to the government that enacted the rule to evaluate claims and decide whether to waive or pay.
When does the measure take effect?
Cities and counties must begin accepting claims Dec. 2. They will have 180 days to respond to the claims.
Who is eligible to make a claim?
You can file a claim for land-use regulations enacted after you or a family member (dating to your grandparents) bought the property. Rules enacted to meet federal requirements or protect the community from safety hazards and public nuisances do not apply.
How long do property owners have to file claims?
Two years. The window for requesting a waiver or compensation on existing land-use rules will close in late 2006. Each time a new rule is enacted, property owners will have two years to file a claim.
How do I make a claim?
Each city, county and state agency can set up its own process, but there is talk of coordinating claims procedures statewide. Call your local government agency for information about which jurisdiction would handle your claim.
Governments brace for financial impact of Measure 37
Property owners may be paid if they can't develop their land
By Beth Casper
Salem Statesman Journal | November 12, 2004 |
It turns out the passage of Measure 37 was the easy part.
City, county and state staff members now are grappling with how to deal with the paperwork, what to tell people who ask how the measure affects them and when they will find the time to research claims filed by residents.
Measure 37 requires state, county, city or other governments to pay fair-market value for enacting or enforcing land-use regulations that restrict use of private property. Officials also have the ability to waive the regulation and not pay compensation. It applies only to property owners who owned the land -- or whose family owned the land -- before restrictions or regulations were enacted.
It's impossible to tell, yet, how Measure 37 will play out state- wide. But for a local government official, a woman who has wanted for decades to build a home on family land, and a farmer with land in several counties, the uncertainty about the election has been replaced by nervous anticipation about its effects. (more...)
Candidates discuss land use, measures and more at forum
By George Petroccione
Albany Democrat-Herald | November 12, 2004 |
SWEET HOME -- Land-use regulation was among the big topics when 10 political candidates spent some time in Sweet Home Monday afternoon.
They answered questions on Measure 37, which would reimburse property owners when government action reduces the value of their property, and other subjects including the wording of the Pledge of Allegiance. (more...)
Challenges possible for land use measure
| The Associated Press | November 13, 2004 |
PORTLAND -- Three possible legal challenges have emerged to Oregon's new property compensation law -- but legal experts say none of the three makes an entirely persuasive case.
Measure 37 allows owners to apply for relief from land-use rules created since their family acquired the property. If they show the value has been harmed, the government responsible for the rule must waive it or pay for the loss.
Two longshot grounds to challenge the measure are the exclusion of adult entertainment businesses from payments and the creation of different rules for different property owners, The Oregonian reported. (more...)
Linn prepares for impact of Measure 37
By Les Gehrett
Albany Democrat-Herald | November 13, 2004 |
Numerous landowners in Linn County may be in line to benefit from the recently approved Measure 37.
The property-rights measure requires governments to compensate property owners in some instances when land-use rules reduce the value of their land. If they do not wish to pay compensation, governments must waive enforcement of the rules. (more...)
Editorial -- Measure 37 coverage was too limited, late
| The Oregonian | November 14, 2004 |
Measure 37: Two major articles were published in late October
Since the Nov. 2 election, more stories about Ballot Measure 37 have appeared on the front page of The Oregonian than in the many months leading up to the vote on the measure.
The newspaper's editors only now are fully catching up to the potential significance of the land-use measure. In hindsight, several editors are chagrined that the newspaper gave limited coverage of the measure before the election, and part of the coverage ran after voters began casting their ballots.
The measure forces governments to waive land protection rules that reduce property values, or pay the owners the difference. It is historic in a state that made land use an iconic stamp of livability, not to mention complex, expensive and bearing ramifications from Brookings to Baker City.
Whether in favor or against the measure, voters likely would have benefited from knowing what they're now learning before casting their ballots. The outcome might not have been affected, considering that a similar measure passed in 2000 before being tossed out in court. But the role of a newspaper -- particularly with the initiative process -- is to do as much as possible to help voters with their decision and to stimulate a statewide debate. (more...)
Opinion -- State must stay ahead of Measure 37's curves
Land-use-compensation plan could cause much confusion
| Salem Statesmen Journal | November 14, 2004 |
Oregon will change. Measure 37 guaranteed that. Its passage turned Oregon from a national leader in environmental protection and land-use planning into a state hesitant to enforce those zoning laws.
It's now up to Gov. Ted Kulongoski, the 2005 Legislature, local governments and property owners to make sure those changes are ones that Oregonians can live with.
The Legislature is unlikely to repeal a measure endorsed by six out 10 Oregon voters. And lawmakers and the governor share some blame for the measure's passage, having failed to heed residents' complaints about nonsensical interpretation of land-use regulations. However, the Legislature must bring some certainty and wisdom to the ambiguous measure. (more...)
Looser rules for private land
Measure 37: Its effects here may be less dramatic than elsewhere
By Damian Mann
Medford Mail Tribune | November 14, 2004 |
With Measure 37 soon to be law, Bill Rennick's 120-acre family farm could finally be worth a bundle. (more...)
Other
Council may seek structure review
By Karen McCowan
The Register-Guard | November 9, 2004 |
COBURG -- With two key vacancies at City Hall, the Coburg City Council will consider tonight whether to reevaluate the city's form of government before hiring replacements.
Mayor Judy Volta has asked consultant and former Eugene City Manager Jim Johnson to attend tonight's meeting with a proposal to review "the organization and structure of Coburg City Government." (more...)
Left-leaning weekly makes Eugene debut
By Lewis Taylor
The Register-Guard | November 10, 2004 |
The first edition of Eugene's newest newspaper, AVA Oregon, hit the streets late last week. With distribution limited mainly to local bookstores, the text-heavy weekly broadsheet did not exactly take the city by storm, which seemed just fine with its publisher, Bruce Anderson.
"Given all the givens, so far, I think we're off to a pretty good start," Anderson said from inside the paper's office near River Road. "Eugene seems yawningly indifferent to my presence."
Before moving to the area last summer, Anderson ran the Anderson Valley Advertiser (AVA) in Boonville, Calif., a paper that acquired a cult following for taking on school administrators, judges, prosecutors, newspaper editors and others in the local power structure. (more...)
Liberal Radio Coming To Town
By Joe Harwood
The Register-Guard | November 9, 2004 |
Churchill Communications LLC, the broadcast company that went live last Thursday with the region's first 24/7 Hispanic radio format, will score another milestone come Wednesday morning: the Eugene-Springfield premier of liberal-leaning Air America Radio, led by satirist and writer Al Franken.
The Air America network, which will broadcast locally on KOPT 1450 AM, should prove popular in Lane County, where 59 percent of voters cast presidential ballots for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry compared with 41 percent who voted for President Bush.
Simultaneous with the launch of the liberal network on 1450 AM on Wednesday, Churchill's La X Hispanic format station will move to KZTU 660 AM. La X now is broadcast on 1450 AM. (more...)
At one-year mark, Schwarzenegger rules
| The Associated Press | November 14, 2004 |
SACRAMENTO -- It's been a year since Arnold Schwarzenegger became California's 38th governor, and the Hollywood actor-turned-politician remains a phenomenon -- theatrical, unbridled and radiating raw confidence.
He smokes giant cigars, calls state government "a mastodon frozen in time" and raises money like a mogul. He whips out old movie lines to make points. He cheerfully mocks opponents in the state Legislature as "girlie men" -- and in this most politically correct of states, he gets away with it.
Swept into office on a wave of enthusiasm for his reform platform, Schwarzenegger promised to do things differently.
After capturing 48 percent of the vote in a field of 135 candidates to oust Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in a recall election, the Republican embarked on an aggressive agenda. He promised to improve California's business climate, end partisan gridlock, break the hold of special interests and solve the state's fiscal crisis.
Now he holds some of the highest approval ratings of any governor in California history, and a majority of voters say they're optimistic again about California. "The Natural," a serious political journal calls him. (more...)