Health Options Digest
April 17, 2005
Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES)
In This Issue
From the Editor
In Our Mailbag
In response to Jan Wilson's request, several readers offered suggestions about the future of PeaceHealth's Hilyard site in response to Jan Wilson's. There were many perspectives, but one persistent theme is the continued competition between PeaceHealth and McKenzie-Willamette.
Last week we wrote: "To attract McKenzie-Willamette to the EWEB site, the City of Eugene is offering to $12 million or more in road improvements." One alert reader sent this clarification: "This statement sounds like the $12 million is coming out of already existing monies or (horrors!) will be acquired through additional taxes. In reality, the City will issue $12 million in urban renewal bonds which will ALL be purchased directly by McKenzie-Willamette. If McKenzie-Willamette is not located there, the $12 million in urban renewal dollars won't exist. In other words, they will entirely fund the road and transportation upgrades." We appreciate the clarification.
Yet another alert reader called our attention to the Mountain View Hospital District in Madras. Some in Lane County, notably County Commissioner Peter Sorenson, have suggested forming a hospital district in Lane County. For more information, see http://www.mvhd.org/html/about-us.html
In response to our thoughts a few weeks ago about tax sharing and Myron Orfield, yet another alert reader wrote: "I was surprised to see someone actually mentioning Minnesota's program. I thought Bob Parker, Carol Heinkel, and Jim Torrey were the only people in Lane County interested in such arcane nonsense. ... Mayor Torrey [said he] was in favor of sharing the tax revenue business generates in Lane County proportionately among communities even though Eugene gets much more than its proportionate share. ... Meanwhile, as Region 2050 project manager, Carol Heinkel said the growing disparity between infrastructure costs and tax revenue in the rural communities and small cities is a hindrance to our ability to plan for the inevitable county-wide population growth." For more information, visit http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/fiscaldis.pdf
Week In Review
As expected, David Rodriguez, who has been raising concerns with flooding at PeaceHealth's RiverBend site, filed an appeal with the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. Look for PeaceHealth and Springfield to move forward in spite of the appeal. But if Rodriquez won at LUBA, PeaceHealth would need reverse work on the RiverBend site.
Perhaps unexpectedly, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center announced plans to expand and update its current hospital in Springfield. The announcement follows on the heels of a similar announcement by PeaceHealth for their existing Hilyard site. As an editorial in The Register-Guard notes, anything one hospital does has repercussions for the other. And you thought the recent settlements with PeaceHealth marked the end of "Musical Hospitals"?
Also, McKenzie-Willamette started seeking a Certificate of Need that will allow it to operate in Eugene. McKenzie-Willamette also initiated a detailed site inspection of the EWEB site. Lastly, McKenzie-Willamette is preparing a report on what it learned from the community at two recent public forums about siting a hospital at the EWEB site.
And in even more "Musical Hospitals" news, Lane County is looking at the existing McKenzie-Willamette hospital as a possible replacement for the aging Lane County Public Health Annex Building in downtown Eugene.
Business in Springfield is exploding... so might Springfield consider being home to a tribal casino (now that Governor Kulongoski has opened the door to casinos off of tribal lands)?
The U of O Foundation purchased the old Romania site on Franklin. The university is planning for its future space needs. But what if the university held a public meeting about their plans and no one came to comment? That's what happened.
Lane Transit District is considering extending Bus Rapid Transit along Pioneer Parkway in Springfield to the RiverBend site. They have $775,000 allocated to planning BRT in the coming year.
Meanwhile, the Oregon Department of Transportation is looking to begin construction of a flyover at the Interstate-5/Beltline interchange, perhaps as each as March of next year.
Bob Welch started a two-part series on John Musumeci, who continues to be a major character in the saga of "Musical Hospitals." But, as Bob Welch asks, who really is this man who appears to be connected with much happening in our community? We know this: Musumeci's Churchill Media now owns three radio stations in town: KXOR AM 660, a 24-hour Spanish language station; KOPT AM 1450, a progressive station that carries Air America Radio and several local talk show hosts; and KEED AM 1600, formerly a Christian station that with a stronger signal is planned to be the new home of the progressive station. We know that Arlie's web site, http://www.arlie.com, has mysteriously all but disappeared. We know that "Professor Musumeci" is an avid blackjack player, who has shared his skills to benefit the Relief Nursery and the Children's Miracle Network. And we hear that Musumeci has expressed interest in purchasing the Eugene railyard for a mixed-use development. Musumeci once said money drives him, but is that the whole story?
The West Coast Governors -- Gregoire of Washington, Kulongoski of Oregon and our friend Schwarzenegger of California -- Governor Kulongoski has joined with our friend Governor Schwarzenegger of California and Governor Gregoire of Washington are working together to combat global warming. This past week, Governor Kulongoski announced five new initiatives to curb global warming in Oregon. For more information, visit http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/press_041305a.shtml Coincidentally, on Friday Dr. Jane Lubchenco, a marine ecologist at OSU and a co-chair of of the governor's advisory group on global warming, spoke to the City Club of Eugene about global warming and changes in ecosystems around the world.
Lastly, speaking of potentially profound changes, over 1000 Measure 37 claims have been filed to date. But what were voters saying when they approved this measure? What will the measure mean on the ground in Oregon? And will the legislature "fix" the measure this legislative session?
Looking Ahead
On Monday, hear the City Club program on global warming on KLCC -- or join the follow up discussion on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, elected officials from Eugene, Springfield and Lane County will hold a public hearing on creating a metro-wide public safety district.
Also on Tuesday, the Springfield and Lane County Planning Commissions will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the Glenwood redevelopment plan.
And on Tuesday, the Oregon Environmental Council will host a program on "Childproofing for Toxics: Some Practical Advice" as part of their Healthy Environment Forum series.
On Wednesday, the Lane County Board of Commissioners will hear a report on progress for a community health center, and will also consider authorizing a West Eugene Enterprise Zone.
Finally, on Friday the Game Farm Neighbors will hear about the Pioneer Parkway Extension and plans for the RiverBend site.
Rob Zako, Editor
343-5201
rzako@efn.org
Calendar
Monday, April 18 -- City Club of Eugene
Listen on KLCC FM 89.7 at 6:30 pm to Dr. Jane Lubchenco in a program title, "Go With The Flow: Ecosystems and Human Well-Being."
Tuesday, April 19 -- City Club of Eugene
Join the City Club at 5:05 pm at Cafe Paradiso, Olive & Broadway in Eugene, for a follow up discussion on ecosystems and human well-being.
Tuesday, April 19 -- Joint Elected Officials
Public Service Bldg., 125 East 8th Ave., Eugene, 682-4203
6:00 pm, Work Session, Board of Commissioners' Conference Room
7:00 pm, Public Hearing, Harris Hall
Proposed Metro Plan Amendment to Chapter II, Growth Management Policy 15 to Allow the Creation of a Countywide Public Safety District within the Boundaries of the Metro Plan.
Tuesday, April 19 -- Joint Springfield and Lane County Plannning Commissions
Springfield City Hall, Library Meeting Room, 225 Fifth St., 726-3753
6:00 pm, Work Session
7:00 pm, Public Hearing
Glenwood Riverfront Plan Amendment -- The Planning Commissions of the City of Springfield and Lane County are being asked to review a package of proposed amendments concerning "Subarea 8: The River Opportunity Area" in Glenwood, and forward a recommendation for approval to the Joint Elected Officials of the City of Springfield and Lane County.
Tuesday, April 19 -- Oregon Environmental Council
6:00 -- 8:00 pm, Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St., Eugene
"Childproofing for Toxics: Some Practical Advice"
A talk by Dr. Ted Schettler, M.D., M.P.H.
More and more parents are asking questions about toxics, but which are the key ones to avoid? What are the alternatives? What should providers tell parents? Dr. Ted. Schettler, M.D., M.P.H., Science Director for the Science and Environmental Health Network and author of Generations at Risk: Reproductive Health and the Environment, will outline strategies to get the right information into the hands of parents and care givers.
The Healthy Environment Forum series is intended to bring health professionals and environmentalists together to learn about emerging issues and to begin forging consensus about the linkages between some of Oregon's most difficult environmental and health challenges. The series is designed for physicians and other health care providers, especially those in Family Medicine and Pediatrics, and for environmental professionals and interested citizens.
Heavy hors d'oeurves will be provided.
Tickets are $25 ($20 for OEC members and employees of nonprofit or governmental agencies).
Register by phone with Visa or MasterCard by contacting Cheryl Bristah at (503) 222-1963, x100, cherylb@oeconline.org
** CME, CNE and Naturopathic credits are available
Wednesday, April 20 -- Lane County Board of Commissioners
Public Service Bldg., 125 East 8th Ave., Eugene, 682-4203
2:00 pm, Regular Meeting, Board of Commissioners' Conference Room
12. Report: Community Health Center Progress.
13. Order: Authorizing the Application to the State of Oregon for Designation of a West Eugene Enterprise Zone.
Friday, April 22 -- Game Farm Neighbors
Immanuel Baptist Church (corner of Flamingo and Game Farm Road)
7:00 pm, Election of Board and Officers
7:30 pm, Guest Speakers
Find out more about the Martin Luther King Jr extension of Pioneer Parkway. Ask questions about the PeaceHealth development on the McKenzie. Hear a letter from the developer of the subdivision in the Raleighwood area.
The guests will be:
* Gary McKenney -- Traffic Engineer for Springfield
* Pam Ownbey -- City of Springfield project manager for the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway project
* Phillip Farrington -- PeaceHealth planning director for the McKenzie site
For more information, contact Bonnie Ullmann, 747-7580
Opportunities
Commissioners have an opening on health panel
| The Register-Guard | April 17, 2005 |
The Lane County Board of Commissioners seeks applicants for the health advisory committee, which makes recommendations on matters of public health, planning, policy development, control measures, funding, public education and advocacy.
The term is four years. The deadline to apply is May 27. Applications are available in the Board of Commissioners' Office, Public Service Building, 125 E. Eighth Ave., Eugene. To request an application by mail, call 682-4207.
For more information, call 682-4035.
Be A Comish
| Eugene Weekly | April 7, 2005 |
Two vacancies are coming up on the Lane County Planning Commission, with an April 29 deadline for applications. The commission makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding comprehensive plan issues and amendments; and also advises and cooperates with other planning agencies within the state and provides reports to local government officials on problems in county, regional or metropolitan planning.
For information and applications, visit county offices at 125 E. 8th Ave. or http://www.co.lane.or.us
Lane County planning panel has two vacancies
| The Register-Guard | April 8, 2005 |
The Lane County Board of Commissioners seeks applications from citizens interested in serving on the Lane County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations to the board on comprehensive plan issues and amendments.
The commission also advises and cooperates with other planning agencies within the state and provides reports to local government officials on problems comprehended in county, regional or metropolitan planning.
There are two vacancies. Both will be filled by residents of the county; one position must be filled by a resident who lives west of the east boundary of the Mapleton School District; the other position may be filled by any county resident.
The deadline to apply is April 29. Applications are available in the Board of Commissioners' Office, Public Service Building, 125 E. Eighth Ave.
For more information call Kent Howe at 682-3734.
Applicants needed for county committees
| The Register-Guard | March 18, 2005 |
The Lane County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from residents interested in serving on the Lane County Mental Health Advisory Committee.
Committee responsibility includes serving on subcommittees and requires two to four daytime meetings per month. The board advises on matters relating to mental health, developmental disabilities, and alcohol and drug abuse in Lane County by reviewing major policies of the community mental health program.
The deadline to apply is April 22. To request an application, call 682-4203. For more information, call Rob Rockstroh at 682-4035.
The county also seeks applications from residents interested in serving on the Lane County Planning Commission. The commission makes recommendations to the commissioners regarding comprehensive plan issues and amendments. Applicants must be residents of Lane County west of the east boundary of the Mapleton School District. To request an application by mail, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope and mark your request to the attention of Ethel at the address listed below. The deadline to apply is April 15. For information, call 682-4203.
Applications for both groups are available in the Board of Commissioners' Office located on the Plaza Level of the Public Service Building, 125 E. Eighth Avenue in Eugene.
PeaceHealth
A new challenge to RiverBend
By Joe Harwood
The Register-Guard | April 12, 2005 |
SPRINGFIELD -- Just when PeaceHealth thought it could go about building its RiverBend regional medical center unmolested, another critic is nipping at the heels of the hospital corporation.
Springfield resident David Rodriguez on Monday sent notice to the state Land Use Board of Appeals that he intends to fight the city's March approval of the RiverBend master plan. PeaceHealth proposes to build a $350 million hospital and a mix of medical, commercial and residential buildings on 160 acres in north Springfield.
Rodriguez claims that PeaceHealth and the city failed to properly address potential flooding hazards, and that a 100-year flood would put most of the complex under water. (more...)
Randy Prince -- Hospital siting ignores seismic risk
By Randy Prince
The Register-Guard | April 13, 2005 |
The Register-Guard's March 6 coverage of coastal tsunami hazards was a welcome acknowledgement of Oregon's earthquake risks, which have been regarded like UFO sightings by too many people. It's critical that we stop ignoring geological realities as we choose new locations for both area hospitals. (more...)
McKenzie-Willamette/Triad
Fast and Painless Update
By Rosie Pryor, Director, Marketing and Planning
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center | April 12, 2005 |
McKenzie-Willamette Unveils Plans for Springfield
Today, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center announced plans for expansion and update of its Springfield hospital. It also notified Oregon Certificate of Need staff of its intent to file an application to relocate the hospital to Eugene.
CEO Roy J. Orr said area physicians have urged McKenzie-Willamette to accelerate long-standing plans to expand its cardiovascular services. He said the hospital is readying plans to construct a dedicated operating room for open heart surgery, and to add as many as 34 additional beds into service. He said if the hospital board approves the investment, construction will begin by fourth quarter 2005.
Orr said, "We've spent the last six months in an intensive facility and service planning process. We initiated these efforts to guide our plans for a new full service hospital in Eugene, but we learned there's considerable physician interest in seeing us expand right now, right here in Springfield."
In addition to expansion of cardiovascular services, Orr said the Springfield hospital has ordered a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and will replace its computerized tomography (CT) scanner. He said both will be in place in 2005.
Certificate of Need Work Begins
McKenzie-Willamette also submitted a Letter of Intent (LOI) to state officials today, indicating it will seek review of plans to relocate the hospital to central Eugene. Though McKenzie-Willamette draws patients from both Springfield and Eugene, a certificate of need review is required if a hospital moves outside its "service area" as defined by Oregon statutes.
In a cover letter accompanying the LOI, Orr told state staff McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center plans to relocate the hospital's main campus from its present Springfield location to downtown Eugene, where it will operate an acute care hospital, including an emergency department.
McKenzie-Willamette is licensed for 114 acute care beds, but plans for renovation of its Springfield campus will add services and increase beds to about 150. The hospital is assessing whether the relocation to Eugene will necessitate a number of acute care beds in excess of 150 in order to appropriately serve the regional community.
Last November, McKenzie-Willamette offered to purchase Eugene Water and Electric Board's central Eugene property for re-development as a hospital. In February, EWEB General Manager Randy Berggren signed an agreement to continue negotiations with the hospital.
The agreement includes no set price and allows McKenzie-Willamette or EWEB to end negotiations at any time if due diligence reveals completion of the transaction is not in the best interest of either party. Oregon Certificate of Need Coordinator, Jana Fussell, said the hospital can initiate its application even if it must revise it at a later date.
Original plans for the new McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center called for a project budget of $85 million, but the hospital is now reviewing that figure in light of planned expansions in Springfield and the likelihood that a move to Eugene may require an expanded facility.
McKenzie-Willamette plans to file its application within the 3rd quarter of 2005 and to begin operation at the new hospital in 2008.
Site Inspections Begin at EWEB
McKenzie-Willamette initiated environmental assessment and a subsurface investigation of the EWEB site this week. The site inspection work includes extensive reconnaissance and inspection of records related to the site, such as reports about underground and above-ground storage tanks, review of state and municipal data, and spill incident reports, as well as soil borings and collection of water samples. The hospital will receive a preliminary report within ten days, and a final report in 30 days.
Hospital Collects Site Design Comments
McKenzie-Willamette sponsored two public meetings in March to invite community comments about the proposed hospital development on the EWEB site. Orr said the meetings were well attended and the hospital learned a lot about community interest in the EWEB site.
He said many suggestions for the site can and would be incorporated into McKenzie-Willamette's plans, such as expansion of public access to the river and preservation of the riparian area. He said McKenzie-Willamette is readying a report to the community about what it learned in its public meetings and how it would incorporate the suggestion in plans for the site.
Rosie Pryor
Director, Marketing and Planning
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center
1460 G Street, Springfield, OR 97477-4197
541-744-6164
rospry@mckweb.com
Hospital Announces Plan to Make Upgrades
"We're not going to march in place or tread water while we wait for the relocation of this facility," explains McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center CEO Roy Orr.
Instead, the hospital hoping to one day move to Eugene is preparing to drop between $4 and $5 million dollars to improve its current hospital in Springfield. "We believe there's a number of advances we need to bring to our patient population," says Orr.
Those services include remodeling an older wing of the hospital from office and storage space to accommodate 34 new hospital beds. Plus, it plans to buy a new MRI system, build an operating room for open heart surgery, and rennovate part of its emergency department.
The changes will likely create more competition with Eugene's Sacred Heart Hospital. "I think it's obvious some of these services represent services we think were somewhat instrumental in excluding us from health plans in the past, and we intend to not let that happen again." (more...)
McKenzie-Willamette hospital will expand before it relocates
By Joe Harwood
The Register-Guard | April 13, 2005 |
SPRINGFIELD -- In a move that suggests that McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center has plenty of staying power, hospital officials on Tuesday announced plans for a $5 million expansion of services at the Springfield campus.
The upgrade is intended to get the hospital into strong competitive shape for when it relocates to Eugene, hospital officials said.
The 114-bed McKenzie-Willamette will put an additional three dozen beds into service, construct a specialized operating room for open heart surgery and renovate the emergency room patient intake area. (more...)
Hospital plans expansion: McKenzie-Willamette is still working on new Eugene site
By Amber Fossen
The Springfield News | April 13, 2005 |
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is about to receive a facelift of sorts as plans for an estimated $4 to $5 million worth of expansions and upgrades to the Springfield facility were announced at a news conference Tuesday.
Nearly in the same breath, McKenzie-Willamette Chief Executive Officer Roy J. Orr announced that a letter of intent was submitted to state officials, indicating the hospital would seek a Certificate of Need review to relocate to Eugene -- specifically, to the Eugene Water & Electric Board site. (more...)
Editorial -- It's all connected: Both hospitals will add services at existing sites
| The Register-Guard | April 17, 2005 |
Keep this in mind: Nothing related to Eugene-Springfield's two local hospitals happens in a vacuum. When a butterfly flutters its wings in a Sacred Heart Medical Center office, planning documents rustle on desks at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.
That's neither good nor bad, it's mostly just the way things work. But it's helpful to remember that in addition to every official reason given for a major project, there's often an equally compelling unofficial motivation. The official reason -- "better patient care" -- is usually accompanied by an unofficial competitive advantage, image enhancement or bottom-line consideration. (more...)
Health Care
County health services eyeing hospital
By Amber Fossen
The Springfield News | April 15, 2005 |
The Lane County Public Health Annex Building is aging, short on space and a focal point for improvement.
Ideas to replace the building range from expanding the current site at 135 E. Sixth Ave. in Eugene to moving the services elsewhere -- perhaps to 1460 G St. in Springfield, the current home of McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.
Rosie Pryor, McKenzie-Willamette spokeswoman, said the hospital contacted the county two weeks ago to invite health officials on a tour of the facility. Pryor said it's part of the hospital's commitment to be good stewards of the site for the community. (more...)
Bill to shield health clinics clears Senate
By James Sinks
WesCom News Service | April 15, 2005 |
SALEM -- It won't solve Oregon's health care crisis, but a pair of bills that cleared the state Senate on Wednesday could help open doors to more access at low-income clinics.
The legislation, inspired in part by the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of the Cascades in Bend, would lower barriers that now prevent both active and retired medical professionals from volunteering their time. (more...)
Paul Krugman -- Ailing Health Care
By Paul Krugman
The New York Times | April 11, 2005 |
Those of us who accuse the administration of inventing a Social Security crisis are often accused, in return, of do-nothingism, of refusing to face up to the nation's problems. I plead not guilty: America does face a real crisis -- but it's in health care, not Social Security.
Well-informed business executives agree. A recent survey of chief financial officers at major corporations found that 65 percent regard immediate action on health care costs as "very important." Only 31 percent said the same about Social Security reform.
But serious health care reform isn't on the table, and in the current political climate it probably can't be. You see, the health care crisis is ideologically inconvenient. (more...)
Paul Krugman -- The Medical Money Pit
By Paul Krugman
The New York Times | April 15, 2005 |
A dozen years ago, everyone was talking about a health care crisis. But then the issue faded from view: a few years of good data led many people to conclude that H.M.O.'s and other innovations had ended the historic trend of rising medical costs.
But the pause in the growth of health care costs in the 1990's proved temporary. Medical costs are once again rising rapidly, and our health care system is once again in crisis. So now is a good time to ask why other advanced countries manage to spend so much less than we do, while getting better results. (more...)
Nearby Developments
Business in Springfield is exploding
| The Springfield News | April 15, 2005 |
Holy macaroni! After a lengthy dry spell, new business activity in Springfield seems to have caught fire. A quick windshield survey of the town shows new stuff virtually everywhere. (more...)
Springfield: Casino country: Things could 'be luckier here' after approval of new casino at Cascade Locks
By Stacy D. Stumbo
The Springfield News | April 13, 2005 |
A decade ago, the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians eyed property in Springfield for their Three Rivers Casino.
They settled on Florence instead, and opened their casino there last June. And since each tribe was allowed just one casino, everyone thought that was the end of it.
But the state's recent decision to allow the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation to build the state's first off-reservation casino at Cascade Locks on the Columbia River Gorge could open the door to renegotiating agreements with other tribes.
The result could be a mass movement of tribal casinos out of ancestral or reservation lands, onto highly desirable real estate in big cities -- and towns on the Interstate 5 corridor such as Springfield. (more...)
Wild for Glenwood: Sand and gravel company is dabbling in real estate redevelopment
By Bob Keefer
The Register-Guard | April 17, 2005 |
GLENWOOD -- The Wildish companies of Eugene don't consider themselves to be in the land development business. They mine gravel and build roads -- a basic industry that requires steady planning with a conservative approach.
Along the way, though, Wildish has become a key player in the redevelopment of Glenwood, a largely unincorporated area of trailer parks and industrial zones where the family-owned companies hold 80 acres -- much of it acquired in the 1940s and '50s simply to mine gravel on. (more...)
Editorial -- Utility tax is our ticket to a jail; let's vote for it
| The Springfield News | April 13, 2005 |
In just about a month, local residents will get to vote on whether we keep the 5-percent utility tax that the City Council approved early this year.
The Springfield News recommends voting to keep it because, although it's a bad tax in most respects, our current crime situation is far worse -- and if there's a better way to collect the money, nobody's told us about it.
Springfield City Councilor Christine Lundberg, in last Friday's edition, made a very solid case for rejecting the utility tax -- and we agree with many of her points. This tax is far from perfect.
But we have got to build this town a jail. (more...)
What Price Public Safety? Lane County seeks to raise property taxes to avert a 'crisis'
By Matt Cooper
The Register-Guard | April 17, 2005 |
Lane County wants to stop what it calls a crisis in public safety. And to do that, it must accomplish what it has failed to do repeatedly in recent years: persuade the public to foot the bill by paying more property taxes. (more...)
400 RV jobs going to Coburg
By Tim Christie
The Register-Guard | April 16, 2005 |
Monaco Coach Corp. is shutting down its motor home factory in Bend and moving about 400 jobs to its Coburg campus, company officials announced Friday. (more...)
Editorial -- Power over power plants: Local governments deserve a say in siting
| The Register-Guard | April 13, 2005 |
Legislators from Lane and Klamath counties have teamed up to sponsor bills that would give local governments more control over power plant construction. The character of this coalition -- urban and rural, Democratic and Republican, west and east of the Cascades -- suggests that most communities in Oregon would resent being relegated to the sidelines when proposals to build power plants come forward. Local governments deserve a bigger voice. (more...)
UO group buys land to expand campus
By Bob Keefer
The Register-Guard | April 13, 2005 |
The University of Oregon Foundation has purchased the former Romania Chevrolet car dealership site on Franklin Boulevard northeast of campus to give the university more room to grow.
Lane County property records show that Oregon Future Expansion LLC, a private corporation organized in December by the foundation, in March bought the 4.13-acre lot at 2020 Franklin Blvd., plus two smaller nearby parcels of land, for $5.2 million from the local Romania family.
Lew Williams, director of real property for the foundation, said the Romania parcels came on the market late last year and were simply too good an opportunity to pass up. (more...)
Long-range plan meeting runs short
No one from the public attended the meeting, held to address the updated campus development plan
By Meghann M. Cuniff, Senior News Reporter
Oregon Daily Emerald | April 13, 2005 |
A campus planning committee meeting scheduled to last an hour and a half was adjourned after just seven minutes Tuesday afternoon, something University Planning Associate Christine Thompson said was not unexpected given the number of public hearings and the attention that planning issues have received in the past few months.
The meeting's focus was the Long Range Campus Development Plan, but because the updates being done to the plan are in their final stages, Thompson said the need for community members to voice opinions or concerns may not seem as pressing to them as it was a few months ago. (more...)
Retail Notebook: L&L Market Place reborn in Triomphe
By Joe Mosley
The Register-Guard | April 14, 2005 |
Ali Pourfard is making a habit of consolidating and reinventing Eugene's marketplace eateries.
In the late 1990s, he took on the task of re-establishing the Fifth Street Public Market's food court, opening first the Glendi Cafe and then the Chelsea Grill & Pub. The food court regained much of its popularity, and Pourfard eventually sold the restaurants and moved on to other ventures.
About four years ago, he began developing a similar vision for the L&L Market Place at Willamette Street and 16th Avenue, which he says had begun to slip from its high-water mark of excellence. (more...)
Letter -- Improvement district unwanted
By Rob Handy, Eugene
The Register-Guard | April 16, 2005 |
The city of Eugene proposes forming a local improvement district for River Avenue, ostensibly to upgrade the street to urban standards.
The danger in looking at this proposal in isolation is that approval will likely exacerbate tensions between the city and its neighbors in River Road and Santa Clara. The Oregon Department of Transportation will be undertaking a Belt Line Road corridor study, with closure or alteration of the River Avenue/Division Avenue interchange a possible outcome.
Thirty-two of 33 property owners in the proposed district are against this proposal. The prudent course would be to postpone or cancel implementation of this project, which Lane County Commissioner Bill Dwyer called "a Cadillac when a Chevrolet will do."
More broadly, this proposal fails to address the concerns of River Road and Santa Clara residents summarized in the report of the City Council-appointed Urban Services Committee: trust, voice, equity and collaboration.
Eugene and Lane County need to take a step back in order to move forward with building trust and im- proving relations with neighbors in River Road and Santa Clara. There are short-term (efficient and equitable delivery of urban services) and long-term (annexation) issues that require engagement of the citizenry.
An attitudinal shift on the part of government and staff is the first step to healing the rifts in trust. Backing off the ill-timed River Avenue LID proposal would be a prudent first step.
Transportation
Public comment sought on BRT route
By Matt Cooper
The Register-Guard | April 14, 2005 |
SPRINGFIELD -- Pioneer Parkway could become the second leg for the Lane Transit District's high-speed bus line, and officials want public comment today.
An open house on the second corridor for bus rapid transit will be held 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the library meeting room at City Hall, 225 Fifth St. (more...)
I-5 flyover design taking off
By Joe Harwood
The Register-Guard | April 15, 2005 |
After years of study, dozens of public meetings and plenty of revisions, the state Department of Transportation has settled on a final design for the $113 million Interstate 5-Belt Line Road upgrade.
It will be one of the biggest road projects ever in Lane County and will change the function and look of a central artery in the region's transportation network.
The $72.5 million first phase is slated to go to bid in December, and the bulk of construction should be under way in March 2006, said Karl Wieseke, the state project leader. (more...)
Other News
Bob Welch -- Musumeci, mystery man of Metropolis
By Bob Welch, Columnist
The Register-Guard | April 17, 2005 |
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a two-part series.
You might like him. You might loathe him. But if you're at all interested in the future of Lane County, you can't ignore John Musumeci. (more...)
Governor unveils global warming fight
By Jeff Barnard
The Associated Press | April 14, 2005 |
GRANTS PASS -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski wants Oregon to get tough on global warming, arguing that promoting renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be good for the local economy. (more...)
Measure 37
Voters in Oregon spoke loudly, but what were they trying to say?
By Eric Pryne
The Seattle Times | April 11, 2005 |
GASTON, Ore. -- For 10 years, Oregon's land-use-planning laws have kept Colin Kohlmeyer from building a new house in his hazelnut orchards.
Those laws aim to protect farmland from sprawl. Kohlmeyer, a full-time farmer for 35 years, agrees that they have helped agriculture thrive. But if he can't put a single house on his own land for his own use, he says, "it's gone to the extreme the other way."
Last fall, 61 percent of Oregon's voters voted for Measure 37, the nation's most far-reaching property-rights law. Supporters -- and some opponents -- of the measure say it passed because of people like Kohlmeyer.
Voters heard stories of regular folks whose modest plans for their property had been blocked by Oregon's strong growth-management regulations and sympathized, says veteran Portland pollster Tim Hibbits: They decided Oregon's planners had gone too far.
"The 'yes' side had the emotional argument," he says. "You put out enough poster children, and it starts to soak in with people."
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Five months after Measure 37's approval, partisans and pundits still are debating why it passed and what the landslide signifies. The questions have national ramifications: Property-rights activists in other states, including Washington, are considering cloning the Oregon law. (more...)
Will property-rights revolt reverberate beyond Oregon?
By Eric Pryne
The Seattle Times | April 11, 2005 |
HILLSBORO, Ore. -- Harvey Kempema is giving Washington County's commissioners a choice.
Option A: Waive county zoning rules and let him split his old dairy farm into five- or 10-acre lots, as he says he could have done when he bought the land in 1973.
Option B: Write him a check for $2 million.
This sounds like an angry property-owner's pipe dream. It's not. (more...)
Land use law takes effect gently in Hood River
By Jeff Barnard
The Associated Press | April 17, 2005 |
HOOD RIVER -- With 15,000 acres of fruit orchards, and the lure of world-class windsurfing, mountain biking and skiing within an hour of Portland, the Hood River Valley should be ground zero for the land use planning bomb enacted by Oregon voters as Measure 37.
But four months after the law took effect, Hood River County Planning Director Mike Benedict hasn't seen it. He's gone from predicting drastic change for this beautiful little valley in the scenic Columbia Gorge, to uncertainty. (more...)
County looks to add planning staff
By David Bates
The (McMinnville) News-Register | April 9, 2005 |
The Yamhill County Planning Department will probably add staff this year to accommodate the workload generated, at least in part, by Measure 37. (more...)
S. Oregon residents can air Measure 37 views on Friday
House land use panel plans a hearing; two other panels also hold hearings here this week
By Don Jepsen for the Mail Tribune
The (Medford) Mail Tribune | April 10, 2005 |
SALEM -- Three legislative committees will hold hearings this week in Jackson County, with the agenda for the House Land Use Committee -- Ballot Measure 37 -- expected to generate the most interest.
Frustrated with the lack of progress in the Senate on an omnibus bill implementing provisions of the voter-approved property rights act, committee Chairman Rep. Bill Garrard, R-Klamath Falls, said he will use Medford "as a base for launching our own omnibus bill." (more...)
Linn staff: Don't give waivers to two Measure 37 claims
By Les Gehrett
The (Albany) Democrat-Herald | April 11, 2005 |
Albany Democrat-Herald
The Linn County Board of Commissioners will review two more Measure 37 claims this week and the county's planning staff is recommending that neither applicant receive the land-use waiver that is being requested. (more...)
County OKs land-use claims
Clackamas commissioners approve rezoning requests for four more potential subdivisions on Petes Mountain
By Dana Tims
The Oregonian | April 14, 2005 |
Clackamas County commissioners approved rezoning requests for four more potential subdivisions Wednesday, effectively enlarging a battleground over Measure 37 from the Stafford triangle south to Petes Mountain.
The votes came after eight residents of the rolling, rural area south of Interstate 205 said large-scale development on Petes Mountain would overwhelm roads, block views of Mount Hood and exhaust groundwater already in short supply.
"My big concern is how all those new septic systems will affect surrounding houses," said Richard Breuner, a resident who said he was among the nearly 60 percent of Oregon voters who approved Measure 37 in November. "That's not a small issue." (more...)
Land-use ruling sets stage for rural mall
Polk County commissioners OK a Measure 37 claim that would allow up to 1 million square feet of commercial space near Dallas
By Laura Oppenheimer
The Oregonian | April 15, 2005 |
Oregon's new property rights law has opened the door to a shopping mall on par with Washington Square or Clackamas Town Center.
Not in the Portland suburbs. Not in Eugene. Or even Bend.
Stores could rise from Polk County farmland near Dallas, just west of Salem, where the population is smaller than Beaverton's and the biggest shopping destinations are Wal-Mart and a strip mall.
Polk County commissioners have approved a Measure 37 claim for 1 million square feet of commercial space. Though department stores and food courts are unlikely to materialize anytime soon, the case shows how one significant claim can divide a small community -- a scenario that may become more common as claims exceed 1,000 statewide. (more...)
Letter -- Oregon's land use plan logical and enlightening
By Viron Fessler, 5220 N.W. Bridgefarmer Road, Gaston
The (McMinnville) News-Register | April 2, 2005 |
Everyone must admire aspects of "the good ol' days." Though plagues, feuds, dirt floors and outhouses were the price of admission; to some, they must sound glorious.
With "freedom and liberty" (if not justice for all) one could blast away a mountain or gut-out a stream for particles of gold. Surrounded by old-growth and dynamite by the box, they let freedom ring.
Then along came the rest of us -- and the necessity of rules. Rules are tempting to buck; every child does and show me a good parent who enjoys enforcing them.
It's not difficult to equate advocates of Oregon's 30-year-old land use regulations as diligent parents, educating a rebellious child. And while rebellious political grandstanding may certainly feed egos, fueling the fires of controversy for short-term gain is disingenuous.
Far from a notorious plot to rob us of our "freedom," state land use planning is a logical, sustainable and enlightened response to the current and foreseeable influx.
Centuries ago, Europeans scraped their continent raw. Suffering famines, plagues and mass exodus, they've finally struck a balance. Learning from their hard-earned success (while we still have something left) seems a no-brainer.
As for the preachy among us, using this issue as an everlasting theoretical exercise in social commentary; our last election may have said something, but sprawl good -- planning bad, wasn't it!
Letter -- Measure 37 is a disaster for state's prime farmland
By Sandy Smith, Dallas
The (Salem) Stateman Journal | April 13, 2005 |
Will someone please tell me where our food will come from in a few short years? If our state and county officials keep allowing private homes and big industry to build in the middle of our farmlands, we will be out of food before long.
I can understand building on land that is completely unsuitable for farming such as rocky, hilly land. However, when you cut up pieces larger than 50 acres into small plots, you are taking away our survival. It is a fact you can't make a living on a small piece of ground, so what purpose is it to cut up big acreages of farmland that supply us with food?
Do we need more malls and shopping taking up prime farmland along the freeways? I think we have enough already.
I certainly hope that the Marion and Polk County officials will take a long hard look at some of the requests that have been made since Measure 37 took effect. Don't piecemeal our prime farmland away!
Letter -- Measure 37 may make state look like California
By Dale Derouin, Dallas
The (Salem) Stateman Journal | April 15, 2005 |
It was clear to me after reading the April 10 Statesman Journal that many who voted for Measure 37 had no idea what its consequences might be. Apparently many thought they were voting for rights for themselves exclusively, and did not count on their neighbors doing things which would affect them directly.
Unless we see a successful lawsuit overturning Measure 37, or our Legislature takes some thoughtful corrective action (a long shot, at best) we will see Oregon looking a lot like California, to the detriment of us all.
It's time we start thinking about our responsibilities to the entire community (Oregon) rather than just "my rights as an individual." We are on a slippery slope.
Mark Thoma -- Some taxation principles, to get debate started
By Mark Thoma
The Register-Guard | April 12, 2005 |
Fairness seems simple enough at first, and something we should strive for. But defining what's fair is not easy.
When food is scarce, should everyone get the same amount, or should bigger people get more? Should those who toil at manual labor all day get more than those who sit at desks? Should warriors get more than workers? Should the rich get more than the poor? What is fair? What is best for society?
The fancy economics term for this is distributional equity. Principles of distributional equity are based upon value judgments, not economic theory. In the example above, economists cannot comment one way or the other on whether society should take an apple from one person and give it to another. We can tell you the consequences -- one person is better off, the other is worse off -- and give some evaluation of the effect on each person. But we cannot judge whether one person's loss is worth another person's gain. (more...)