Springfield City Council — October 6, 2025

0:04 I would like to call the Springfield City Council work session for October 6, 2025 to order with roll call. >> Mayor Van Gordon, Councelor Weber >> here, >> councelor Mo >> here, >> councelor Rodley >> here, councelor Blackwell >> here, and councelor Stout. >> Mayor Van Gordon is excused for the evening. First item, please. >> The first item is the Eugene Springfield fire updates. And council president Weber for the record council stat is joined. >> Okay. Thank you chief caven. It is all you. >> All right council. Thank you for having me. Manager Newton. Um tonight we're here just to talk about an update on what's

0:49 going on at Eugene Springfield Fire. Uh a good part of it as we wrap up wildfire season. We'll we'll dig a little bit into the um impacts and some of the the good news locally around that. Uh couple good of the order items. I'm disappointed that the mayor's not here. He has great questions. Uh and I just wanted it noted for the record for councelor Mo. Um there was an orange fire engine uh alive and in the wild yesterday responding to calls for service. So, um, usually that means that the fleet's in a pretty challenging shape, but, um, they still get out there and get the job done. So, I knew you'd you'd want to know that. Um, so, uh, without further ado, we'll get into the update. I've run through a series of

1:34 things and offer opportunity for questions at the end. Um, the things that we're going to cover tonight, uh, just to reiterate, who is ESF? um our wildfire efforts number our contra confilgration deployments like I mentioned a little bit into the service demand uh status of the ambulance service and then uh an update on some staffing and uh recruitment information. So who is Eugene Springfield Fire? How are we structured? Um, you know, as you know, we are a shared service between the cities of Eugene and Springfield, uh, structured through a 190 intergovernmental agreement. And, um, that sets us up, and we've been in that situation since, uh, 2010.

2:21 Uh, how does ESF stack up against its peers? Just as far as the scope and scale of our service, uh, we are what we would deem an allhazard or full service fire department. uh meaning we provide fire service, fire prevention, aircraft rescue, hazardous materials response, water rescue, technical rescue, uh and ambulance transport. So, we're quite busy. Um we are the fourth largest fire department in the state of Oregon. We are the second largest municipal organized fire department and the state's largest largest public ambulance transport provider. Um so, we have a lot going for us. Uh when we think about our funding uh for FY26, Eugene Springfield Fire's total operating budget is just under $90 million. Um of that about $25

3:07 million is the city of Springfield's contribution and about 50% of uh our budget here in Springfield comes from um fees for service, contracts, the fire levy, um things other than uh the general fund. I won't get nearly as uh detailed as Nate might on that. Um, so on a surface level, but um, our funding comes from a mix of general fund, ambulance transport fees, uh, contracts for service. We'll touch on where those come from in a minute. Uh, the fire levy, which we know is up for renewal, um, and then other fees for service like, uh, business, uh, or hazardous materials business, uh, inspection fees, um, things like that.

3:53 Um our service area uh again for the total of ESF quite large Eugene Springfield. Our contract districts include Eugene Rural, Will Kinsey, Bailey Spencer, Zumwalt, Rainbow Water, River Road Water, and Glennwood Water Districts. Um and so um quite a bit going on uh in our service territory. It's about 94 square miles for fire suppression, 1,400 square miles for ambulance service. Um 20 of those 90 square miles are here in Springfield. And we service about 260,000 residents, 60,000 plus or minus here in Springfield. Um the total property value protected is about $62 billion. Um and 13 billion of that is is here. Um that doesn't take into account critical infrastructure and um other uh functions

4:38 that we protect as an organization. Um, so how do we, you know, trend this year with local fires? Um, we trend it down with a little bit cooler summer. We've got some charts that will follow this. We'll breeze through a little bit. Um, typical areas of of interest. You'll see on a heat map. Um, Glennwood, West 11th, Highway 99, and Eugene are are typical high volume areas. Uh, and a little bit around the uh the Gateway Corridor. Um, our most significant fire was uh a home that was lost to a brush fire at 69th and D Street. uh in early August. And then um our most uh uh significant responses to wildfire over this last year were mutual aid responses into uh the rural areas of Link County.

5:25 Um so these percentages are a little small. It's just a really a reference point um to help you understand the cyclical nature of wildfire in recent years. Um, we saw that really show up in in 2020, which was a down year for us until uh the Labor Day fires kicked off across the state. Um, and then as we've got into these cycles with the weather, hotter, drier, um, uh, various human elements to to fire response. Um, but for the last two years, um, we've been on somewhat of a downward trend, albeit um, these numbers pulled just before uh, the last couple heat waves that we've experienced. Um we are in the waning hours of what we would consider fire season. It's been extended to October 15th. Um but um nonetheless uh you know

6:13 of our natural vegetation fires you see a large percentage of those um get categorized um as bark dust or small um woody debris. meaning um small fires usually started by sparks, discarded smoking materials, um things like that pose a significant risk. Um but those fire types for us are are ones that aren't to be slept on. Um we had early in the fire season responded to a commercial structure fire in the gateway area um that started with a bark dust fire that had gotten to the wall of a local business and smoldered um throughout the night. Unfortunately, somebody came by um before that fire really became problematic. Um so this was that heat map I was I was

6:59 referring to. Um generally pretty pretty steady. As we know, most uh wildfire or brush fires are are human-caused in in some form or another, whether intentional, unintentional. Um uh and so you'll see those kind of materialize around denser populated um areas within the community. Um so what are we doing to prevent wildfire? Defensible space is a huge component of that. Uh in 2024 we kicked off a program to improve uh defensible space work in our communities. Um since then we've assessed over 100 properties in Springfield. Um over 50% of those property owners have already made the recommended uh corrections to make their homes more resilient. Um we're able to

7:44 track that through a new program that we uh tested with the support of the Western Fire Chiefs Association for um better methods for connecting and following up with the community on on this important topic. Um and in the fall of 2025, the deputy fire marshals um just received uh additional training so they can support u defensible space assessments so it's not just left to one or two people. Um so we anticipate those numbers to grow. Um long-term um evacuation readiness. Uh so we've we've expanded that through uh the establishment of uh our community wildfire protection program and uh technology and software upgrade um that's been deployed across the state.

8:31 Um what that does is that ties the incident commander uh with emergency managers in making real-time decisions when where um how to evacuate uh with technology supporting uh evacuation routes, evacuation centers, uh not notification and and communications on that. Um the CWPP or community wildfire protection program um helps us identify target hazards through mapping program um that we're able to track and prioritize that work. Um, one of the important facts of the the CWPP is um that without one uh we're ineligible for certain federal grants for wildfire uh fuels mitigation. So, it's important um and that was a project between the cities of Eugene, Springfield, and Lake

9:16 County um for Eugene and Springfield to create an urban annex to the county's plan. So, that's in the the final phases of of review at this time. Um conflration update. So this picture here is is um a small sample of what our firefighters faced in Sisters during the Flat Fire um which was an incredibly uh dynamic and fastoving fire uh that we were on the ground for um pretty early on and our crews worked for 24 hours straight pushing fire like that around houses. Um and the collective efforts from firefighters across the state of Oregon um was I think there was only four homes lost in that fire despite a very dynamic firefight. Um in 2025 uh we deployed to six fires with 21 members for about 55 days. Um we

10:03 have 78 crosstrained firefighters um who uh sign up to go. So conflration deployments or state declared emergencies um are staffed voluntarily. Um but it's a it's a group effort for those firefighters that leave for that time. Um somebody has to come in and cover their shifts. It's important for folks to know and and um be reminded that um despite the ask and the challenge that that presents um that is fully funded by the state of Oregon when that um act is declared. Um, so year to date there's been 16 total confilrations in the or in 2024 there were 16 total confilrations for 1.3 million acres burned and so far were eight confilgrations. So half as many um

10:48 and 10% of the total acres burned. Um that's not reflective of all fire in Oregon. That's just um the fires that were declared confilrations. And so generally speaking um a less destructive year um for us. Um so service demand this this chart here is just to discuss um and show a little bit of the trend for uh demand on our services. What you'll see is um in uh a pretty steady uh increase from 2014 and then in 2023 and 2024 um the fire department started to take steps to identify um appropriate calls for service and divert other calls that didn't need to tie up um our resources in a a challenged environment. Um so

11:34 what you see is incremental progress. Um about a 700 call or 600 call drop um in the first year and then um another uh almost thousand calls in the second year that we were able to pull out of the system um to preserve our our critical resources. Why do we run out? Um it's because demand for service continues to outpace a growth in resources. Uh and we're often stretched pretty thin during our peak um demand hours. Um when we look at um uh kind of the total time um we've heard a lot over the summer about ambulance availability um and the challenges that exist there. We spent about 150 hours so far this year um with no ambulances available. Uh

12:21 in 2024 that number was about 123. Um this is despite a growth in resources from 156 unit hours in 2014 uh to 228 uh unit hours today. Um however um we spent 3500 hours on the wall at the hospital uh in 2024. And so as we make system, you know, improvements and right resource right calls um adding BLS to to help take some of the impact off our ALS units, there's still other pressures on the system. um that continue to challenge us um in various ways uh waiting to offload our patient at the hospital. I think we've we've chatted about it, but thank you for the reminder.

13:06 >> Uh just a second, Chief Ken. >> Yeah. >> Uh Chief, could you um talk a little bit about the the columns on the slide? It's not exactly easily understandable as far as what what they represent. >> Okay, sorry about that. Um so the total on the side so um what you see the smaller number um in the middle is our contract district. So um Rainbow Willinzy's the Springfield portion of Willinzy fire district um and the Glennwood water district. And so um basically you're about a thousand calls per year go to these um districts that contract with the city for service u and then the rest of those calls uh occur within Springfield city limits and then the total on that right column. Thanks. It's a good reminder. Um I added that

13:52 picture last. I had just Springfield before and I'm like our contract districts matter as well. Um so um as I was mentioning, you know, we're out of those the ambulance resources um you know that 150 hours so far um in this year and 123 last year. So that's a challenge um in helping support the system. Uh, Engine 16 at the Thirstston station has been shut down 27 times in the last 365 days. That D Street fire was one of those. May or may not have heard about that. Um, they were on a call, Engine 14 was on a call and unfortunately a brush fire uh erupted and our closest water was quite a ways away. Um, even though we've ran that unit 27 times in the last year, um, it's far less than

14:39 historically um, we've staffed those units. We tried to get away from uh the practice of shutting fire engines down to staff ambulances, but the system has become strained um that we have to re revert back to that that practice. Um so for our ambulance services um you know our transport volume is is high um although we transport about 54% of the calls we go on and we respond to 42,000 EMS calls annually. Um, and so that's still a very high transport volume. Uh, the challenge with that high transport volume is lowcost recovery ability as 83% of our community members um are

15:24 either on Medicare or federally subsidized Medicaid uh health programs and those payments to the fire department are limited. Um, so when you think about 17% of the calls we go to, um, we can bill commercial insurance or, um, vehicle insurance, that type of thing, or just flat out private pay, um, continues to put a pretty significant, uh, strain on the system. Um, and, you know, we we're continuously exploring ways, um, to address that um, through our rates or those appropriate. Um, we're seeing rates as high as $3,400 per transport uh in the state of Oregon starting to show up. Um, and it's just a sign of of a really constrained environment to try to operate and provide a valuable service.

16:10 Um when we uh talk about the joint elected task force, um that's a task force that's stood up by the uh um Lane County Board of Commissioners and all transporting agencies in Lane County and at least one elected official from their service um sit on a review board to really hear about what are our challenges, how are we deploying, are we similar, are we different? um are is there anything that we can do uh to increase service reliability before going out and either asking the taxpayers um for more support um or a different way of of doing business. Um we all have a pretty closely held held shared value um of the ambulance service um throughout Lane County and it's

16:56 evidence evident in the way that our various organizations show up for that. Um, but Eugene Springfield Fire specifically, uh, the Springfield ambulance service area is by far the largest of all of them. Um, so when I mentioned that 1,475 square mile ambulance service area, um, roughly 1,300 of that belongs to the city of Springfield. U, so that's a that will continue to be a challenge as we explore and as we enter times we look at the long range forecast as Nate has shared. Um the stability of the ambulance transport fund uh continues to be challenged and needs supplementation. Um and so our goal on that is to make sure that as we supplement that service and figure out what's the right next

17:42 best thing um that everybody that we serve has a stake in maintaining our ambulance service. Uh so uh that's ongoing. It had a target timeline of 18 months. Um and so it's not a project that's that's being rushed. I think it'll be very thoughtful and people understand what do we collectively share as an interest in ambulance service across the county. Um recruitment and retention is a big subject for us um as we look towards um uh preparing to add a fourth shift uh of staff in January of of 2026 to address um uh workload and fatigue on our crews. takes a lot of um a lot of hiring and uh

18:28 we've hired in the last 18 months about 140 people um into the organization for staffing vacancies for our BLS program uh and then to to staff up the fire department to meet that demand. Um despite that that churn and that adding u of staffing um we continue to be somewhat plagued by um force hiring uh what we call drafting. Uh meaning we're asking our firefighters to come back um to work or stay at work longer than they had originally told their families um that they would be there. Um but through some creative work between uh our leadership uh and the union's leadership uh we worked on um some some tools within the resources we had as we're

19:14 adding people um to reduce reliance on forced overtime. And a great example of that was um in July we had 235 forced overtime shifts. In August we were down to 157 and in September we were down to 53. Um and so our our goal is to eliminate the use of um forced overtime to staff the fire department. Um and we're well on our way as we plan for that that additional shift of firefighters so we have the right number of people. Um the various positions uh we hired an apprenticeship academy uh this last year. We had a great turnout. We got a great group of people um who got away to explore this job. um they were promoted um when when qualified to the rank of firefighter to help with

19:59 this drafting problem um in uh early September um which made a big difference with those 14 apprentices. Um in doing so, we actually saved some of the money um that the state had awarded us for that program that will allow us to run another um recruitment um and access to our um community members for that apprentice program in 2026. So, we're looking forward to doing that. um firefighter rank. Uh we've got a uh 15 people in the academy right now. Um and we've got another academy planned for the first part of the year and are about to advertise for laterals. Um and the reason that that fact is important is um we over you know several years uh

20:45 and experienced people lateraling to other departments. um and through the efforts through our our latest contract and where we're trying to go with things is we have people inquiring um about uh lateral here. Um and so that's a good indicator. We've got a lot of work to do. We've got a lot of work to do to prove um uh the stability and staffing um with the workforce. Um but we're committed to it and actively engaged in that space. So we're very excited about that. We we've got a lot a lot of development going on, a lot of people stepping up to leadership roles to staff the fire department. So, um we're very fortunate in that space. Um but with that, that was a lot of slides and a ton of information. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

21:32 Any questions or comments for Chief Caven? >> No. Council Rodney, >> I was gonna let everybody go before me because I feel like I get to sit in the meetings with the fire folks and the EMS folks a lot more. Thank you. I appreciate this update. And I know that it's been a focus since you took over as chief to just find efficiencies and shift some of the cultural stuff. And it's really exciting to hear things like you're adding a fourth shift and that the forced overtime is down and um that people want to come work here. All of that sounds fantastic to me. So I really appreciate that and I know that we're on this like sometimes feels really sloggy journey and now we've added in the

22:19 ambulance task force and for folks I sit on that as well as the governance and it's been very eyeopening to be hearing the additional challenges that are happening with the ambulance service. So thank you and I appreciate the update and I know we've got a lot more work to do. Councelor Baka, >> I was just going to say thank you as well. That was a lot of good information. It's uh it kind of amazes me every time I hear the stats and the numbers of calls that that everyone goes on. Um and what you've done to kind of reduce that force over time. I I just want to say kudos because I know you've been rearranging and doing a lot of different things since you started in this role and I think you're doing a

23:04 great job. Appreciate it. I echo both of those comments. This is really good information and and the the results are amazing. Um and I would just would add the defensible space assessment assessments and the focus on the long-term resilience. I think those are I love to see that proactive look ahead and trying to, you know, solve for those so that those aren't constantly escalating, right? They're hopefully coming down. So, thank you for all of the work you do and all the work throughout the department. You guys are rock stars. >> Thank you. >> I appreciate that feedback and I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit to the the team of chiefs that have got working with me um and this entire fire department. The way they've shown up and

23:50 covered these shifts uh last couple years as staffing's hard um the sacrifices they make, their families make u to make this all work and the trust they have in us to to get them to where we need to go. um and uh advocate for them and and their resources. So, um without them, it wouldn't I wouldn't be here. Um and so, uh I appreciate that, but the credit goes to um goes to the staff at the fire department. >> Absolutely. The whole team. We appreciate all of you. Councelor Mo. >> Oh, sorry, Ellen. Councelor Stout. >> Um I everything that my colleagues have said, um just one question. what what else has been showing up as far as um the lateral interests like like what

24:37 other things are making the department an attractive place to work? Is it just you know people want to move to Eugene Springfield area or I'm just curious if there's anything else you might share on that and again congrats and thank you. Yeah, I would say uh the number one thing um we just got done with a almost year-long bargaining process. Um and you know that was really about getting to the fourth shift of firefighters. Um which is a huge recruitment tool. Um getting caught up to market is a huge recruitment tool. Um but again when I when I talk about you know sharing the the credit for the why um firefighters lateral not because of uh um those

25:23 things alone. Um they lateral because their friends tell them um that uh you know they they do good work and we we do we have um being a busy fire department creates a lot of work. Um we are attracted to this job based on the work that we do. Um and you know, so having firefighters that are training um and preparing for the job um and showing up and um quite frankly crushing it when it matters most. Um people see that, they want to be a part of that. Um and so again, I I give the the credit to to staff and the thing that we're building here to make Eugene Springfield um excellent. And that's that's what our staff's been talking about for the last couple years is what does excellence mean? and you know when we're ready to

26:08 utter that um that that we are and we're showing up in that space. So that's kind of how that happens. Um it's word of mouth why people why firefighters especially in a very um uh challenged labor environment um to compete at that level is important. >> Thank you. I I wanted to speak to that uh councelor Stout's question because I think that our chief is being a little modest. I think that um you know I've worked with a lot of fire chiefs and uh Chief Caven is by far the most exceptional chief I've ever worked with. Um he really truly has a heart for everybody in the department and you'll notice that he always uh is credits

26:55 everybody and I know that everybody is part of that team and it's a very strong team. I'm proud of the whole team, but the leadership that uh Chief Caven shows and the heart that he has and that he continually demonstrates for his um department and their well-being. I think that's one of those intangibles that's hard to quantify, but when you have um firefighters that are telling their friends that, hey, this is a good place to be, that's that's like the best metric you can have. So, thank you, Chief. >> Thank you. So, you're not getting out of here without us all saying thank you to you and and letting you just digest that. So, >> are we able to get a clip of that emailed to Chief Shearer? >> It's it's on it's recorded so you can

27:41 you can go back, right? >> Okay. Thank you so much for all of this great information. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> The next item is the housing design initiative code plan update. And Haley Campbell's here for this item. Whenever you're ready, Haley. Sorry, lots of papers. One second.

28:37 Okay. Good evening, um, council. Um, so, thank you for introducing me. Um, as you know, this is the housing and design project. I came to you on September 22nd um with this presentation and we didn't we ran out of time to finish it. There were a lot of items in that packet. Um so tonight we're going to go over just a few concepts that we didn't get to at September 22nd and then I'd like to spend the remainder of the time addressing some of the feedback and questions that we received during that work session. Um so the housing and design code update project what it's about. I'm just going to cover that real quick before we jump back into the concepts. Um, so it's helping the city come into compliance with state housing related statutes and rules and its goal is to facilitate housing production, affordability, and choice. We're looking at um, in particular the clear and

29:23 objective standards in the mixeduse districts. Um, and we also have our consultant who is not here tonight. I'm covering the remainder of the concepts um, Cascadia Partners. Um, but they have been helping us with this work. They produced the code and plan concepts report that is linked in the packet. It's about 50page report and then I summarized it in a council briefing memo for you because there were a lot of pages. Okay. So like I mentioned there's three concepts tonight that I'd like to go over that we didn't get feedback on. So the first one on the screen is concept 4.1 and that's to simplify the design standards in the mixeduse district. So in particular, the mixeduse districts, that's the mixeduse commercial, mixeduse residential, and mixed-use employment district. They

30:08 include a special set of design standards in the code. They're generally intended to promote pedestrianoriented scale development with attention to the design standards in particular. Um, but these design standards, because they haven't been updated in a while, can create some barriers to housing development. In particular, we found that some of the issues were that we do not have clear and objective standards which we're required to have for any type of housing being built. Um, we have no discretionary path. So, if we don't have clear and objective and we don't have discretionary, that's another thing that's missing. Some of the standards are redundant from other design standards in particular are multiple family design standards which exist in another section of code. Um, they're different in the mixeduse districts. So there's some slight

30:54 redundancy there where we could simplify and just reference the standards in the existing multif family section. Um and then we have some overly prescriptive standards, some that are too complex. So to increase the ease of use and clarity for the mixeduse districts, our consultant recommended that we provide both a clear and objective and a discretionary tract. We reference the existing standards rather than duplicating them. And we apply the middle housing design standards in the mixeduse districts.

31:41 thank you Alison. Okay. The uh next standard is uh address the CFC walkable design standards in our commercial districts. Per OR 660-12-330 um or rule 330. It requires that the city establish land use regulations that promote mixeduse compact and pedestrian friendly development standards. The city must comply with this requirement before or concurrent with the adoption of the next transportation system plan which is scheduled for 2029. The mixeduse districts largely comply with these standards. But again, because we are allowing more housing in our neighborhood commercial and community commercial districts, we have to address those districts for these standards. In particular, um the rules require that

32:28 we prohibit parking between the building and the street and establish main entry orientation standards. These are explicitly required by the rules, meaning we have to comply. The city could consider going further though on two options by establishing a maximum building setback and a minimum window area and weather protection requirement. Some of these standards may already exist in our middle housing um or multifamily standards. Um, I also want to point out though that Sublectric has informed me that building should be at least 20 feet from our overhead power lines. Um, and if the building is within 20 ft, then they require a skilled drawing to make sure that um, people are not working under

33:13 those power lines. Generally, you have to have 15 to 10 feet from those power lines per OSHA requirements. So, that could impact your your decision. Um, so for the discussion portion of this concept, number one, should we consider requiring that buildings be built close to the street? And number two, should we require a certain percentage of window area and/or weather protection in certain conditions? And I'll leave it to council to jump in here now for discussion. >> Council Rodling. So, first of all, I want to dig in a little bit to the middle housing design standards in the mixeduse district. Um, that just I'm curious about that because I know we went through all of these

34:00 things that made cottage clusters and all of this stuff. So, I'm trying to visualize what that might look like, say, in a Booth Kelly or in a mohawk. So, um I don't even know if I have a great question other than what does what will that look like? >> Yeah. So, again, we have those minimum density standards which I discussed on September 22nd. Um that's 15 units if you have a mixed use. So, if you had um commercial in front or below an existing use um and then if you had um if it was just standalone housing, so no other use, just housing, then it would be 20 units um an acre. So, you're thinking

34:45 about it kind of from how many units can you attach, how big is the site? Um so, middle housing could be triplexes, those forplexes. Um we would allow a cottage cluster. It's really going to depend on the size of the development. Um, I think the rivet building could maybe be considered one. I'm not familiar with how many units are above the existing commercial use. Um, but that could be potentially considered one of those options. Um, so I think it's really going to depend on like the size and um, existing uses on the site. We're not amending the middle housing standards. We would just be referencing the existing standards. So it's going to depend on a few factors. a lot of scope. >> Councelor Mo, >> I guess because sub kites and drones are sort of prohibited

35:31 joke. Okay. Uh I'm inclined to see them built closer to the streets and I want to say bigger windows, but then you're going to see everybody putting curtains up on the windows, but but still it still opens the the place up. And so I think that would be my choice. Councelor Blackwell, >> I just have maybe a clarifying question. So the the CEX setback changes it from what to what? What's our current? Because right now you can have a parking lot in the front of the building and this would eliminate that. Is that correct? So that the setback is only So you still can have a parking lot

36:16 that's allowable still if >> No. So we would prohibit the parking between the building and the street. So you wouldn't be allowed to have parking between the building and the street. So that would it would kind of be a bonus to set the building closer to the street if you can't have parking there, right? Um but you still have to account for those other infrastructure needs, maybe electrical if it was underground. You have to be also kind of considering that how much space are you going to have to provide for undergrounding a vault, things like that. >> And so we have to have that to be compliant with CFAC in those areas anyways. Yes. Yeah, you'd have to prohibit the parking. Um, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to build the building closer to the street. It would just be you could still set the building back. You just couldn't put parking there. So, maybe you would put additional landscaping, storm water, um,

37:02 things like that. >> That just Okay, that doesn't seem like feasible development wise to set it back and just have a a bigger yard in the front, you know? I mean, to me, that's uh, Councelor Stout. Thank you. Um I tend to trust the developers to get the most bang for their buck in any given property. So um I I like the prohibiting parking establishing main entry orientation standards. Those are great. I don't see a need to go further than that. Uh I I see I mean we could have certainly talked about that with the individual developer but I just don't see a need to make that as part of a um a required part of the development process. It's

37:47 what's one more thing that we need to do in order to get people to build something. That's my concern. I don't want to put unnecessary obstacles for them. That's all. So thank you >> councelor Rodley. Thank you. So to counselor St's point, I also particularly like around the window area like putting restrictions and saying you have to build this much or that much. I am sort of inclined to say I don't want to do that like depending on um how people build them. And I know that you're saying we have to do it. And so then this is where I get to like stand on my soap box and say my my really my only concerns about the prohibiting the parking between the building and the street is the distance that we allow for

38:35 for folks who need accessible parking. And so you know I'm thinking like a corner building and you couldn't have parking on this side or on this side. And it just makes it harder for people who need to park close and get into a building together. It just makes it really challenging. Um, and so I think that's just that's short-sighted in this and it's you're not the boss of it and clearly I'm not the boss of it, but I just hope that developers will find a way to make it as accessible as possible for people to get into the buildings. Um, and then I'm totally for like, you know, referencing the standards and the things that we do to be efficient. And I also um I I I just I just feel like we're we're trading out um sometimes I feel like

39:22 we're trading out what we used to do and what the code and all that was for things that are so prescribed that it makes it so challen it is going to make it challenging for people where we're trying to make it easier for people to build and yet because of these regulations and things that are coming it's like oh you have to do this you have to do this you have to do this which doesn't necessarily fit on every a lot. So, anything that feels extra that might keep people from being able to build or make something that's accessible or put the right building in the right space, I don't really want to do and I know that we're going to have to do the things that we have to do. >> Okay. Any other questions or comments? Um I I tend to agree with councelor Rodley on that like simplifying and

40:08 streamlining is is a great thing to do right to make it just makes it easier for everybody. Um but I don't want to make it harder on the developers and and you know their ability to get what what they need off the ground. I don't you know we just don't need to make that harder for them. So um generally I kind of feel like that's where we're at. Yeah. Okay. >> Thank you. All right, we're going to keep going. Um the last concept um would simplify the list of permitted uses in the mixed use district. So if you ever look through our mixed use district, the schedule of use categories is about six pages of different uses. Um and it's a very long list. Obviously to align with

40:53 uh some of the categories that we have already in the code when we've done previous uh code updates for residential, commercial and industrial uses um we would employ broader use categories. So you can see here on the screen um art galleries, novelties and gifts, small uh electronics, appliances would then be reduced down to retail sales and services. Um so you're not quite as specific about what you mean by that. Um, the intent of this change would be to maintain the same use regulations, um, but to make the code more well organized, clear, easier to use, so we're not being so prescriptive. Any questions or concerns about that? Great. Okay. So, I'm going to move on to

41:39 some of the feedback that we received at the last um, work session. So, you may recall that with the climate friendly areas project, um, it included a housing capacity calculation where they looked at infrastructure, the community or landowner willingness to see more housing in those areas and the market economics in Springfield. Um, so we heard you kind of ask similar questions at the September 22nd work session. So, we're hoping to address some of the feedback or um information that we've received after that meeting to clarify. So, regarding infrastructure, um storm

42:24 water infiltration is more challenging in urban context, right? You have to think about parking, if it's provided, um where you're going to put it on a smaller site, vegetation, what works. Um electric can be costly to underground in an urban context. So, we just talked about if you overhead those lines, where do you put it? Um, in regards to a front setback line, things like that, you need maybe more of an area, especially if you're trying to build closer to the street. For water, sub found that the existing capacity along Main Street is adequate to serve both multifamily or mixed use, but if you go above three stories, you may need a water pump. Um, most of the water uh upsizing is due to current fire code. Um but again sub found that along Main Street they have a large uh capacity more than um they

43:10 don't have as much of a concern about fire capacity along Main Street. Wastewater capacity is based on current plans and doesn't account for increased density. So this is something that we may need to look into when it comes to cost. And the fire final question that we received during the work session was about transportation um mainly about provisions for driveway access to or from a higher classification street. So, main street driveway into a site, especially for multifamily. Um, shared driveways, if you have um multi multiple lots, sharing a driveway access, can we consolidate? And then median crossings for pedestrians. Um, all of those standards exist in our code already. Um, but if council has some specific transportation questions, uh, one of our transportation staff members is here to

43:56 answer those questions. Um, so as far as community or land owner willingness, we met with uh we hope to meet with some of our property owners later this month to hear their questions and concerns and I'll bring um any of that feedback that I receive hopefully back to council either in December or early in 2026. Um but this summer as far as the community's priorities um we did a first round of engagement and we asked the public and our technical advisory committee that's um landscape architects, architects, engineers, um developers in the community for their input on this project um and what their priorities were when it came to making housing easier to build. There were four priority potential options. The first is

44:43 economic development. So that could be preserving the land for jobs and business growth. Is that a priority of yours along Main Street? The second was about contextsensitive design. Do you want to allow housing along Main Street, but can consider how it fits in with the surrounding uses? Right. Um the mayor at the last work session had some concerns about placing housing in close proximity to a commercial or industrial use. That's something that we can think about um as we move further along in the code update project. Then the next one was about focusing dense housing near transit and walkable areas. Obviously Main Street we have um a lot of transportation access which is fantastic. And then the last option was just to build those homes faster um especially that's the priority.

45:30 So some initial results of the survey uh and that was open from August 26 to September 30th. So about a month we found that 45% of respondents wanted to preserve the employment space. um versus 43% wanted smart growth. Again, that new dense housing near transit and walkable uh areas. When it comes to Main Street in particular, 35% want as much flexibility as possible. 20% want to support only allowing housing on properties under an acre. 17% supported the mixeduse areas. Again, that was between 14th and 23rd and 42nd to 54th. And then 6% supported just those mixed use centers or intersections. So key intersections 28th, 32nd, 42nd, those intersections in particular, that could limit um development opportunity though

46:16 because there's a lot of development that already exists at those intersections. And then for neighborhood commercial, um the majority, 59% supported it as a mixeduse district versus 9% opposed it. And the last one I want to cover um is some market economics. So again I mentioned for the climate friendly area project we found that highdensity buildings 5 to seven story apartments are unlikely in the near term. Um construction costs are at least 20 to 25% higher for those 5 to seventory buildings but 3 to fourtory buildings um could be possible. The code changes proposed as part of the housing and design project are intended to remove those potential regulatory barriers to three to four story

47:02 buildings and five to seventory buildings that could be built over time. Um the proposed increase in maximum height of the neighborhood commercial would allow for three to four story buildings. So right now we could see development in those in that district. Um the current maximum height though is 20 feet which would prohibit any buildings over two stories uh if we don't amend the code. The proposed adjustments to the height step down requirements would remove a potential barrier to the four-story buildings in commercial and mixeduse districts. But I do want to point out um that in the previous development code update project, the mayor had some questions about solar access. So in that project um in 2022 we removed the base solar development standards due to its

47:47 potential to limit infill and density. Um in the development code under 5.18.100 solar access protection we provide protection from shade cast by new vegetation and from new structures in all districts if the applicant chooses to install a solar energy system. So only if they choose to install that solar energy system can we place some restrictions on it. Otherwise um we do not really have uh standards for solar access shade protection. Um so the current height step down would require a four-story building to step down to a three-story building when you are abuing lowdensity residential or medium density residential within 50 ft of an adjacent residential zone or to leave the area

48:32 for parking or landscaping. Again, that limits the amount of uses, the amount of floor area. Um, and if we don't um amend the code, you know, we wouldn't really have the allowance for taller buildings, 3 to four, 5 to 7 um in the future. So, these changes could be beneficial now. Obviously, we could see three to four story buildings, but again, we're also thinking about in the future if market economics um change, we could actually see some taller buildings. So that's what I had tonight and I'm open and available for questions as well as staff >> questions. Councelor Mo, >> years ago when I was on the planning commission out Thirstston, there was a big controversy on solar access. Uh, and

49:19 quite frankly, I don't remember how we solved it, but there was quite a bit of discussion on it. As I look at that now, I think that's changed because we don't have a whole lot of solar in the winter around here. You can you can put panels up and provide for it all you want as far as electrical is concerned. U you're not going to get much of it. Skylights make a big difference because I have them in my house. Big difference, but uh solar access is doesn't get you don't get a lot back from it here, I don't think. Any other questions? Councelor Stouts? Nope. Um, I don't have any additional questions either. Is there anything that you need from us in

50:06 relation to this part of the conversation? >> Unless you guys had any other questions or feedbacks or concerns about what I shared tonight. Like I said, I will hopefully be coming back in December with some actual code amendments or just to follow up um with some more examples. So, I'm um available for that. We may be able to schedule a governance committee meeting um maybe this fall. Can't guarantee. Um but that was two city councilors and two planning commissioners. If there's something that comes up in the meantime that we really feel like we do need council's input before we proceed with continuing to make code amendments, we will do that. Um we just want to make sure that council is on board for with these amendments. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> We're here. We're here. >> Oh, sorry, Council M. Yeah. Yeah. I just keep

50:53 >> I'm going to say now um what you describe to us tonight very complex very difficult to understand especially for us or for common people and even builders and developers. So I hope that we do put stuff together in such a way that people can look or the city can help them find solutions to their problems. That's the important thing for me is to provide ways for people to build the best way we can and you've done a fine job. >> Thank you. >> That's a lot of technical information and hard to put it all together in a way that you know we can absorb it. So >> yeah. >> Yeah. So thank you for all the work on it >> and thank you for having me back. Thank you Allison for scheduling me. It was a little challenging to get another meeting so quickly after the first meeting. Um so that's why it's going to

51:38 be later this year or early next year when I come back to you with actual code amendments. and we're hoping to schedule it as two different phases. Um, one would be focused on the mixed use district and then one would the other one would be focused on our clear and objective standards that we're not in compliance with. So, um, hopefully smaller packets the second round. >> We like the sound of that. >> Okay, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right, that was our last item for the work session. We are adjourned until 7 o'clock for uh regular session. I would like to call the Springfield City Council regular session for October 6th to order with roll call, please. >> Mayor Van Gordon. Councelor Weber >> here. >> Councelor Mo >> here. Councelor Rodley >> here. >> Councelor Blackwell

52:23 >> here. >> And councelor Stout >> here. Thank you. >> Mayor Van Gordon is still excused for the evening. Please join me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. There are two times designated for public testimony this evening under public hearings and business from the audience. If you are attending in person, please complete the request to speak card located at the front of the council chambers and turn them into the city recorder. If you are joining us online with a tablet, smartphone, or

53:09 computer and wish to speak either of those times, please use the raise hand feature in Zoom. The order of public testimony is as follows. Anyone in person in the council chambers, anyone online who has raised their virtual hand. First item, please. >> The first item is the consent calendar. I move approval of the consent calendar. Second. >> A roll call vote, please. >> Yes. Councelor Weber, >> yes. >> Councelor Mo, >> yes. >> Councelor Rodley, >> yes. >> Councelor Blackwell, >> yes. >> Councelor Stout, >> yes. Thank you. >> Motion passes. Five yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. >> Next item is public hearings. You have several public hearings this evening. Public hearing number one is the fisc year 26 supplemental budget number one.

53:54 And Jessica Mummy is here for this item. This item has a motion. >> Good evening, council. It's great to be here this evening for the public hearing on supplemental budget number one for the city. At various times during the fiscal year, council is requested to adjust the annual budget to reflect needed changes in planned activities, to recognize new revenues, or to make other required changes. These adjustments to resources and requirements change the current budget and are proposed through supplemental budget requests that are scheduled by the finance department. This is the first of three scheduled fiscal year 26 supplemental budget

54:39 requests to come before council this year. I'm available for any questions. Okay. Any questions for Jessica? I move that we adopt a resolution adjusting resources and requirements in the following funds. General, street, special revenue, transit lodging tax, community development, building code, fire local option levy, police local option levy, bond syncing, development assessment capital, development projects, regional wastewater capital, street capital, sanitary sewer operations, regional wastewater ambulance, storm drainage options, Booth Kelly, regional fire consortium,

55:26 insurance, vehicle and equipment, and SDC administration second. >> Actually, council, um, before you go on to adopt, we need to conduct the public hearing and then you can do them. >> Oh, yes. Okay. Uh, thanks, Mary Bridget. >> Thank you, Mary Bridget. We were speeding through. Uh, I would like to open the public hearing, please. And I have no cards for this item. Is there anyone online wishing to speak? >> No hands for this item. >> Okay, I'm going to close the public hearing. >> And my motion, I hope, still stands. >> Your motion stands. You don't need to read the rest of the If we could just get the second more clearly on the record in the

56:11 >> second. Uh, roll call vote, please. >> Councelor Weber, >> yes. >> Councelor Mo, >> yes. >> Councelor Rodley, >> yes. >> Councelor Blackwell, >> yes. >> And councelor Stout, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Five yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. Next item is your second public hearing, the Springfield Municipal Code update for public contracts. Jessica Mummy is here for this item. And this item also needs a motion. >> Good evening, council. My name is Jessica Mummy, the city's budget and procurement manager here this evening for the public hearing um on the proposed updates to the public contracting code, Springfield Municipal Code. Procurement of the at the city of Springfield is subject to state laws and regulations. At the September 15th, 2025

56:56 city council work session, I presented several policy questions to council about suggested changes to the Springfield Municipal Code public contracts. The changes will have no impact to budgets, but will change processes with the intent to approve efficiency. The proposed changes address updates to state law, specifically Senate Bill 1047 that passed during the 2023 regular session and to update the code to adjust practices surrounding public contracting to approve efficiencies for council staff and our vendor community. Mo most Oregon cities and counties have already updated their public contract code to incorporate the changes to state law and the proposed changes to the code are consistent with actions taken by other jurisdictions.

57:42 Staff are returning to council this evening with a revised ordinance that captures feedback provided by council at the work session. The revised ordinance includes language being added back specifically regarding emergency procurements which is section 2.710 subsection 3. And with that, I'm available for questions. >> Questions? No. Okay. I would like to open the public hearing. I have no cards for this item. Any online attendance? >> No hands for this item. >> I will close the public hearing. And I would look to a motion. >> I move to adopt an ordinance adopting its own code for public. >> Excuse me, counselor. This is the first reading, so no action tonight. You're good. >> This one has a motion. I believe Mary

58:27 Bridget. Oh, actually it should be just a first reading. This is an This will be changes to the municipal code. Sorry about not catching that. So, you were right, but the agenda is incorrect. So, this will come back to you for a second reading on consent. Um, just like any other municipal code change. >> Okay. >> You were off the rails. >> And just for the record, that uh second reading on the consent calendar takes place October 20th. >> October. Okay. Got it. Thank you for the clarifications. >> Thank you, council. >> Next item, please. Uh the next item is public hearing number three. This is a city initiated street annexation segments of Aspen Street and Menllo Loop public rightway. Um Tom Severs is here for this item and this is a first reading. Uh no action is

59:13 required. Right. Good evening, councilors. I'm Tom Sever, senior planner with the current planning section. Tonight, the council is requested to consider an ordinance to annex a segment of rightofway only in West Springfield. More specifically, the proposed annexation area is highlighted in yellow and consists of rideway only, this being segments of Aspen Street and Menllo Loop. The applicant is the city and this application was initiated by council on June 2nd, 2025 via adoption of resolution 2025-15.

1:00:03 Because this is right ofway only, the site is not zoned but is encumbered by the urbanizable fringe UF10 overlay as seen here by the hatch shading. As you can see by the red dashed line, it is contiguous to the city limits on its eastern boundary. If annexation is approved, no other changes are requested except for the removal of the UF10 overlay. This annexation is necessary to allow jurisdictional transfer from Lane County for the purpose of capital improvements and infrastructure extensions. With annexation, the subject property will be removed from special districts such as the UF10 overlay depicted here by the absence of the hatch shading and removal from the Rainbow Water District service area. Again, no other changes will occur through this application.

1:00:53 There are four approval criteria for annexations in the Springfield Development Code, which were fully analyzed in the staff report and are summarized as follows. Criterion A, within UGB and contiguous to the city limits. As previously stated, the subject property is contiguous to the city limits along its western or eastern boundary. The subject territory is within the city's UGB and is currently covered by the UF10 overlay. Criterion B consistent with policies of the Springfield comprehensive plan and metro plan. Policies 27, 29, 33, 34, and 35 of the 2030 comprehensive plans urbanization element are met through this application as the annex land will be fully within the Springfield urban services area. Criterion C within boundary for minimum

1:01:39 level of key urban facilities to be received in a timely and efficient manner. Policies 29, 31, and 32 of the 2030 comprehensive plans urbanization element are met through this application as well. If annexation is approved, the subject territory can easily obtain key facilities and services already within Aspen Street right ofway and will be further extended through capital improvement projects. Criterion D, annexation agreement. In some situations, an annexation agreement is the typical mechanism for mitigation of fiscal impacts to the city. The code allows for other mechanisms as approved by council. In this case, as part of a broader capital planning project, the city is has entered into a

1:02:25 joint planning and intergovernmental agreement with Lane County uh uh to cooperate in the jurisdictional transfer of this rideway. The agreements ensure that fiscal impacts to the city will be mitigated through the jurisdictional transfer and obviates the need for a separate annexation agreement. Uh, and a final remark. Staff received one letter of opposition from a property owner on Menllo Loop with concerns that the city was annexing their neighborhood. Uh, I want to repeat again that this application is for the annexation of public right ofway only and in no way is requesting annexation of private property. Because all applicable annexation criteria have been met and the annexation will help facilitate the jurisdictional transfer and future improvements to this ride ofway. City

1:03:10 staff recommends that the application be considered for approval. This is a first reading only and it will come up on uh the second reading October 20th. Thank you for your time and I'm here for any questions. >> Councelor Rodley, I don't have a question but I do have a comment. Um I'm actually very excited about this. People are like, "Why are you excited about this?" Because this is a section of street where people reach out to me and probably you as well and probably you as well. It's, you know, suffered a lot of repair challenges and it goes right by the elementary school and it gets a lot of um a lot of walking and biking and and driving and has just been in really poor shape. And I know that we've been working at it over several years to get to a place where we can like bring it into our fold so that we could take good

1:03:56 care of it. So, I'm excited that we're finally moving forward with this. Thank you. Councelor Stout. >> Thank you. Um Tom, can you just walk me through the the financial impact one more time? You said there was a interchange between Lane County and and Springfield so that the impact of the improvements that we you know obviously we'll the city of Springfield will have to pay for future improvements to this. How is that going to be mitigated? Can you just walk me through that real fast? >> Right. So, the intergovernmental agreement, as I understand it, the county has put up money uh for portions of this uh right-of-way transfer. Uh some of that will go to improvements, I believe. Uh I'm not sure on the the full

1:04:41 details of that, but uh there is an agreement between both entities uh to share that financial obligation and then of course once we take it over, uh it is on us at that point. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Okay. Any other questions? Okay. I'd like to open the public hearing. I have two cards for this item. Um, when you come up to the microphone, please push the button to turn it green and state your name and location for the record. And our first speaker is Brenda Wood.

1:05:53 I'm Brenda Wood and on the corner of Tamarak and Menl Loop, my 90-year-old dad is right back there. He lives right on the corner and I'm speaking for him and myself and I'm here for you to save a 100 foot 60-year-old cedar tree on my father Herb Woods property. He's here and I'm speaking on behalf of him as well as myself. A tree with deep personal significance planted 55 years ago when it was 5 years old. It was transplanted from my grandmother's property in memory of her tragic murder here in Oregon in 1970. And this tree is a living tribute to her

1:06:40 and its loss would devastate my family. The city proposes cutting it down for an ADA sidewalk, and I understand it's for safety, which I'm for, and the laws require it. And the tree adds an aesthetically pleasing entrance that enhances the neighborhood identity. And this will depreciate our property's value and beauty. However, an arborist notes that a tree and a sidewalk can coexist with alternatives like root barriers and minimalsized sidewalk. The tree trunk is 14 ft from the inside edge of the curb. The proposed sidewalk would be curb edge 5 to six feet wide. And this would leave

1:07:27 a distance of 8 to n feet of ground away from the sidewalk. And all over town, these giants are right next to the sidewalk and thrive. And I met with three very nice city officials today to look at the project. A designer, an engineer, and a surveyor, Ryan, Nick, and Jeremy. And it was suggested by one official that the tree on the sidewalk could coexist and they would moni monitor it for two years to see if it survives. And if not, then they would cut it down and we would be agreeable to this. And this would be cheaper than tree removal and replacement costs. And

1:08:12 it's kind of on a mound. And I think when they first assessed it, they thought all that was all tree roots, but actually I built put dirt and built it up to put plants and we haven't watered it. We watered the plants, but not the tree. So some people say maybe a real root went deep because we didn't water it. And uh so large canopy trees like this offer significant ecological, social, and economic benefits over small trees. And I've been advised that it checks all the boxes for the Oregon Heritage Tree Program. But that would be blocking the Menllo Loop end of the project. I think it there would be no sidewalks or

1:08:59 anything if that happened. And I don't want to do that, but I want a tree. And there's a >> Thank you, Brenda. Your time's up. >> Oh, sorry. We need to move on to the next speaker. >> I think I was done. >> Thank you. >> Okay, next speaker is Nanette Garrett. No. Yeah. Push it back on again. There you go. Good evening, council members. Uh, I'm at 1380 Aspen Street. I am a neighbor of Herbwood and Brenda. Uh, I'm actually

1:09:49 Nanette Garrett. Uh I am happy that the road issue is going to be addressed. It's in very poor shape. So that is something I am looking forward to. Uh, what I would propose is that the city offer a waiver or discount for the fee charged to connect to city sewer. With the lateral sewer line connection possible during the planned project, this is the ideal time to offer an incentive to homeowners to connect prior to the new sidewalks going in, which would then effectively annex that property in. I know the project that is

1:10:35 happening does not involve annexing the property, the homes, but that would be a perfect time um to offer an incentive to the homeowners and then then they can make that decision. Um, I would add too that um I would certainly like to see uh that beautiful tree on the corner preserved. Um, it definitely does add beauty and majesty. So hopefully the city can work around that. Thank you. >> Thank you.

1:11:21 Um any council response? Okay, going to close the public hearing. This was a first reading only. No action requested. Next item, please. Uh the next item is your final public hearing of the evening. It's a city initiated street annexation segment of Laura Street public rightway. Tom Severs is here for this item and it is the first reading. It's pretty much the same exact thing, so I will run through it quickly. Uh, good evening, city councilors. I am Tom Siver, senior planner with the current planning section. Tonight, the council is requested to consider an

1:12:07 ordinance to annex a segment of right-ofway in West Central Springfield. More specifically, the proposed annexation area is highlighted in yellow here and consists of right ofway only. This being a segment of Lara Street. The applicate the the applicant is the city and this application was initiated by council on June 2nd, 2025 via adoption of resolution 2025-15. Because this is right ofway only, the site is not zoned but is encumbered by the UF10 overlay seen here by the hatch shading. As you can see by the red dash line, it is contiguous to city limits on all sides. If annexation is approved, no other changes are requested except for the removal of the UF10 overlay. This annexation is necessary to allow

1:12:53 jurisdictional transfer from Lane County for the purpose of capital improvements and infrastructure extensions. With annexation, the subject property will be removed from special districts such as the UF10 overlay depicted here by the absence of the hatch shading and removal from the Rainbow Water District service area. Again, no other changes will occur through this application. There are four approval criteria for annexations in the Springfield Development Code, which were fully analyzed in the staff report and summarized as follows. Criterion A within UGB and contiguous to the city limits. As was previously stated, it is contiguous to the city limits on all sides. Removal of the UF10 overlay is the only action that will be taken with this application.

1:13:39 Criterion B, consistent with policies of the Springfield comprehensive plan and metro plan. Uh policies 27, 29, 33, 34, and 35 of the 2030 comprehensive plans urbanization element are met through this application as the annex land will be fully within the Springfield urban services area. Criterion C within boundary for minimum level of key urban facilities to be received in a timely and efficient manner. Policies 29, 31, and 32 of the 2030 comprehensive plans urbanization element are met through this application as well. If annexation is approved, subject territory can easily obtain key facilities and services already within Laura Street right ofway and will be further extended through capital improvement projects. Lastly, criterion

1:14:25 D, annexation agreement. Uh same situation with this one. We have an intergovernmental agreement with Lane County to mitigate fiscal impacts to the city. Because all applicable annexation criteria have been met and the annexation will help facilitate the jurisdictional transfer and future improvements to this ride-of-way. City staff recommends that the application be considered for approval. This is the first reading only at this time. I'm here for any questions. >> Any questions? Okay. I would like to open the public hearing. I have no cards for this item. Is there anyone online? No hands for this item. I'm >> going to close the public hearing and this is a first reading only. No action requested. >> Next item, please. >> Your next item is business from the audience.

1:15:11 >> I have six cards here. Oh, I have seven cards here. Uh, first speaker, Jason Profett. And go ahead and push the button to turn the microphone green and state your name and and location for the record, please. Jason profit into quarry road. Two or three things I want to cover is the flock cameras that were pushed on the taxpayers. Did any of you guys let your ward know that these plot cameras were coming? I'm No, we've talked about it last winter. It's an invasion of privacy. It's a

1:15:56 waste of tax money, but we know our cell phones follow us anywhere, every anytime. I don't know why we're an experiment for these block cameras. I think they ought to be taken down. There's $50,000 worth of cameras hanging in this city. That's too much. 50,000 could have went somewhere else. Now, this fire levy you're asking for, non Kelly City starts getting rid of some assets like the bank building, the grater, the brush cutter that never gets used. I I'm telling everybody vote no on that levy. And I don't know why this city is so hard to get any responses out of. Some of it's like trying to talk to Kate Brown when she was in office.

1:16:43 That's all I got. Thank you, Jason. Next speaker, Kai Fireside. Hi, Kai Fireside. I live on Hayden Bridgeway. We keep talking about Flock, but we struggle to get one very important point across. Flock is a dishonest company. They were caught lying about data being shared with federal agencies without knowledge of the departments who own the data. Last month, Evston, Illinois, ordered Flock cameras removed from the city. Their contract was cancelled because Flock allowed Border Patrol to access data in a sanctuary state. Flock

1:17:28 broke the law. Evston ordered the surveillance removed. The devices were supposed to be deactivated. Flock continued collecting data against the city's orders. They did take down 15 cameras and then they put them back up. The city did not reinstate their contract or give them permission. This was no accident. Flock continued to update Evston's web page with the number of devices going down and then back up. Evston had to physically cover their Flock devices with black plastic hoods to prevent the continuation of data gathering because Flock ignored a cease and desist order. This happened a week and a half ago and the devices are still up

1:18:13 and this has what to do with us. We are having similar issues with Flock. Springfield's own website says that though our cameras have been installed, they are not active. I have been archiving Springfield's Flock transparency page regularly since July. It has consistently listed zero vehicles tracked, but it now lists 64,012 unique vehicles detected in the last 30 days. I don't know what's currently lining our streets. This is a deactivated flock camera. I don't know what's out there right now. Please explain to everyone in this room

1:18:59 how cameras that are not active are detecting over 64,000 vehicles. Let us not pretend that our label of sanctuary state has any meaning anymore. The National Guard is here in Oregon. If there is any chance of federal immigration agencies accessing data collected by flock surveillance, we need to not only cancel the city's contract with Flock, we need to legislate a citywide ban. FedEx, OCCU, and other large businesses and HOAs use Flock. These devices have already been installed. They need to come down, and you have to take action to remove and prevent them elsewhere in the city. Thank you.

1:19:44 Thank you, Kai. Next speaker, Ken Willis. >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Ken Willis. I actually live in Eugene. So, I'd like to talk about flock as well, but I'd like to talk about the personal impact and negative impact it has had on my family already in Eugene. I am the parent of an autistic child with an IQ of 53. She does not walk properly. She has all sorts of uh movement issues. The flock cameras come with a software called Gate. Gate is a software program that looks for strange walks in public that could be associated with public drunkenness, intoxication in public. There is a real and honest fear

1:20:32 in the autism community in Eugene now that those of us with autistic children who have strange walks and gates cannot go on walks now without being flagged by this system and the cops showing up and harassing us. Having an autistic kid is about the most difficult thing you can do. And when you have a kid that has an IQ of 53 that has no means of understanding the world around them, when you take something away like evening walks because mom's no longer comfortable taking the kids out because we're afraid we're going to get tagged for no other reason than our kid walks in a strange way, it starts to affect how you live. It starts to affect your view of yourself. You begin to feel marginalized. You begin to feel targeted. You also begin to feel nonvalued. You begin to feel like a data point. There's so much dehumanization

1:21:18 going on in this country and on this planet right now that this just adds to it. So the difficulty of being an autistic parent is horrid. And now Eugene has made it even worse because there is now a palatable paranoia amongst the autism community that this is being targeted at us. You've got RFK sitting in the health department at the federal level who wants to start registries on these kids on these individuals. This is a real tangible threat. It keeps you up at night. It sends a tingle down your back. It's not fun. Now, I live in a court. I cannot come or go out of that court without Flock, which is a security company in Atlanta, Georgia, knowing where I'm coming and going and when I'm coming and going. That is so deeply inappropriate.

1:22:05 Who in this room wants that level, that granular level of your personal lives tracked and sold on a capitalistic market just so a company in Georgia can make money off of you. I don't want it. I don't think Springfield wants it. And when the true weight of this system comes down on us and you all begin to feel this, you're going to regret not fighting and throwing these things out. I am begging you. Kai is right. They're activated. They're in use. You guys are using them. It is targeting people that have no business to be targeted. We shouldn't have this conversation in 2025. A Fourth Amendment violation machine by definition is hanging off of

1:22:51 polls and nobody in here has control of it. Things to think about. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ken. Next speaker, Cameron Stringfield. Good evening. My name is Cameron Stringfield. I live in Eugene, but I work in Springfield. Um, and I'm an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Um, I came and spoke last month on September 2nd to this council about our concerns about the flock system. Um, there were a lot of people that came talking about the library being uh cut and the struggles with the fire department. These are

1:23:37 things that definitely could deserve this money more than the flock system. And even though it's grant money right now, um, this is going to cost us later, especially as these things need maintenance and replacement and all of that. Uh, I appreciated the responses from council at the end of that last meeting. I believe like Steve Mo, you said that you were not comfortable with the system, that you didn't like the idea of it. I heard Sean Van Gordon and Corey Rodley also voice some some uh, you know, opinion that our uh, testimony was compelling. So, I was really uh, enthusiastic after that meeting. I thought, okay, they've heard us out. They're going to take a second look at it. Um, but I was shocked when I found out that the cameras were installed in

1:24:22 late September. And it seemed like a lot of people did not know when they were installed with the reasoning being we had to meet this deadline for this grant. Um, which I don't really buy, but that's the excuse. This crisis would have never happened in the first place if they were not installed behind our backs. you wouldn't have this many people coming to you telling you that they're really pissed off that this this happened uh if they weren't installed to begin with. I want to just go into my background for a second. I work as a caregiver with clients in Springfield, including uh clients with uh intellectual and developmental disabilities. Uh and I also frequent Springfield a lot. I love this city. It's very beautiful. I love spending my time here. My mom works at Sacred Heart uh Hospital in Springfield. Uh, I'm also

1:25:09 a transwoman and an openly socialist activist. Springfield is a bit more conservative. This is just something that we can recognize. And I'm worried about attacks from Trump on trans people, women, leftists, etc., and how that happens here in our city. Um, and especially at risk of the dangers of flock because of this. Um, even more conservative folks should be worried about threats to people's constitutional rights. Um, I see I don't have a lot of time, so I'll just say I've spoke with hundreds of people here in Eugene and Springfield through canvasing, street outreach, and more. The grand majority of people I talked to, including conservatives, not only don't want this, but are very angry and want them removed. This includes business owners a block away. The flock issue has galvanized a movement that brings people together from all different backgrounds

1:25:55 to stop drag net surveillance. It leads to more distrust between the community and the government, especially when those who weren't elected made the decision in near secrecy and then the elected officials act powerless to stop it. Um, there's also a CLDC letter that I'm going to give to your staff and please terminate the contract with Flock. Thank you. >> Thank you, Cameron. Next speaker, Rob Sheldon. Hello again. Uh, here for flock yet again. I I almost feel compelled to apologize for that, but that would be a little bit ridiculous. Yeah. Um, hi Rob Sheldon.

1:26:40 I'm a resident in that little pocket of North Springfield that's not Springfield, but also not Eugene, but is close enough to Springfield that we've got a recently installed Flock device just a two-minute walk from our house. Um, you are likely getting two different stories from the public and from your police department on Flock's capabilities. A big reason for that is because Flock, the company, and its products have features and capabilities that are beyond what they offer to police departments at this time. Um, last month, Sedona, Arizona joined a growing number of communities across America and chose to terminate its contract with Flock Safety. The process there bears a lot of similarities to the process here. Flock was installed without public input,

1:27:26 circumvented local processes that would ordinarily be required, and then once residents found out about it, they began to show up. The police department tried to defend its use of flock, downplay its risks, and repeat the same flock supplied misinformation that had been used everywhere else. One difference is the timeline. News of the installation broke on June 20th, and on September 10th, the city council there voted unanimously to terminate the contract. News broke here in late June, too, but here we are now in October still trying to get you to do the right thing. If your strategy here is to wait us out, it's going to fail spectacularly. We have filed and paid for numerous public records requests. We have amassed an enormous amount of information on the technology and the company and how it

1:28:11 operates. We have spent countless hours passing that information on to others. We have help from other groups in this area and across the country. We have been available at any time to any city official that had questions or wanted more conversation than we can have here in three minutes. Only a few local officials have sto have spoken with any of us. The device in our street was installed just a couple of weeks ago over public objections because according to a city official that was necessary to be eligible for the next round of grant funding. Don't count on that funding being available. As a direct result of the resistance we've encountered in Eugene and to a lesser extent Springfield, our working group has grown, become better organized, and extended its reach. We are now being invited to participate in events around the state. We have ongoing

1:28:58 conversations now with state legislators and the ACLU of Oregon. Flock is starting to become a national topic and we have spoken with national media about it. We have been asked if our efforts here might be made into a model for other communities across the country that are having the same fight right now. Because there has been such a bitter effort to keep a system here that your residents clearly do not want. We just might have the opportunity to get the opportunity to shut this down on a larger scale. Some Eugene residents recently said they were tired. I sympathize with them, but I do not tire. Your res your resistance motivates me. Thank you. >> Thank you, Robin. Next speaker, Dale Tron.

1:29:58 >> Hello, my name is Dale Tron. I'm in Ward 2. On September 8th, I wrote to Mayor Van Gordon and councelor Mo predicting that some of Flock Safety's customers would be very interested in the identity of people traveling Franklin Boulevard near the Planned Parenthood clinic. Now that the camera placements have been made public, it is clear that Flock wants more and have even more detail than I imagined. By placing cameras on both sides of the clinic, they can determine how long each car spends on the boulevard near the clinic. Those cars that spend more than a couple minutes will stand out like a sore thumb and be easily identified and targeted. I know that Flock Safety has assured Senator Widen that they will not release such data from Oregon State to others.

1:30:43 But once the data is in a database where tens of thousands of people have are granted access, they can impose little control and they know it. Besides, a policy that can be created in an afternoon can just as easily be created or be changed later with no notice given. They are under no legal obligation to hold to their word. Thank you for letting me speak. >> Thank you, Dale. And our final speaker, Johannes. Good good evening. My name is Johannes Tel and I'm here to speak in opposition to the installation and activation of

1:31:29 the flock surveillance cameras in Springfield. Once this kind once this kind of surveillance infrastructure is in place, it's extremely difficult to roll it back and the consequences for privacy, civil liberties, and community trust are very real. The Springfield uh police department has already installed the 25 flock cameras to meet a grant deadline even though they say the cameras are not yet active. That means that the decision installation came first and the community input came after. That's backwards. A community should always have a chance to weigh in before something this intrusive is placed in our neighborhoods. Many residents have expressed frustration and said things like we weren't asked. When people feel bypassed, it roads trust between the community and city leadership. The police say the cameras

1:32:14 only capture license plates and vehicle details, not personal info, keep data for 30 days unless tied into an investigation, uh won't be shared with any other agencies without review or court orders. On paper, that sounds reassuring, but history in other places shows those promises don't always hold. And Illinois's flock data was shared with federal immigration agencies despite promises it wouldn't be. In Kansas City, a police chief used flock data to stalk his ex-girlfriend. Across the country, this kind of data has already been used far beyond the original purpose, including monitor protest and track political activity. And that active investigation role is vague. Almost any case can be labeled in investigation, which means data can be kept much longer. What's promised today is not always what happens tomorrow. These

1:33:00 cameras don't just take snapshots. They record every car that passes 24 hours a day. Over time, they build a picture of where people live, work, worship, and visit. This information can be combined with other databases to create detailed personal profiles. For many families, especially immigrants, people of color, folks with disability, uh, or vulnerable communities, this creates fear. It makes people feel like they're already constantly being watched. People may avoid community meetings, protests, cultural events because they don't want their movements tracked. Even if you're if you've done nothing wrong, the system treats everyone like a potential suspect. That's not how a free and trusting community should function. The program costs about 77,000 per year for 25 cameras. The grants only cover until 2027. After that, there's no clear funding plan. That means taxpayers may

1:33:46 be forced to pay to keep a surveillance system running even if the community doesn't support it later. And once these systems are in place, they are very expensive and politically difficult to remove. Springfield residents deserve real transparency, public input before surveillance is deployed. Strong limits on data collection, sharing and retention, independent oversight, and accountability. Sunset clauses so the system must be re-evaluated, not left to run forever. And investments in real community safety, not mass surveillance. Cameras don't build safety. People do. Trust, relationships, and real community resources are what kept neighborhoods safe, not constant monitoring. If you approve the activation of the flock cameras when the vote comes, think about what that means. You're authorizing a surveillance system that normalizes the

1:34:32 monitoring of our daily lives. You're giving future power to expand access and you can safeguard. We should reject protect our people and don't track them. Blackwell. >> Thank you, Johannes. Um before I move to council response, I do want to just share with with the group. Thank you for continuing to bring your concerns to us. We are listening. Um and we have a work session scheduled for this topic on October 20th. So, we will be having more conversation about it as a council. Just want to, you know, let you guys all know that. Is there any council response? >> Council President Weber, you have one. Here's we have one hand. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. >> That's okay. >> Thank you, Neil. >> Um, the participant with the screen screen from on high. You should be able to unmute your microphone now.

1:35:21 >> Yes. Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Excellent. Yeah. Hi, my name is Jeff uh Salada. I'm a resident of Eugene, Oregon. Um, I wasn't able to attend in person this evening uh due to some late work schedule, but I recently became involved with a local uh advocacy group that is fighting this pervasive and pernitious and constant mass surveillance that has been installed behind the backs of all residents. Um, I wanted to bring attention to a couple things. The first is that one of the major backers and funders of Flock is a gentleman named Peter Teal, who is also

1:36:06 a co-founder and um funer of Palunteer, a company that is currently in the process of amassing otherwise disparit data on every single American being in order to better predict and probably ultimately control One of the biggest worries I have about this system is that I'm a delivery driver. I'm on the road all the time. I have a public records request put in to understand the scale of how many hits these cameras have on me every single day. One of my fears is that because this is a private company as other as uh others

1:36:52 have mentioned, they are the ultimate authority on not only the usage of the system. They're the only ones that can install it. They're the only ones that can maintain it. They can turn it on or off at the whim. In another state, a city had uh voted to cancel the Flock contract to uninstall the cameras. Flock reinstalled them within days. This is really concerning. And another point is that Flock currently has an $8 billion valuation, which is mostly led by venture capital funding. Allied Security, if you're all familiar, a lot of people have those blue octagonal signs on their houses. It's a security

1:37:38 company that's been around for decades. Their valuation is 3 to four billion. So there is certain interest and motivation behind the spread of flock that is not purely for security. This is a money-making operation controlled by a private entity that seeks only data about all of us. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak. >> Thank you. Is there any council response? Councelor Mo, >> I have I have some comments, but I guess we're going to have a work session, so I'll save for that. So, I still feel like I did before.

1:38:23 >> Councelor Rodley, >> I want to thank everyone for coming out and sharing and the people who have been sending us emails. Um and I know that people are are tackling this in in both cities because this is such a a relevant topic. Um I am very glad that we have a work session. Um I have been someone who's like I want I want more information. I want to talk about it. I want people to come together and us to really dig in. So I just want to thank you all for staying with it. Um because as as you know in the process it so it was something that we didn't ne necessarily weigh in on um because it wasn't necessarily something that we would normally weigh in on. But because it has been brought to us, it's given us an opportunity for us to to pause and

1:39:08 dig in and really figure it out and just acknowledge that, you know, we're we're living in a time of such heightened concerns about surveillance and about safety and about what's going on in our neighborhoods. And I and I I feel that um it's it's palpable. We're we're all feeling very uncomfortable. And I mean maybe not all of us, but I'm going to go with a lot of us in this room are feeling very uncomfortable and um unsure about what is happening. And so I just I want to just acknowledge that and say that at least for my colleagues and I we want to take take the time to dig into this in a work session where we can really understand it um and figure out the best path forward. So thank you again to all of you for coming and sharing. Councelor Blackwell,

1:39:55 >> I also want to say thank you for everyone who spoke tonight and at the last meeting. Some of you are familiar faces. I appreciate everything that you share with us as we're gathering this information and learning about it as well so we can make a good informed decision. I just appreciate you being here. Thank you. >> Any other council response? Okay, next item please. >> The next item is ordinance. You have one ordinance this evening. This is an ordinance annexing certain territory addressed as 10035 Kinsley Avenue and identified as assessors map 18-02-06-24 tax slot 2500 and concurrently annexing an approximately 65 ft long by 22.5 foot

1:40:43 wide segment of Kinsley Avenue to the city of Springfield and Wamelain Park and Recreation District withdrawing said territory from the Will Will Kenzie Rural Fire Protection District adopting a severability clause and providing an effective date. Andy Lindberg is here for this item. >> Good evening, councilors. Um, council recently adopted changes to the development code to streamline the annexation process, especially for owner initiated annexations. This is an owner initiated annexation. The reason for the annexation is a failed septic system, which is one of the criteria uh for um proceeding with an annexation through ordinance adoption and not a public

1:41:29 hearing. And that's why we're here tonight. Um this property is just south of Jasper Road. The sanitary sewer line was installed with the construction of the Mountainville neighborhood just immediately to the west. It's at the juncture of South 32nd Street and Jasper Road. There's the trail head there for um the the pathway system. Well, I'm a lane and with that subdivision, the sewer line was installed down Kinsley Road. Fortunately, uh sanitary sewer laterals were also installed in each property frontage and so this property had an existing lateral pre-installed into his property so it was available for connection. So, the applicant has um already paid the sewer assessment fees,

1:42:14 pulled the permits, gotten the connection done to maintain habitability of the house, and this is a trailing action, which is the actual annexation um which you have before you for an ordinance tonight. >> Thank you, Andy. Any questions? >> That's smooth. That's the way it should be. Thank you. I move to adopt an ordinance annexing certain territory addressed as 1035 Kinsley Avenue and identified as assessor's map 18-02-

1:42:59 06-24 tax lot 2500 and concurrently annexing an approximately 65 foot long by 22.5 ft wide segment of Kinsley Avenue to the city of Springfield and Wamlain Park and Recreation District, withdrawing said territory from the Will Kenzie Rural Fire Protection District and adopting a severability clause and providing an effective date. >> Second. >> Uh, roll call vote, please. >> Yes. Councelor Weber, >> yes. >> Councelor Mo, >> yes. >> Councelor Bradley, >> yes. >> Councelor Blackwell, >> yes. >> And councelor Snout, >> yes. Thank you. >> Motion passes. Five yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. Next item under resolutions, resolution number one,

1:43:45 approving city council operating policies and procedures. Mary Bridget Smith is here for this item. >> Uh, good evening, council. I'm here tonight to ask you um to adopt a resolution approving your operating policies as for 2025. Um, this is a um item that takes a vote of the council. Uh last time we met in work session in September, you gave me some feedback about looking at reimbursements and um my plan is to do that and then bring that to you either at your retreat or in early 2026 and then uh based on your direction you can incorporate those changes into the next review of your operating policies. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Any questions?

1:44:30 Okay. I move to adopt a resolution approving the city council operating policies and procedures. Second. Uh, roll call vote, please. >> Councelor Weber, >> yes. >> Councelor Mo, >> yes. >> Councelor Rodley, >> yes. >> Councelor Blackwell, >> yes. >> And councelor Stout? >> Yes. Thank you. >> Motion passes. Five yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. >> Any business from the city council? >> Any business from the council? I do have one item. just this is the second time the mayor's left me alone to run this meeting. Um so I want to thank all my fellow counselors and staff for helping me navigate it. Um there's a lot to think about and I wouldn't have gotten through it without all of you. So thank you. Next item, please. >> Any business from the city manager?

1:45:17 >> Uh no further business other than to uh thank and compliment Council President Weber for running this meeting. >> Any business from the city attorney? >> No further business. Thank you. We are adjourned.