Springfield City Council — May 18, 2026

0:02 I'm going to call the I do that once a day. I'm going to call the Springfield City Council regular session to order with roll call. Mayor Van Gordon >> here. Councelor Weber >> here. >> Councelor Mo >> here. >> Councelor Rodley >> here. >> Councelor Cuadros >> here. >> Councelor Buck >> here. >> And councelor Ste. >> Councelor Stout, are you here? >> Yes, I'm here. >> Excellent. Please join in for the pledge of allegiance.

0:53 Uh, first item, please. >> Mayor, the first item is Springfield Upbeat, the 2026 Wildfire Awareness Month Proclamation. And this is your item. I think we have fire. Oh, fire is here. Excellent. I'll read the proclamation and then we'll have fire up here for a quick picture. Uh whereas the city of Springfield recognizes that wildfires possess an increasing risk to communities across Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest. And whereas periods of hot dry weather combined with abundant vegetation can create conditions that allow wildfires to spread quickly and threaten homes, businesses, natural areas, and critical infrastructure. And whereas the Eugene Springfield Fire Department works collaboratively with our community partners to reduce wild wildfire risk through public education, fuel fuels

1:40 reduction, home hardening strategies, and emergency preparedness. And whereas residents and property owners play a crucial role in wildfire prevention. Whereas uh wildfire awareness month rec uh helps highlight the importance of shared responsibility in protecting our community from wildfire. I, Sean Van Gordon, the mayor of Springfield, proclaim May 2026 as wildfire awareness month in the city of Springfield. And I encourage all residents to take action to reduce wildfire risk and protect and harden their homes, neighborhoods, and support efforts that strengthen our resilience.

3:12 right. Next item, please. Next item is the consent calendar. >> I move a to approve the consent calendar with item 3A removed. >> Second. >> Now, can you call a vote, please? >> Yes. Councelor Weber. >> Yes. Yes. >> Councelor Mo. >> Yes. >> Councelor Rodley. >> Yes. >> Councelor Cuadros. >> Yes. >> Councelor Buck. >> Yes. >> And councelor Stout. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Motion passes. Successes. Zero nos. Can we have the additional item, please? I before uh council lever um makes the motion I asked that it was pulled um specifically since it's a res resolution of necessity which is can lead to uh im imminent domain action. I

3:58 thought we needed to vote on this separately. I move approval of resolution of necessity amendment bond measure 20-351 street repairs B20007 Daisy Street >> second. >> Could you call the vote please? >> Yes. Councelor Weber. >> Yes. >> Councelor Moon. >> Yes. >> Councelor Rodley. >> Yes. >> Councelor Cuadros. >> Yes. >> Councelor Buck. >> Yes. >> And councelor Stout. >> Yes. Council did Councelor Stone. >> Uh, yes. Thank you. >> Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. >> Next item is public hearings. You have three public hearings this evening. The

4:43 first one is wastewater and storm water user fees for fiscal year 2026 through 2027. Matt Stouter is here for this item. Okay. I've got a little bit of a script before we start the public hearing. So, well, Matt's getting settled. Um, before we begin this evenings, I'd like to take a moment to outline the protocol and expectations for public hearings. First, I want to thank everyone for being here and taking the time to participate. Public input is an essential part of our decision-making process as we evaluate the opportunity to hear from our community. We have two public hearings and one quasi judicial hearing this evening. public hearing for waste water and storm water fees, a public hearing for the 2025 uh Springfield Fire Code, and a quasi judicial hearing for the annexation of two vacant lots in international way.

5:29 Tonight's public comment period is specifically dedicated to those public hearings. I've I'm going to ask that all remarks stay focused on items before the council. This helps us maintain a clear and productive record and ensures that everyone's time is respected. If you wish to speak and have not signed up yet, please complete a request to speak card and handed to the city recorder. Speakers will be called in the order in which they've signed up. Once your name is called, please come forward to the microphone, state your name for the record, and then begin your remarks. If you are online, please raise your virtual hand. Each speaker will have three minutes to address the council. We ask that all speakers and audience members maintain a respectful conduct throughout the public hearing portion of the evening. This means no interruptions, no applause, no verbal

6:16 reactions, positive or negative, while others are speaking. This ensures a safe and fair space for every participant. Offensive language and disruptive behavior are not permitted. With those guidelines in place, we look forward to hearing from each of you. Matt, you're up. >> Okay. Uh, good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Matt Stouter. I'm the city's environmental services director. I also serve as the MWMC executive director. Um, as you know, each year council considers user fees for regional and local wastewater rates to implement in Springfield and also local storm water rates. Uh, April 20th, Jeff Pascal and myself came to the council and presented in work session. Uh, we gave proposed rates for council consideration. Uh, we talked about the challenges facing our systems. Uh, some

7:01 of the mandatory regulatory requirements that we're experiencing. um and the the threats to public health, etc. Um after careful consideration, the council gave us feedback to come to public hearing tonight with the rates that are proposed. Um if approved, uh these rates will go into effect July 1st for fiscal year 2627 and they will provide us with revenue to continue to deliver services to the city of Springfield to continue to operate and maintain our facilities uh to respond to those mandatory regulatory investments that we're facing uh and in prepare us and position us for new permitting requirements, especially the uh municipal separate storm water sew storm sewer permit that we're um going to be seeing here in in the coming months. It will help us fund our adopted

7:46 capital program and protect public health in the community. Uh the user fees before council this evening for public hearing include a local storm water increase of 5%, a local wastewater increase of 5% and a regional wastewater increase of 5.5%. Uh that was that increase was adopted by the MWMC board on April 10th after a public hearing. I would note that the city of Springfield's budget for uh local waste water and storm water and the MWMC's budget have been prepared based on those rate adjustments and that direction. Um and at this time I'm happy to answer any questions and request that the council hold the public hearing and adopt the resolution to establish user rates to go into effect July 1, 2026.

8:34 >> Uh Councelor Rodley, >> thank you. Um, and thank you for this. And just before we do the the hearing and the vote, as you know, um, I've been wrestling with this and have been really transparent about the fact that, um, even though I absolutely I appreciate the work, I appreciate MWMC. I appreciate all the the the requirements and and the realities of it. Um, so that I don't want anybody to think that I'm just being a big buttthead. Um, but I do think that 5% over the next four years is just in this economy and the way it impacts ordinary folks is just too steep. So, um, I just wanted you to know that while I will be a no vote on it and I probably will be the only no vote on it, that is the why of it. Um, but in no way does that diminish the work or my lack of appreciation or understanding of

9:20 why it is the way it is. So, I just wanted to say that out loud. Thank you. >> Uh, any other comments? Okay, Matt, could you clarify for us? Really, the only thing we're adopting is the year one rate. The year the the other rates you provided for us for guidance about sort of tra trajectory. >> Yeah. Well, each year we do a thorough evaluation and those are projections based on where we're at presently. Um, but I don't expect that it'll hold true for certainly out to year five. >> Yeah. And I think the feedback we all want you that that is important for you to hear is continuing to sharpen the pencil for those out years, right? I know we've got a lot of regulatory issues that we we we're facing, but continuing to sharpen the pencil and see

10:05 if we can't continue to manage costs would be appreciated. Councelor Stout, >> thank you. I I want to um I'll be voting yes on this item, but I do appreciate more um councelor Robley's position and I know I've also brought it up that I have some discomfort with just the sheer rate increase. At the same time, I do understand the complexities of a very complex system and it'd be very easy to quickly burn out that cash if um if some major uh influx happened to our system. So, uh, it's a struggle for me and as well and I just I don't want I think councelor Rodley's position to just be lost as the only no vote because while I'll be voting yes on it, it's with some reservations. Thank you.

10:50 >> Okay, I think we're ready to open the hearing and then we can come back to comments. I'm going to open the public hearing. I do not have any cards for this item. Do we have any hands, Neil? >> Appears we have no hands for this item. Okay, I I close the public hearing. Is there any other conversation about this item? Uh, Councelor Weber, >> I move to adopt a resolution of the city of Springfield setting local and regional wastewater sewer user fees and local storm water drainage user fees as set forth in the Springfield Municipal Code. >> Seconded. >> Could you call the vote, please? >> Yes. Councelor Weber. Yes. >> Councelor Mo. >> Yes. Councelor Bradley.

11:36 >> No. >> Councelor Cuadras. >> Yes. >> Councelor Ruck. >> No. >> And councelor Stout. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. Uh, four yeses, two nos. Next item, please. >> Thank you. >> The next item is an ordinance adopting the 2025 Springfield Fire Code. This is an ordinance adopting the 2025 Springfield Fire Code by adopting, amending, and adding sections of the 2024 internal fire code IFC as promagated by the International Code Council and as adopted and amended by the state of Oregon as the 2025 Oregon Fire Code OFC with an effective date of October 1st, 2025 as issued by OS476.030

12:21 030 and adopted by OAR 837 division 40 providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees repealing ordinance numbers 6458 and 6467 providing a severability clause and providing an effective date. Um Chief Caven is here for this item. >> Mayor, council, thanks for having us this evening. Um this public hearing is the first reading for the adoption of the 2025 fire code. Uh I think an important uh piece to note about uh the cities of Eugene and Springfield uh are recognized as partially exempt jurisdictions in the state of Oregon which allows us to make uh amendment code changes based on the specific needs of our community in particular the

13:06 business community. Um and so you'll find in the packet um very few uh changes that have any meat to them. um mostly about access um labeling and um just modernizing and compliance with the 2025 Oregon Fire Code Standard. Okay. Are there any questions? All right. I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. I don't have any cards for this item. Mayor, I do not see any hands for this item. >> All right. I close the public hearing. Oh, it was first reading only. Thank you. Next item, please. >> Next item is your third public hearing.

13:52 This is annexation of territory to the city of Springfield. Annex two vacant adjoining parcels comprising approximately 17.99 acres in the north gateway area of Springfield. Uh subject parals are located in the north north of international way between properties addressed as 500 and 700 international way and to the east of the formal former Royal Caribbean call center. Again, this is an ordinance annexing certain territories identified as assessors map 17-03-15-00 tax lot 400 to the city of Springfield and the Walleain Park and Recreation District adopting serverability clause

14:37 and providing an effective date. This is a first reading only and no action is requested. Andy Libert is here for this item. >> Okay. Thank you. Before we hear the staff report tonight, the assistant city attorney will provide a statement regarding the procedures for tonight's hearing. Thank you, mayor. The annexation hearing tonight is characterized as a quasi judicial hearing. Quasi judicial means that the applicant and the public are entitled to certain rights in this process. These rights include the rights to notice, to present evidence, to have a written decision based upon standards, and to an impartial decision maker. Any person with an interest in this annexation may offer relevant oral or written testimony or both. If you want the city council to consider your

15:23 testimony and to preserve your right to appeal the decision to the Oregon Land Board of Appeals, you must testify orally or in writing to the city council before the council closes the record. You must raise an issue clearly enough so that people can understand what it is and offer evidence in support of it or else you cannot raise that issue on appeal to the land use board of appeals. If you are the applicant, you must raise your concerns about any conditions of approval clearly enough to allow the city council to respond to preserve your right to seek damages in circuit court. If you feel you need more time to prepare evidence or testimony for the council, you can ask the council to hold open the record or to continue the hearing. You must make that request before the mayor closes the public portion of the hearing. Please make sure your testimony is related to the applicable criteria. The

16:08 criteria for annexation are in Springfield Development Code section 5.7 140. These criteria are described in more detail in the staff report posted in tonight's meeting packet and will be summarized by staff in the presentation this evening. Last, Oregon law requires that the council act as an as an impartial decision maker. Counselors must disclose any exparte contacts, independent knowledge of relevant facts, or conflicts of interest related to this matter. A conflict of interest is a situation in which the deci decision maker, his or her family or household or their business would or could benefit or suffer by the decision maker's decision.

16:53 An exparte contact is a communication to to the decision maker that includes substantive issues regarding the application and occurs outside the public venue. Independent knowledge of relevant facts is information known to the decision maker about the application from a source outside the public venue such as a visit to the site in question. Mayor, please query the council about any conflicts of interest, exparte contacts, independent knowledge of relevant facts, and state any you may have as well. Councelor Quadrus to disturb. >> I have no exparte contacts, independent knowledge, nor conflicts of interest. >> No ex party contact or conflict of interest. >> Buckle up. Um, so I have a potential

17:39 conflict of interest. A couple of them. One, I work for Lane County. I work for Health and Human Services. Um, I am in a different division. I will say that I have been inundated with emails and meetings and information about this project from the beginning. So I don't know anything that anybody else doesn't know, but I do think that that's a potential conflict of interest. Also a potential conflict of interest as a property owner in the gateway area. Um, and then I will say that I would consider them exparte contacts and that I have had conversations um with other elected officials particularly around the superersighting bill when that was moving through the legislature. Um, so I think that is I think that's it Christina but let me know if you think I've left anything

18:24 out. >> I'm not aware I'm not aware of anything. >> Well, I'm not aware of anything else. the um members when they are members of the public or the applicant when they're testifying um can ask council um >> more detail >> to disclose more detail if that's something that they feel that they need to do um and then council could respond to that. Thank you very much. >> Excellent. This conversation's been out there for a while. Um I do have a potential conflict of interest. Uh my employer, which is a health insurance company, does business with Peace Health. Um and but it's not in a division that I work in. Um I have had exparte contact with pretty much everybody in this room at this point. Um but when you specifically with the property owners um when I you know it has all happened in 2025 which would be

19:11 before the application and when I review um when I think about Group and Richardson's the conversations that I've had that is all in their public testimony. Um, and then the same with peace health. Um, that any material that I've heard from anybody involved is representative represented in the public record. I have had several conversations with every member of the county commission expressing my deep dissatisfaction with the supersiding bill and their level of communication to this community. Um, other than that, I think I'm good. Can I just say ditto or do I have to go through all of that? Um, prior to the submission of this

19:56 application, I did have conversations with some of the neighbors, uh, some peace health staff and commissioners um, and the assistant county administrator all surrounding really my uh, frustration with the super sighting and the lack of communication around that. Um, any conversations I had with the neighbors are already on public record. There's nothing nothing different there. Um, I also did meet with county administr county administrator Steve Mocherisky on January 23rd again around my my frustrations with the super sighting and the lack of communication and and just um a conversation around how we can we can work better together in the future.

20:46 I have no exparte contacts, no uh uh conflicts of interest, potential or actual and I do not believe I have any bias. >> Uh councelor Buck, >> thank you. Um yeah, a couple um I'll I'll just note for the record that um this did come up while I was serving on planning commission at that time. Uh did have exparte contact um following the public hearing um with uh other planning commissioners and and members of the public. Nothing that was outside of the public record. Um received uh two calls this week from constituents. um uh inquiring about this process and um

21:31 again the nature of those conversations was everything that is on the public record. Uh I don't think anything outside of that um focusing on community need and those kind of things. Uh and then I do have some side awareness um you know nature of of my employment. Um I have you know reason to go over there from time to time um particularly if we have any meetings at uh Pacific Source which is located in that general area. We've driven through that area and so I have awareness there and then um the only potential conflict of interest is um that uh our our office is located off of

22:16 Gateway and um you know the ongoing traffic um challenges that that we see in that that area. Um this could this could influence those and that obviously has an impact on me but um nothing that would create bias. >> Thank you, Councelor Bucky. You reminded me of one thing I did miss. One of the issues I did raise when I discussed this with uh our colleagues at the county commission was my concern about traffic in the area. That is a uh has been a large issue for a little while. All right. So, we're done with declarations. I think we're ready for the staff report.

23:01 Thank you, Mayor and Council. I'm just going to go through a couple of quick PowerPoint slides just to orient um the council and um the folks in attendance this evening as to the location of this uh annexation request. It's in the northwest corner of Springfield, what we refer to commonly as the north gateway area of International Way. Can you just advance it? There we go. Okay. So, the the um the location of

23:48 this site is immediately to the east of what we used to refer to as the Royal Caribbean Building. Um so, it's it's between 500 and 700 International Way. And that is between properties that currently are developed with Richardson Sports and FedEx and kind of an inverted Lshape. It's currently Filbert Orchard. Um and it's not currently annexed to the city. It's also not within any fire district, interestingly enough. Um, so it it does not have to be withdrawn from any service districts um through an ordinance. So the application materials you have before you this evening along with submitts that have been prepared by the applicant have been supplemented with a

24:33 lot of information that staff received up to the time of the prior public hearing at 6:00. So, there's a tremendous amount of information that the council has been presented with and staff has been presented with as well. Uh, we have not had time to respond to all of the materials that came in um just literally an hour and a half ago. Uh so the recommendation that staff is leaving with you this evening is to continue the public hearing to the June 1st regular meeting to allow for all testimony this evening uh to be submitted into the record both verbal and written for staff and for council to have an opportunity to review the testimony that's been submitted um up to this evening as well and for staff to be

25:18 able to provide response to any issues that have been identified through testimony submitted this evening. Importantly, I'm just going to bring up the criteria of approval. Um there are a number of criteria of approval for annexations and that is um it's contiguity with the city limits which it is. It is contiguous on three sides to the city limit. So it meets that criteria that's outlined in the staff report. It needs to be consistent with applicable policies in the city's comprehensive plan, the metro plan and other refinement plans which in this case would be the the gateway refinement plan. Um it has to result in boundaries where the minimum level of key urban facilities and services can be provided in an orderly orderly, efficient and timely manner. And perhaps importantly

26:04 to tonight's discussion, um fiscal impacts to the city, if there are any foreseeable, have been mitigated through an annexation agreement or some other type of mechanism approved by the city council. We do not have an annexation agreement. Um one has been drafted, but it has not been executed between the city and the applicant. Uh there are still some remaining issues that need to be addressed. Um the desire of staff um by way of the applicant would be to present you with an executed annexation agreement outlining the timing and fiscal responsibility for extension of services. Extension of public streets, extension of utilities in order to uh deliver services not only to the property being annexed but territory

26:50 beyond the annexation uh area because that would form the new city limits. and therefore establishing a new boundary that would be looking to have uh services extended from that location. Uh so this is another reason why staff are recommending continuence of the public hearing uh to June 1st. Um I will be available for questions. I'm going to um allow the applicant to make their presentation. staff has been advised that they have um a presentation that will probably take on the order of 20 minutes or more. So, in the interest of time, um I will be available to answer questions now or at the conclusion of all the testimony. >> Is it do we have questions for our staff

27:35 before we let Andy sit down? >> All right. Thank you so much, Andy. I don't have a card for the applicant, so I don't know who's presenting. Thank you. >> Good evening, Mr. Mayor and members of the council. Uh my name is Zach Galloway. I'm a senior planner with uh

28:21 TBG Community Planning Group. We're at 375 West 4th in Eugene. Uh we're representing the co-licants Lane County and Peace Health on the annexation application before you this evening. Uh the items that are being distributed are simply a hard copy of the PowerPoint presentation so you can take notes as you want. Uh and then there is a map there that um reflects uh one of the items that Andy was referring to uh changes in the infrastructure uh to respond to some recent information which uh I and other members of our uh presentation team will address as we go through this. Um so before I go any further I just want to introduce the team that you'll hear from this evening. Alicia Beamer is the chief administrative officer for Peace Health.

29:06 Um Eve Gray also is joining us as the director of health and human services for Lane County. Um they will share uh a bit about the community and needs that are addressed uh and the benefit provided uh by the future development proposal. Let me make sure I'm clicking this correctly. Uh and then also Mike Reer uh who is an attorney uh here in town. He'll speak on behalf of both uh co-licants. uh he'll address the annexation approval criteria in more depth and provide a detailed timeline of some of the prior transportation decisions uh that currently affect this area of the city. Uh with that overview, uh I'll just call your attention to the uh map there in the presentation. So, as the uh two parcels are discussed uh this evening,

29:53 uh just know that Lane County uh is the owner of the northern lot closest to the former Royal Caribbean site. Uh Peace Health is uh current owner of the Southern Lot uh closest to International Way. Uh as you'll hear uh this evening uh and as many of you sounds like already know, this project is of critical importance uh to our community. Uh however, the site is currently outside of city limits. Uh it's one of the missing pieces along uh International Way uh not within city limits. Um and therefore we're before you this evening requesting uh annexation. Uh this is really the first step the co-licants are taking uh in their development process uh in this public sphere. As you well know

30:38 annexation applications are typically straightforward uh and don't include uh proposed development. Instead the council really is reviewing whether uh to bring land into the city limits. as Andy noted uh whether uh the thing the the applicable approval criteria have been met uh the written materials that you've received previously exclude uh include a very comprehensive and thorough analysis of uh your policies your plans uh and uh we've demonstrated that uh this annexation meets the burden of proof uh to be approved uh that includes uh all of the applicable comprehensive planans and policies that are specific to annexation uh as well as extensive findings around transportation

31:23 uh and other urban facilities and services. Uh we've also had the opportunity to review the city staff report. Uh we've provided responses uh to the staff report uh which are in your packet I believe you received at the end of last week. Uh there's several references to the annexation agreement in the staff report and we understand uh that additional coordination uh between city staff will be necessary between now and June 1st. Uh most notably um we received new information late last week, I believe Friday, um of a 2005 agreement uh that amended a 1998 agreement uh and that has impact on the transportation network in this area and uh Mr. reader will dive into that in more depth. Uh

32:10 it's also the reason why you have that map uh that's biffolded in front of you uh because it changes some of the uh right-of-way dedications that are proposed and that are necessary to be consistent with that agreement. Um we've also had the opportunity to review letters provided by the opposition parties uh and uh again Mr. Reer will dive into more detail uh and provide response to those. Uh, with that, I'd like to welcome up Alicia and Eve to um provide more uh detail on the community benefits.

32:56 Good evening, mayor and city council. I'm Alicia Beamer, the chief administrative officer at Sacred Heart River Bend, and I'm here to talk about Oh, advanced my slide here. Is it this one? >> Oh, yeah. There we go. Thank you. Sorry. It's just this one. He's just the down. >> Was it the down? >> Okay, thank you. Sorry about that. >> Okay, great. I'm here to talk about the collocation of Timber Springs Peace

33:42 Health's proposed 96 bed impatient psychiatric hospital for adolescence and adults and the lean stabilization center which is designed to treat people experiencing a mental health crisis and connect them to long-term solutions. I hope to share with you how the pieces have come together for this once-ina-lifetime opportunity to develop a behavioral health campus that will benefit so many members of our community in countless ways for generations to come. Healthc care has evolved since the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace were invited here 90 years ago to save the ailing hospital in Eugene. This includes

34:27 providing behavioral health needs not only for adults but youth and adolesccents. Since 1969, Peace Health has provided inpatient psychiatric services at our university district campus. By the time Timber Springs is built, Peace Health will have provided a safe environment for our patients and caregivers for the and exceptional care for the last 60 years while also being good neighbors to the University of Oregon, Bushnell, and downtown. We have done so by developing a strong security program and collaborating with EMS, law enforcement, and our neighbors at all of our hospitals by establishing regular meetings and robust memorandums of understanding to promote the safety in

35:13 the hospitals in surrounding areas. We remain committed to doing so at Timber Springs, where we anticipate many of the same patients currently receiving behavioral health treatment in our emergency departments will instead be cared for at the Lane Stabilization Center in Timber Springs. Peace Health made a promise to this community when we announced the closure of University District that we would retain our impatient behavioral health services because the community desperately needs this service. Tonight, we not only are here seeking to fulfill our commitment, but we are coming you coming here to you to expand services to meet the needs of a of our community in new innovative person-

36:00 centered ways that will make a difference for generations to come. Currently, our community has an urgent public safety issue due to the lack of mental health services. Evidence-based benchmarks indicate our service area could benefit from five times more impatient beds than we currently have. We feel this need as we work to connect or transfer more than 10 patients from across our three emergency departments for psychiatric care every day. Every year, nearly 600 youth under the age of 18 come to us with mental health needs

36:45 in our emergency departments and they often face waiting days or weeks to be transferred to a facility that can provide the right level of care. As it seems to happen when something's clear that it's meant to be, the timing for colllocating Timber Springs and the Lane Stabilization Center lined up perfectly with Peace Health's announcement of plan and plan to expand our impatient beds in Lane County. also planning to build the stabilization center as we envisioned a comprehensive and integrated behavioral health network in Lane County, a network that will employ hundreds of people with above

37:31 median wage paying jobs. It was clear our community needed a public private partnership such as this to fulfill a significant gap in services. We conducted an extensive search of the entire entire county narrowing it down to more than 40 just over 40 properties that are able to to accommodate both of these facilities. We considered University District Riverbend Annex and Sacreheart Riverbend property a trauma level two medical center but we ruled this out because it couldn't hold both facilities without fragmenting the parcels. Additionally, since Riverbend opened 18 years ago, we've already

38:16 utilized all of our shelled space in our million square foot building due to growth in services and the needs in the community. As our community continues to age and in turn require more hospitalizations and as we grow through economic development, we need to preserve high-valued real estate for services close to the emergency department and our operating room at Riverbend. The International Way location has also proven to be ideal. It's conveniently located off of I5. It is just over a mile of Riverbend and within a half an hour of most Lane County residents. It will be easy to arrange transportation for patients discharging

39:02 from the lane stabilization center in Timber Springs. Furthermore, we felt this project would be welcomed as we did not receive opposition for the impatient rehabilitation hospital zoning application and the international way area has been recognized for the growth in healthcare and the social service sector. We envisioned this resource will prevent Lane County residents from having to take a loved one experiencing behavioral health crisis to an emergency department where they might feel overwhelmed and possibly leave before being treated. We want this behavioral health campus to be a place where parents can bring youth or adolescents in crisis to a calming

39:49 space. A space where they can receive immediate behavioral health care where they can be directly transferred to a nearby adolescent impatient unit instead of receiving care in a windowless emergency department waiting for a room to open up elsewhere better suited to meet their needs. Not only does this mean timely and immediate mental health treatment for these youth, but it also allows them to remain in the same area where they will receive outpatient treatment and ensure they are connected to local resources upon discharge. Their families will also be able to stay in their own homes and more easily visit them and provide support rather than traveling to Portland.

40:34 Additionally, we foresee law enforcement, local residents, and mobile crisis units utilizing the stabilization center, which is better suited to address the needs of patients in crisis instead of transferring them to the emergency department. The center staff would provide them immediate attention and support, fostering a sense of safety and hope. Opening the behavioral health campus will have tremendous positive impact by relieving pressure on all of Lane County emergency departments, including Springfield hospitals, Riverbend, and Mackenzie Wamut Hospital. At Riverbend, we've modeled out that patients presenting for medical treatment of broken bone, respiratory illness,

41:20 laceration will be able to receive care more quickly and effectively and shave off approximately 40 minutes of their visit. As you can see from the logos on the slide, we also have a poster board demonstrating this. This is a community project. More than 80 businesses and agencies are showing their support for this need. Many of them are ready to help provide wraparound services for those being discharged from Timber Springs and the Lane Stabilization Center. Thank you for approving for considering approving this application.

42:05 >> It's not just the right thing to do. >> Alicia. Oh, >> no poster boards in the uh >> Oh, sorry. >> No, that's okay. >> Sorry. Thank you, mayor. >> Go ahead. >> As you can see, this is not just the right thing to do for individuals seeking mental health treatment. This is the right thing to do for our community. Thank you. It's my pleasure to hand it to Eve Gray. >> Good evening, mayor and counselors. I am Eve Gray, director of health and human services for Lane County. And uh you know, certainly others have noted that the information that we're sharing about the proposed use is not directly related to annexation approval criteria, but um

42:52 there have been questions around stabilization centers and what those are. And so we wanted to take the opportunity today to talk about that. The stabilization center will be a new resource for our community that addresses an important gap in care. Uh today, individuals are either well enough to schedule an appointment and wait to see their provider for behavioral health care or they need to escalate in their care in their condition to the point of a crisis. When that happens, they end up in one of two places. either the emergency department, as Miss Beamer has pointed out, or uh in interaction with law enforcement, often related to low-level crimes such as trespassing, um sometimes menacing. Uh

43:39 but once someone is in a crisis, uh that that becomes the two options for them. But that's not where we want people to get. Ultimately, what works a lot better in is to have a continuum of care that allows for people to access care before they reach the point of a crisis. That is what the stabilization center is intended to do is provide a walk-in service to individuals before they get to a point where they need to interact with the hospital or with law enforcement and we can stabilize them and get them back home. uh stabilization centers run by our partner connections health solutions exist in busy metropolitan areas in four other states successfully. The promise of the stabilization center

44:26 is to reduce the number of people experiencing mental health crisis in our community and stabilization centers work. Uh most people who go to the stabilization center avoid ED care altogether. Less than 5% in other stabilization centers across the country require readmission to the stabilization center in the weeks after discharge, showing people are truly stabilized and they can focus on living a healthier life, not cycling in and out of crisis care settings. There have also been concerns that I've heard raised about the pull on local resources. What stabilization centers and other communities have found is just the opposite. Uh, in Prince William County, Virginia, police spent 46% less time on

45:14 mental health calls after their stabilization center opened compared to before. Over just a three-month comparison period, law enforcement officers spent on average 44 fewer hours per day responding to mental health calls than before the stabilization center opened, saving them many FTE uh in police resources going to unnecessary uh response to mental health related calls. In addition, uh there are long waits at our emergency department at times on the wall. As many of you have probably heard that term, but for the public who may not know, uh this is when uh first responders come to the emergency department. There is no staff available in the emergency department to

46:00 accept the patient and they have to wait with the patient until someone is available. Stabilization centers demonstrate consistently that they are able to accept a patient from a first responder and have them on their way in less than 10 minutes, often in 5 minutes or less. That will reduce the poll on emergency response, taking folks to the emergency department instead coming to the stabilization center. In our community, the majority of people in jails also experience mental health conditions. If we can divert folks from jail for low-level offenses to the stabilization center, it will reduce the pull on our public resources in the jail system as well.

46:47 This on the screen uh is the Kirkland Stabilization Center uh in Kirkland, Washington. It's located in a busy business park and is uh adjacent to other businesses. It's located near a school, a place of worship, shops, and restaurants. Again, right in the middle of the community, which is where a stabilization center works best. And to demonstrate another example of a stabilization center um working within a neighborhood setting, here's Harrisburg, Pennsylvania stabilization center located near multiple schools, retail locations, and restaurants. In communities across the country, stabilization centers are demonstrating that they're compatible with neighbors

47:32 of all types because individuals come into the stabilization center and they are stabilized before they leave. When folks are dropped off in crisis, they are dropped off into a locked area and um are not creating uh any kind of disturbance within the community. And so now I will turn it over to Mr. reader who will go into more detail on the annexation request. >> Good evening, uh, mayor, city council. My name is Mike Reer. I'm an attorney representing Peace Health.

48:18 I've been asked by Peace Health and Lane County, the co-licants, to discuss the approval criteria that is required for an annexation. We've asked Alicia and Eve to present the benefits of the proposed use of the property, but essentially today we're here to talk about the annexation application. Annex annexation applications are not the time and place to deal with the proposed use. The criteria for approval have to do with annexing property, not the proposed or intended development. In other words, should this property have had no intended use, we could still be for be before you today talking about the

49:03 annexation criteria. Because the opponents to this application have been vocal regarding the proposed use, we felt it would be helpful to provide some context to you uh the city council. So with that, I want to uh thank uh city staff for the hard work that they have done. They have provided us they've they've done some good work and provided us with a 2005 agreement that is relevant for today's discussion about the uh the criteria for approval and we want to thank them for that. Um, I also want to note that we've received uh today a letter of neutral testimony from Haw. Uh, the Haw group

49:50 was concerned about having a good neighbor program which would allow them it should they have any questions or concerns about the intended use to be able to contact Lane County and Peace Health. And Peace Health has offered to provide uh good neighbor meetings as well as to have contact for security. So I just wanted to let you know about that uh that came in today. I also briefly want to address the superersighting issue. Again, we're talking about the annexation application and superersighting is not part of annexation. So whatever concerns the the council may have regarding the superiding issue, we'd be happy to brief that. But I'm not going to take time tonight to talk about why supersiding

50:36 was an issue in this particular case other than to talk about the transportation system that uh I'm going to talk about today. So the city council has already adopted ultimate policy decisions regarding transportation in this area. So I'm going to explain how the city has adopted and and and has received acknowledgement of the transportation planning documents which are the law that show the location of a minor collector. Okay. Uh a minor collector that connect International Way to the currently constructed East West Sports Way that the future and the future connection to

51:21 Maple Island Road. And I'll I'll provide you some maps for that. Lane County. The applicant has proposed to dedicate a 60- foot wide road that would be a minor collector, and I'll show again, I'll show that to you in a moment. Uh that would connect International Way with the extension of Maple Island Road. Currently, as I'll show in the diagrams, that requirement for a minor collector to connect International Way and Maple Island Road is required to be on the Royal Caribbean property. The applicants are proposing to take that burden away from Royal Caribbean and to have that burden of that 60-foot right ofway on Lane County's property.

52:11 The city's adopted transportation planning documents are in compliance with statewide planning laws that are meant to guide the future for the future location in the north south connection from international way to Maple Island Slooh Road. And the current location, as I said before, will be entirely on uh the ro uh I'm sorry, on the Lane County property rather than Royal Caribbean, which is what the plans currently show. So let me go to the slides here. Uh the here's the criteria. The criteria for approval talks about the proposed annexation will result in a boundary in which the minimum level of key urban facilities and services as decide defined by the comprehensive plan can be provided in an orderly efficient and

52:57 timely manner. What that means is in in layman's speak that is can the site be served with key level urban services. Are there streets? Is there water? Is there sanitary sewer? Is there availability for storm sewer? And the the resounding answer to that question is yes. This is a fully developed area. We have the uh Lane County uh rapid bus system there. We have the Wamtt Valley Temple that has been uh developed. We have Haw Financial. We have Richardson Sports. We have Justina. All of those uses there on International Way. Uh all of those uses have key level urban services. So if we were if there was no intended use for this property, there

53:43 would be no controversy. It would be a no-brainer. There are key the minimum key urban level services there. However, uh because we have been um uh we want to be good neighbors and we want to provide efficient and orderly transportation, we are proposing to provide rightofway to dedicate right ofway for the con the uh connection for especially for the property to the north that was recently uh included into your urban growth boundary for economic development purposes. Okay. So, I want to talk about the history of this services be uh and the

54:29 and the proposal. So, the Springfield policy directives have already been uh taken into account. In 2014, I'll go through this quickly. The city adopted its own transportation system plan. That's the 2035 Springfield TSP as a refinement to the metro plan. And on two uh January 21st, 2020, you may recall, the city council adopted an ordinance amending the two 2035 TSP. And then in 2022, the city council adopted a project list that amended the 2035 TSP. And I bring this up because those are ultimate policy decisions that you made that Lane County and Peace Health relied on when they looked at at this property and did its due diligence. The comprehensive

55:14 plan which governs land use actions such as this including annexation. The preface states that the plan is also a policy document that the city must follow when coordinating the delivery of services including and I would add including transportation services and when considering many decisions about land use which annexation is. So, the comprehensive plan is 2,35 TSP and the 2005 amended agreement that we received from staff uh this last weekend. All show that the city council has already made an ultimate policy decision showing the location of the minor collector.

55:59 So, I just want to orient you if you can see this. Uh let me go back to this. International Way is to the south on the bottom of your screen there. The applicant is proposing a local street in yellow that would be entirely on the Peace Health property that would serve Peace Health and Lane County's property. Then it would jog to the left in Peach that would be dedicated and improved by the applicants. And then it would take a jog north in in Peach. Again, that's the 60 ft ride ofway that would be dedicated to the city that would allow the city to implement its transportation system plan.

56:52 The city's transportation plan policy requires pro that it that the plan itself provide assurance to adjacent property owners to the degree possible. In other words, the comprehensive plan, the transportation system plan and the conceptual uh street map is to inform land use decisions so land owners can rely on those. And then this the Springfield development code implements that policy the comprehensive plan in 4.2.105 subd where it says that collector and arterial streets uh are subject to the standards of the code. The location of collector streets and arterial streets must comply with the transportation system plan including the conceptual street map. In 1998, the city entered

57:38 into agreement with the former owners of this property and including the former owner the the former owner also incl uh owned what is now the FedEx property and entered into agreement whereby the Maple Island Slooh Road as it was called then would be d it would be that property would be conveyed if you see to the north there that connection from Shorewood to the city of Springfield property which is now the what we call the Royal Caribbean property. There would be a connection of Maple Island Slooh Road and then also a possibility of having a 60-oot ride ofway go north south from International Way to uh Maple the future extension of Maple Island Road. In 2001, the city and Eugene adopted the trans plan and there that

58:23 transplant map you can see there uh did not show a minor collector connecting International Way to Maple Island Road. It only showed Sports Way as a local road. You can see these images from Google showing that in 1994 there was uh the construction of sports way from international way uh and then in 2003 it was fully improved and then it actually joged right. There was a right angle move uh to the east and that was fully developed and that portion is actually still in existence today as Maple Island portion of Maple Island Road. In 2006, the uh city vac or I'm sorry, in 2004, the city vacated

59:09 uh a portion of the sports way right ofway to accommodate uh Royal Caribbean. And when it did so, it um provided for alternative access, which you can see in this uh uh in this map, but you'll see that the the road was bas it was ripped up. was destroyed to accommodate Royal Caribbean. Okay. So, here is the here's the crux of the matter when it comes to transportation. In 2005, the city amended the 1998 rice agreement. They made a policy decision to give up uh

59:56 reject the north south connection from the international way to Maple Island Road. It provided for the uh basically the implementation of the comprehensive plan uh uh and it's the transportation system plan showing uh the minor collector that would connect International Way with Maple Island Road and I will show that in just a moment just really quickly to orient you. The green is the Peace Health property. The blue is the Lane County property. And in the peach is the former Royal Caribbean property. And this is what happened in 2004. On the left, you can see the Royal Caribbean property vacated portions of Sports Way, showed a uh an easement that would connect uh the Maple Island Road

1:00:42 uh east west uh connection. And to the right is what is really important for this council to understand. To the right that is law. It's it's annotated and I'll show you the actual law, but that the green is what the city council has adopted as part of its transportation system plan. The green shows the minor collectors, the future minor collectors. Okay. So again, the transportation system plan policy 1.3 is to update and maintain the conceptual street map. And I'm going to show that really quickly. This again, this is the actual law figure 12 of the constru is the con the transportation system plan conceptual street map. And as you can see in the insert to the left is in the green is

1:01:31 the city's ultimate policy decision that they made to have a minor collector connect international way with Maple Island Road. And you can see it's entirely on the the Royal Caribbean property. And this is just the transportation system plan uh the the the projects that are proposed. And you can see that the R1 is the future connection of Maple Island Road. What you will note is that there is no connection uh on the project list between International Way and Maple Island Road through the subject property. And then this is the functional classification again showing uh the minor collector on the Royal

1:02:17 Caribbean property. Okay. So this is the annexation application's existing and proposed rights of way. Uh the the green is the Peace Health property. The blue is the Lane County property. The yellow is what the applicant proposes to dedicate and improve as a local street that would connect that would connect the properties. The uh property in the purple is already dedicated and and the per the property in the peach is what Lane County would will dedicate to the city to provide that minor collection connection rather than going through the Royal Caribbean property. And then I might also add that

1:03:02 that green is not developed that is to that is to be conveyed to the city as well. So the the property owner is providing a lot of transportation services for this particular property. And this is just a a clear conceptual site map showing why the applicants do not wish to connect through the middle of the lane county property because that's where the stabilization center uh is to reside. So I just want to close uh regarding the transportation system is we are the applicants are proposing to abide by the law that has already been adopted and acknowledged adopted by the city and acknowledged by the state. Uh we the

1:03:49 Lane County and Peace Health would be donating land for both the Maple Island road as well as the north south portion of the collecture collector relieving the uh burden uh from the Royal Caribbean property and that extension I might add doesn't really doesn't really benefit the Lane County and Peace Health property because the the you the traffic is going to come from international way and from sports way not from the for there. Also, it's important to understand that uh the applicants have already agreed to pay either the proportionate share of the fix for the beltline interchange that everybody is concerned about, as we should be, or in the alternative, it's

1:04:34 it'll be up to the city, uh pay for the cost of up to $321,000 for a study for an alternative for the beltline interchange. So that would be a a financial contribution uh to the city for that the the uh application once they once they develop will be required to pay system development charges including transportation and also pay real property taxes and this is important because even though Lane County is a local government and even though peace is a nonprofit because of the partnership with uh other for-profit uh organizations both both all the entire entire property that you see, the entire subject property will be subject to real property taxes. Again, those

1:05:21 SDCs and those real property taxes can go a long way to helping the city with its transportation infrastructure issues. And with that, uh I will close uh my case and chief and turn the time back over unless there's any questions. Oh, I might add Kelly Sandow from Sandow Engineering, our transportation, uh our transportation engineer, is here if you have any questions. >> All right. Uh, thank you. I think we're going to take public testimony now and then we will come back in case we have any questions. Uh, Christina, could you uh help me with the procedural piece? Do I have to take them in approve in uh supportive, neutral, and oppose? Because I've got the the pile has got is sort of in first in first out order.

1:06:06 >> Yes. Unfortunately, the hearings procedure I believe does require that. I will go back and and just double check the code right now. >> Okay. It will be We're going to pause for station identification as I reorder the cards. >> Yes. Testimony in favor, testimony neutral, and testimony opposed in that order.

1:06:56 All right. Thank you for your patience. I have reordered the calls. I'm going to call uh you up two at a time. Um since there's two microphones, then we'll go from one person to the next person. We'll give you three minutes a piece. Um, please state your name and uh address or organization for the record. The first uh two folks are Julie Nelson Theal and Deborah Depo. All right, Julie, you're going to have to hit the microphone until it goes green.

1:07:42 And you are on. >> Thank you. My name's Julie Nelson Theal. I live at 670 Malard Avenue, Springfield, Oregon, 97477. And I'm here in favor of this facility being um completed. Um, my granddaughter had a schizophrenic break a little over a year ago and uh was transported to Sacred Heart University District emergency room. She was held in a room without windows with a single pad on the row uh ground and not a facility that could actually help her right there. They were trying to figure out where they could transfer her

1:08:28 to. She couldn't recognize herself. She couldn't recognize anybody around her. She thought her saliva was a foreign substance in her mouth. She was having a very severe schizophrenic break. And it wasn't due to drugs. It was due to inherited genes. she uh they said that she might be transferred to Portland and we were under a lot of anxiety because how could we support her? How could we visit her? How could we be there for her? Anyway, they finally got a space for her at the local university district mental health facility. She spent 27 days there and then she came home and she was with

1:09:13 us and she was doing okay. It would have been much better had we had more support from a stabilization facility. I can't believe anybody who has no home to go to where they would go after an emergency room or a a crisis care center. Where do they go? How do they they get by? She had a place to come home to, but they wouldn't. Anyway, I think you should whatever it takes to promote this facility. Heaven help me. If my granddaughter needs it again, I hope that her medication stays stable. But if it doesn't, she will need

1:09:58 a facility like this in the future. and any other child who needs it, it will be there for them. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh my name is Deborah Dew. I live at 4475 Daisy Street, Springfield, Oregon, 97478. Uh and I am a I am a Springfield resident. I'm in favor of the annex station so that Timber Springs and the Lane County stabilization can be built. As a family member with lived experience, we needed someone to call and some to talk to and someplace to go. We've had a couple of things in place

1:10:45 but nowhere to go. And that's what we need here so that the families of Lane County don't need to leave the county to get services for their youth. My child was 10 when we started going down the mental health road. This service has been needed in my particular family for the last 30 years and we need it now and it would be a huge impact on the youth of our county to be able to access these services to be able to have a safe place to go and that's what's needed in this area.

1:11:33 Thank you. Thank you. Next two cards are Chris Bonf and uh Delicia. Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Chris Bonf. I'm the executive director of NAMI Oregon, the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Uh we're are an advocacy, education, and support organization with 17 chapters across the state, including a chapter here that's just a couple blocks away, Nami Lane County. We offer we're all people with

1:12:19 lived experience. And we offer education curriculum, support groups, and other community awareness events serve more than 15,000 Oregonians a year through our free programming. Um, I'm here just to explain a little bit about why a project like this is really important to those of us who live with mental health conditions or support loved ones. I'll start with what this isn't. This isn't an answer to everything. This doesn't solve homelessness. It doesn't solve support services afterwards. It doesn't solve housing, but it is an essential part of a continuum of care because what this project is is health care. Um, and I want to emphasize this term that this is healthcare because behavioral health conditions are very common. at any given time they impact 20% of the population. Um, everything from something very mild to something very serious. I dare say it's also higher in Oregon because

1:13:05 Oregon is one state for reasons unknown has a higher prevalence. Right? If this were any other healthc care condition, there would be no controversy over the type of care or the people being cared for or the families being supported. Uh, only because of still this lingering stigma we have. Even though things are better today, there sometimes seems to be some controversy over the type of healthcare being delivered. But this is just healthcare. Um, and what is being proposed is just like any other crisis response environment. The equivalent is an emergency room in a general hospital. That really what this is. This is a crisis response emergency room short of being able to really care for people with complex medical needs. But if my need really is about just behavioral

1:13:50 health, this is an environment that is built tailored for me, staffed just for me, staffed in a way that understands what the person and the family is going through. And then if I need a short-term stay, it has attached to it the same type of inpatient unit that you would find with a general hospital. The only difference is this is specifically built for someone like myself. And like any other crisis services, this will serve all walks of life. It will serve people who are homeless and on the street and are transported by law enforcement. And it'll serve people like me who you would not know lives a significant mental health disorder if I don't tell you that.

1:14:39 This really is no different than any other healthcare facility. And and again I just want to emphasize that the number of people impacted by this is just as great as many other health care conditions whether it's diabetes whether it's heart disease whether it's cancer and what we need in our community is more continuum of care that serves specifically this population and specifically serving Lane County so it does people do not have to leave the region to seek the care they need. Thank you. >> Thank you doctor. >> Good evening. I'm Delisa Mission Tubby and I'm the executive director at Volunteers and Medicine Clinic located at 2260 Marcola Road in Springfield and we've been in existence since February 1st, 2001. We started out in Eugene and

1:15:24 moved to Springfield in July of 2010. We're a free clinic to the low-income, underserved adult community in Lane County. and we are here to say that we support the annexation. Lane County needs a 24/7 crisis stabilization center because mental health crisis do not only happen during business hours. Too often, individuals experiencing emotional distress, substance use challenges, or psychiatric emergencies are left with only two options: the emergency room or jail. A crisis stabilization center would provide immediate, compassionate care at a safe environment where trained

1:16:09 professionals can access uh assess, stabilize, and connect patients to the right resources. It would reduce the burden on hospitals, law enforcement, and first responders while giving the individuals and the families hope, dignity, and access to the care they need at the moment they need it most. A community is stronger when help is available around the clock for those facing their darkest moments. And so we do support this annexation. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next two cards are Dr. Jonathan Wright and Dr. Sarah Coleman.

1:17:07 >> Good evening. Uh my name is Sarah Coleman. I'm an emergency medicine physician at uh Peace Health Riverbend. um one of the ER medical directors and uh vice chief of staff of Peace Health Riverbend. Um on behalf of the ER physicians uh at Peace Health uh want to speak in support of the plan to colllocate this facility. Um it would allow a streamlining of psychiatric services to our community and reduce the barriers to seeking help for mental health needs. We feel strongly that this is in the best interest of our community. The current model of checking into either ER is a far cry from what the care should be. It often leads to long crowded chaotic stays in the ER. Children and adults are currently colloccated in one of our hallways. We have people who are acutely in crisis mingled with people who have

1:17:52 been there for days and are needing further treatment as an inpatient. The environment can often be counterproductive to their care. These patients need and deserve a calming, healing environment. The ER is the opposite of this. Currently, our younger patients often spend days to weeks in a windowless room with just a mattress on the floor for safety. All of our psychiatric patients are dressed in paper scrubs. Um, they also oftentimes receive their care from a psychiatrist through a teleaalth program. Um, imagine trying to establish a therapeutic relationship by talking to someone on a TV monitor. And then imagine the fragmentation of care when the provider who has seen them in the ER is not the one to care for them as an inpatient.

1:18:37 And imagine as a family member, as has just been addressed, having their child admitted to a facility out of the area at a time when they need the most support. We are placing an extra burden on them. Our children and our families and our community deserve better. And I recognize that neighbors have concerns about locating this facility in the planned area. I know people have concerns about people in crisis and what happens when people are discharged from the facility after stabilization. We face these issues now at Riverbend. We are very adept at ensuring people are stable and safe for discharge. They are safe to be in the community before they leave. The same care we take in partnership with our crisis workers and our clinicians and our security services will be put in place at the new facility.

1:19:24 I believe the community and our patients will be better served in this mo under this model. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Jonathan Wright. I'm uh also an emergency physician and the medical director of our department over at Mackenzie Wamut. Um I was asked to give a little bit of insight on kind of how this plays out at our facility and and kind of just giving people a sense of the need. Um, currently we have um we have a what we call a psychold room and in that room it's it's just essentially four walls and a door. Um with a mattress sometimes and it's on the floor as she indicated. Um but what happens is you can have a you can have a an adolescent patient come in who is in a

1:20:11 in a pretty tough tough situation. Um severe depression, suicidal thoughts, severe anxiety. Um, and these patients will come in and we'll do a triage and then we will have them come to the room that we have available to help out with these situations. Um, and then they'll see a mental health specialist who will do an evaluation and then potentially see about having them admitted to u or transferred to another facility most likely as as you know Salem, Portland as we don't have anything readily available. And so you're taking these children um one they they're removed from anything familiar and then you then we end up having to transfer them somewhere else if there's a vet available. But if there is not a bed available the child simply remains in the emergency department for days and

1:20:56 weeks and they have what's called a we'll have a sitter who will watch them. Um this is not a mental health professional. This is just someone who can keep an eye on on on the kiddo. And so, um, the providers that take care of them in the emergency department, as shifts conclude and we transition over and nurses have their shifts end, the kids care turns from one person to the next who may or may not know much about the child. Of course, we review the record and we're familiar with the with the scenario, but we're also managing an emergency department. And so, there isn't a lot of dedicated care to that to that child. And so, for days, this can go on. Um, I'll say that just from my perspective, I when I heard, you know, there was, you might have heard a chorus when this was announced over in the emergency department of McKenzie OMIT

1:21:42 that we were like, yes, we need this and our patients need it in a major way. Um, that pretty much concludes what I have to add with my 50 seconds. You're welcome to ask any questions if you have them. Well, >> we're good. Thank you. Okay. >> Thank you so much. The next two cards are Christopher Rosa and Jason Harris. Good evening. I'm Chris Prosa. I'm the district attorney for Lane County. I'm not here tonight to lobby or advocate for a particular sighting of the Lane County Stabilization Center uh or the Peace Health Facility. I'm here

1:22:29 to to address Lane County's desperate need for such facilities. The mental health system for my chair in the state of Oregon is broken. The state's inability to respond to early manifestations of mental illness is causing these vulnerable citizens to become trapped in a cycle of going from the street to hospitals and jails only to repeat the cycle over again. Too few psychiatric beds across the state and weak legal mechanisms for commitment have resulted in the criminal justice system becoming the repository for the mentally ill in our communities. In 2025, 40% of the 4,155

1:23:15 cases my office prosecuted contain some mental health filing and the vast majority of those were aid and assist cases. Those deemed incompetent to stand trial, hundreds of cases a year, have their cases stayed while the state attempts to restore these individuals to competency via the state hospital or community restoration. And due to the artificial timelines for restoration within the system that are not tied to any therapeutic standards, most of those cases fail to see restoration actually occur. As a result, many cases are just simply dismissed and no further treatment is given to those individuals.

1:24:00 The tragedy is that many of these individuals did not need to be in the criminal justice system at all. Had there been uh a tool for early intervention, many of these folks uh would have received stabilizing services that would have allowed them to avoid their criminal behavior. However, untreated mental illness commonly results in antisocial behaviors like crime that mandate the state to respond. If our community had the kind of services that these facilities offer uh to provide less mentally ill people would be would spend time in our local jails. Police officers would have another resource to more appropriately

1:24:45 address mental illness uh for low-level criminal offenders. Prosecutors could decline charges in favor of utilizing direct services, the direct services of a stabilization center, thus reducing the burden that exists on our courts and impacts uh in the mentally ill individual's life. Early care reduces incarceration and pro and promotes overall wellness. Early breaks in the cycle from going from the street to hospitals and jails uh would prevent them from entering my system at all. So, I just in conclusion would simply just say that facilities like these are desperately needed here in Lane County. >> All right. Thank you.

1:25:34 >> Good evening, mayor, counselors, and members of the public. I'm Jason Harris. Lane Countyy's community economic development manager. I urge your approval of this annexation. This decision represents a defining milestone for Springfield. By approving this annexation, it facilitates the development of Lane County's $37 million stabilization center and Peace Health's Timber Springs Behavioral Health Hospital. These dual facility healthc care developments are a key tool to strengthen Springfield's medical district and diversify our economy. It supports the region's largest economic engine and employment base and it will I would like to highlight various additional aspects of economic importance. Obviously, the job creation is significant. We're looking at 270 direct health care

1:26:21 professionals commanding an average annual wage of 113,000 annually to be generated by these two facilities. The medical district in total from a supply chain traded sector standpoint can support additional 300 indirect jobs throughout Springfield's economy. And the operational spending of these projects will create a supply chain that will sustain 200 jobs throughout regional business pipelines. The immediate building stimulus of this development will create 400 intermediate construction jobs building the facilities. And the long-term permanent economic growth that these projects represent is 770 annual jobs annually of

1:27:06 support and/or direct creation as well as support the additional 150 million of gross domestic product produced out of this region through these healthcare facilities. Second highlight I'd like to highlight is the advanced economic opportunities that these projects produce. We heard earlier this evening about the transportation improvements that would be made through the uh this annexation in these developments. This is going to um create opportunities for the Royal Caribbean site creating the un unencumberance of that easement ultimately creating improved access to the opportunity site 68 acre opportunity site to the north. the significant property tax revenues. Um, and let me just hit the high notes

1:27:52 from those. City of Springfield will see 800,000 of an annual property tax increase through this projects. The Willm Lane Park and Rec District will see almost 200,000 annually and the school districts will see almost 750,000 annual revenue increase. Lastly, we all have heard of the Southern Wamment Innovation Corridor. the two universities and the research coming out of those spurring economic opportunity. Will the medical district that's emerging in the diversification of medical care that these facilities across the board in in addition to the existing will really advance Springfield's partnership and role in healthcare innovation with the university's

1:28:38 research as well as Western Medical School to the north fulfilling the needs that I've highlighted earlier for job uh and specialization. >> Nice. Thank you. The next two cards I have are Craig Spoorless and Cliff Herald, >> So, I'm Craig Sprouls. I'm the superintendent in the Bethl School District. And um most of you probably know, but Bethl um is located on the west side of Eugene. We have about 5,000

1:29:23 students. Springfield School District has about 8,500 or so. And uh 4J has about 14,500 students. Um when I was trained as an educator, I was a science teacher. I could teach the heck out of the three different types of volcanoes. Um I can still identify rocks pretty darn well. um that's what I was trained to do. As I have moved into administrative roles, I've found that the role of schools in today's society far outspans teaching uh the different types of rocks. The things that keep me up at night as a superintendent have less to do with teaching kids to read and more how are we going to create a network of support to hold our kids safe

1:30:08 when they're in our schools. We're seeing higher and higher levels of mental health issues in our schools every day and schools have responded. When I started as the superintendent two uh five years ago, we had two therapists uh for all of Bethl. We now have 10. We have a therapist in every single school. We have counselors in schools. We have social workers in schools. We provide safety screening to all of our students. Um, and those screenings have produced higher and higher levels of us being able to do upstream therapy for students who need it. The issue is so just like just this year as an example, we gave a safety screening to about 2,000 students. Um, I have to make sure I have my numbers right here. We had 167 of those 2,00 students um, report having

1:30:53 suicidal thoughts. 42 of those were identified as high risk. and high risk. That means that they have a means, they have a plan, and they have intent or they've already selfharmed. So that would be 42 of the students that we screened. 18 of those needed in inpatient treatment. Of the 18, four actually received those supports. And the reason why they didn't receive the supports were you heard a lot of people talking here. We had a student who um was expressing suicidal ideiation actually attempted about uh 7 weeks ago a middle school student 13 years old was placed in one of the rooms that was described here in the ED um was transferred transferred up to Portland was placed in a different room with a mattress alone in the room um by herself

1:31:38 for 13 days before she actually found a bed to be treated. The family didn't have the means to transport themselves up to be able to support her. So we rallied and got them gas cards. um and used our busing system to be able to drive them back and forth from the facility. What we're missing most is the tip of the spear um supports. The schools have done a lot to be able to start identifying, but when you identify a student that's truly in need, the schools can no longer meet that need. The behavioral health center that you're hearing about is one piece of a system of care that is essential. Without it, all the rest of it kind of falls apart. So, thank you for considering this. >> Thank you.

1:32:24 >> Good evening, mayor and counselors. My name is Cliff Herald. I spent uh over 30 years in law enforcement here in Lane County, including serving as your sheriff from 2019 through 2025. Uh today, I'm the regional security manager for Peace Health, and I'm here to voice my strong support for the annexation that will allow construction of the new psychiatric hospital and crisis stabilization center. Uh I've seen this need through my career in public safety. in my current work in healthcare and personally as someone who's watched friends and neighbors go through crisis without the right resources available to them. Those experiences stay with you and they make it clear that this project fills a critical gap in our community. From a security standpoint, Peace Health takes this work very seriously. Our security program is strong, professional, and built specifically for healthcare settings. Our teams are trained to manage crisis situations with

1:33:09 a focus on deescalation and safety for patients, staff, and the surrounding community. We don't do this work alone. We have formalus in place, but just as important as that is the strong day-to-day relationships we've built with our law enforcement partners. We host quarterly meetings with our public safety partners throughout the county. We meet monthly with Springfield police leadership. And again, more importantly, because of those relationships, we communicate really well in real time when situations arise. This level of coordination is simply how we operate. And it's not new. Uh, Peace Health has operated a behavioral health unit at the University District campus for years, building positive, lasting relationships with the University of Oregon, Bushnell University, Eugene police, and the surrounding neighbors. Last September, we invited neighbors from the Game Farm

1:33:54 and International Way to an evening meeting focused on building relationships and opening uh lines of communication. We partnered with Springfield police leadership and we had an Oregon State Police uh representative present as well. an opportunity to listen, share concerns, talk through safety expectations for the neighborhood. We see that as just the beginning. We're committed to continuing that dialogue as this project moves forward. I also want to let you know that since Peace Health acquired the parcel of uh property in question, our security team has been patrolling it multiple times a day at all hours of the day and night. That's an early demonstration of the kind of consistent presence and accountability that we're committed to long term. Over my career, I've seen firsthand the consequences of insufficient behavioral health resources

1:34:39 on individuals, families, and our public safety and health care systems. This project is a meaningful step towards addressing those gaps that are so critical. I appreciate your consideration. I respectfully ask for your support of the annexation. Thanks. >> Thank you. Uh the next two cards are Sergeant Winsky and for and uh Patty Purllo. >> Believe that person is uh virtual. >> Okay.

1:35:29 >> They're going to get they're going to get uh him set up and then we'll take you first. Good evening. Uh my name is Patty Pllo. I'm the executive director of Kids First, which is the uh child advocacy center for Lane County kids who have suffered uh physical or sexual abuse or witnessed violence. Prior to this role, I was the district attorney for Lane County for nine years and uh served as a prosecutor in Lane County for 34 and a half years. Uh, in my role at Kids First, I have witnessed what you've heard about today about kids who cannot get care. There are no beds for uh inpatient uh treatment for kids in Lane

1:36:16 County. There aren't any within uh 50 miles of here. And so when we have children who have suffered trauma, who are at risk for self harm and they end up in the emergency department like you've heard about tonight, they wait there until they uh can get find a bed. Uh the last one was up in Portland. And so this child who has already suffered trauma, has been a victim of crime and needs immediate crisis care because they have indicated a desire for self harm, goes to the emergency department and stays there until there's a bed available somewhere. And this community owes our children a much better uh hand

1:37:01 than that. It was almost 10 years ago that I had my first meeting when I was district attorney with a mom whose child was at the emergency department and had been there for weeks because we didn't have a place for that child to go. That is just cruel and uh I don't even need to talk about this any further. It is it is our community's obligation to take care of the kids in this community who have suffered so much and uh to give them an opportunity to health and to healing and to hope right here in their own community without having to wait in the emergency department and then being transported far away from family and support. So, I

1:37:47 too encourage you to uh support the annexation of this property and give our community a chance to do the right thing for these children. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sergeant Winsky, you should be able to unmute your microphone. >> Yes. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Excellent. Uh Mayor Van Gordon and members of the council, thank you for allowing me to speak. Uh my name is Jason Winsky and I'm coming to you uh all the way from Tucson, Arizona where I'm a sergeant at a local police department here. The reason I wanted to speak with you all tonight is because we are very lucky in Tucson and in Pimac County to have a well functioning crisis stabilization center and an impatient behavioral health hospital combined on

1:38:32 one campus almost identical to what's being uh contemplated in your area. um that crisis stabilization center here in Tucson is also operated by Connections Health Solutions. For the last 12 years, I have supervised a law enforcement diversion and deflection program dedicated to keeping people out of jail and connected to the treatment that they need. These stabilization centers make diversion and deflection programs possible by giving law enforcement a quick, safe, and effective drop off option for individuals experiencing crisis. Drop offs for law enforcement here in Tucson often take less than five minutes and that is the model that is coming to Springfield and Lane County. I've been very lucky to travel to your county and Springfield and interact with your amazing law

1:39:17 enforcement professionals that you have there multiple times. They are well trained and they are passionate about getting folks the care that they need. They will highly utilize a safe, effective, and compassionate crisis stabilization center. and this will help keep people out of the ER or even worse the jail. We aren't perfect here in Tucson, but we have taken a major step forward to get people experiencing crisis the critical care that they need. Like I mentioned before, I've had the opportunity to visit York County in Springfield several times, and I applaud your efforts to take this step forward. I encourage anyone really interested in this work and and this model to come see us in Tucson because it really does work. Uh but don't come in the summer. So, not not in the next few months. It'll be a little warm. Um, I'll come to

1:40:04 you for the summer and then you can come here in the winter. Thank you for the opportunity to speak and I I wish you all the the best of luck. >> Thank you, Sergeant. Next two cards I have are Chris Wig and don't you go ahead Chris? We may be online. Hello, my name is Dr. Adam Burch. Um I am a staff psychiatrist here uh in this

1:40:50 area with Peace Health. I'm also the medical director for inpatient mental health services uh here for Peace Health. Many many people have testified so far and I I think a lot of them have done so a lot more uh eloquently than I possibly could. But what I want you to think about, please, is how this is going to affect the community, and how it may affect your family's lives, your loved ones lives, your neighbors, the people you go to church with, the people you shop with, the people that work in the businesses here in Springfield and across Lane County. We want to serve those people. Even those who are opposed to this will

1:41:37 still be served by this. Everyone needs mental health treatment at some point in their life. I see an astounding mix of people come through suffering all kinds of things and what people have been saying about these kids having to be sent to Salem, Portland, etc. That's really just the tip of the iceberg because Peace Health, we're trying as best we can to keep our beds full, to get these patients out of the emergency rooms and into treatment, but often we're full. We need these extra beds because the population is just

1:42:22 going to keep increasing around here and the mental health issues are not going to go away. We need to be able to provide this treatment for our community. I moved my family to this area because it's such a wonderful place and we want to be able to do what we can both in my family and now in my professional family for our community. I appreciate your time and I urge you to vote in favor. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Mayor. I don't see Chris Wig in the room or online. >> Okay. Well, then we will keep going. Uh, Kimberly Harrington and then Casey Reed.

1:43:30 >> Hello. My name is Kimberly Harrington. I live at 668 Malard Avenue in Springfield, Oregon. I am native Oregonian has resided in Springfield for 27 years. I am in favor of the proposed county crisis stability, excuse me, stabilization center and peace health psychiatric psychiatric hospital. And that I am asking that the city council approve of the annexation of the vacant international way land in the city limits. Not only am I a witness to the need of the center psychiatric hospital for care of of many homeless population experiencing mental health illness, but I myself have lived with psychotic breaks that have needed support of the

1:44:15 overseen care of psychi psychiatrists and counselors. In October of 2010, I went missing for three days while leaving my husband in my home with a backpack telling him that I'm going to find the truth because you're all lying to me. I spent those three days walking from Springfield to Glenwood, spent two nights in Glenwood, came across a homeless camp, but eventually made it back home to my concerned husband and daughter. Thankfully, I accepted help from myself by agreeing to go to the hospital, and I was eventually seen by Dr. William Strek which told my husband that I was the most psychiatric person he had ever seen. However,

1:45:00 in my worst night my my worst nightmare came true 12 years later when my daughter began to show signs of paranoia and anxiety which a few days later turned into full-blown psychosis. My husband and I were able to get her admitted into the Johnson unit in Eugene. Three days later, she was transferred to from the Johnson unit to the Eugene Behavioral Health Unit. She spent nine days in treatment, receiving care from doctors, nurses, counselors, psychiatrists, and given medication and antiscychotic and eventually being released for continued care via telealth under the observation of psychiatrist. Things seemed well for two years until the fall of 2024 um

1:45:45 when my adult daughter suffered another psychotic break. In August the 20th during a telealth meeting during with her psychiatrist, he witnessed her experiences psychosis. He led he let my husband and I know that he was contacting the local police because she got physically violent with her father. Two sheriffs showed up at our home to talk with my daughter and to do an assessment of her mentally and physically. They talked to her in the room, her bedroom, and tried to convince her to speak, seek help since she was an adult. Later that night, we called Lane County Mobile Crisis Unit to assess her mental health and physical state. They asked her to please come with them and allow her father and I or allow her father and I to take her to Riverbend

1:46:30 Hospital for help. She refused. Anyways, thank you. I have a little more my story, but I appreciate your time. >> Thank you so much. >> Good evening everyone. It's looking like we're getting tired. I had to say that. Hi, my name is Dr. Casey Reid. I'm here um representing myself. I'm here from Springfield representing 1430B Street. I also happen to be a specialist in the behavioral health workforce and trying to prepare all 16 school districts worth of students across this county for potential careers in that field. So, I see this as an enormous opportunity um to help um help us address a lot of the

1:47:17 needs that everyone has been talking about tonight. Um, one of the things that um, I haven't heard anyone mention, suicide is the second leading cause of death here in Oregon for our youth. In Lane County, we have a 65% higher rate of suicide than the national average. I also happen to volunteer in my spare time um, for a major national um, digital crisis line. Um, and I'm going to tell you right now, we do not have the facilities that we need here in this county to support folks to get the help they need. um this project would go a long way towards meeting those needs. Not only that, when we the place I work, which I am not trying to represent tonight, um does surveys with students across our school districts across the

1:48:02 county, what we find is the number one thing that students tell us that they want mental health support. They want more mental health support. six 13 of our 16 school districts have mental health support in their school improvement plans. Um and with the recent layoffs, many of those schools are letting go of their counselors and their mental health staff first. So we are watching mental health infrastructure in many of our schools crumble um as we as we speak. In many parts of our county, we have zero behavioral health providers. zero for 10,000 people. We don't have people. We don't have places for folks to go. Um and places like this are going

1:48:47 to help go a long way towards meeting our needs. So, just very quickly before my time's up, um this is going to help us complete service delivery options for public safety, emergency services, as well as providers who are currently without options. Um Springfield, as I love to say, is a Springfieldian. um is quickly becoming a hub for these kinds of innovative approaches to improving the quality of life and wellness for our community members and by allowing annexation to proceed. I hear it. I get it. I don't like traffic either. Everyone has their concerns. A lot of them have to do with stigma. I could give you lots of research about that, too, but there's no time in 17 seconds. We as a community, I'd love to

1:49:33 see us. I have to go all over this community all the time. Springfield is the perfect place for this for everyone. We can really help with the health and well-being of our community in greater lane county. I am in favor of this. Please support this. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Um that is the last card in favor of this. I have no neutral cards for this. Um the two against um are Wix and Michael Tardi. My name is Ardell Wixs and I'm the chief financial officer for Richardson Sports located at 500 International Way in

1:50:19 Springfield. We currently employ 400 full-time employees at this location. Approximately 13 years ago, Richardson was looking for a place to relocate. We spoke at length with the city of Springfield about the campus industrial zone where we are now reside. There are many things that are allowed and many things that are not and we abide by those. Uh based on these zoning limitations, we invested in the area. We have currently to date invested well over $20 million into Springfield and have doubled our workforce. We believe in the city's zoning vision for this area of Springfield. We appreciate the city staff work and analysis on the

1:51:04 complexities with the proposed annexation development and needed uh infrastructure for this area. With the super sighting method being used for this development, this annexation vote takes on a very significant role uh to obtain the needed infrastructure and to ensure consistency with Springfield's master plan. Both Richardson Sports and I personally agree these buildings and services are needed in our community, but we feel this is the wrong site and not consistent with the approved zoning that has been previously approved. One of the questions we continue to ask is why is the county and Peace Health not using just 10 of the over 100 acres that are

1:51:49 currently vacant and owned by the hospital? Another question we have is that if this is such a good thing for the business neighborhood, why did the county and peace health feel the need to request the super sighting which takes away most of our ability to question the development and ensure that this development is beneficial for the neighborhood. Besides the other many questions and issues raised in our written comments, I want to point out an issue that I see with all of the transportation studies. None of these studies that I have reviewed to date take into account the current vacancies and the already approved projects in the neighborhood. If we are already concerned with traffic, what does traffic look like once the Royal Caribbean building is

1:52:36 occupied again? When the Haw building and Pacific Source buildings fill up again, the transportation studies also don't combine the traffic from the new temple or rehabilitation center that are already approved. Combined, all these significantly increase the current baseline traffic in the area, but no studies account for the combined increases in baseline traffic. For these reasons, we ask that you use your authority to vote no on this annex session request. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. >> Good evening, mayor, counselors. My name is Michael Gelardi. I'm Richards and Sports Legal Counsel and I'm also speaking on behalf of the Group this evening. There's two levels of issues here. The

1:53:21 first level is a threshold legal question as to whether this annexation can proceed at all given that the proposed use is inconsistent with the city's comprehensive plan and zoning rules. Now, the applicant's arguments are inconsistent on this point. On the one hand, they're saying you shouldn't you can't look at our proposed use because this is just an annexation proceeding. That's essentially what Mr. reader said tonight. On the other hand, in their application materials, they're saying we are exempt from the normal planning and development standards of the city because of this special use that we are planning. They can't have it both ways. The super sighting bill doesn't apply to annexation and the

1:54:07 city's normal annexation rules require the city to evaluate the planned use whether it's permitted in the zone and if so then whether there are adequate public facilities and services to to serve that use. So my primary message to you all is that you retain your normal authority to interpret and apply the city's rules and you should use that authority to maintain long-standing city policy for the campus industrial zone policy that the council affirmed just a year ago when we went through the haw proceeding that intensive medical uses would not be allowed in this zone. You can keep that same interpretation and you should because it's good policy. The

1:54:52 zoning rules are there for a reason and as Mr. Wix said, Peace Health owns ample undeveloped land just down the road by the hospital that is planned and zoned to accommodate this use. Now assuming for the sake of argument that you disagree with that and assuming that it would be lawful for you to adopt the applicant's interpretation which is very questionable. If you assuming all of that then you get to the second level of issues which is the technical standards for public facilities and services. The staff report does a very good job of explaining why the applicants haven't met those standards. and I will just tick through them quickly in the time that I have left. So, first of all, on

1:55:38 traffic, we agree with the staff's analysis in the staff report. We respectfully disagree on the solution. It is not enough for the applicants to just fund $300,000 for a study of potential traffic. The city's annexation rules require the needed facilities to actually be developed in a timely manner. Those are those beltline intersections. uh public safety, emergency services, they haven't developed a plan. They need to show a plan for that as as part of the criteria. And finally, on the roads, we request a contingenc continuence because we haven't seen the new evidence. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. That is the last card I have. Neil, do we have anybody else online?

1:56:24 >> No other hands online for this item. >> All right. Thank you. Uh the next question is does the staff have any needed response to anything that they've heard? >> Thank you. Um I think for brevity staff would prefer that a response can be provided at a subsequent meeting. Um, we've heard a lot of the testimony at the same time you have. And so, in order to prepare a response to respect all of the uh, testimony we've received tonight, uh, staff um, restates the recommendation to continue the public

1:57:10 hearing to the regular meeting on June 1st. >> And this would be a great time to ask any procedural questions before the um, applicant's rebuttal about continuing the hearing if you want to talk about that. Now, >> does anybody have uh procedural questions? >> Okay, >> I think we're good. I'm imagining after the applicant response, we may have procedural questions about what continuing the hearing means or um or we might have uh feedback on other things we'd want to hear more about. >> That sounds good. We can come back then. >> Thank you.

1:57:56 Good evening again, uh, Mayor Van Gordon, Council. Again, for the record, my name is Mike Reer. Just want to be very brief, uh, and respond to some of the testimony that you've received, uh, tonight and, uh, the testimony in opposition. We have addressed much if not all of that in our written material that you may or may not have had a chance to review. Um, but I do want to just touch on some high points. If there was no intended use and this was simply an application for an annexation of bare property, this annexation application could have taken, you know, between 15 and 20 minutes at the most. Property owners have the right to seek annexation regardless of the intended

1:58:42 use. Mr. Gelardi is entirely incorrect when he suggests that the comprehensive plan policies apply to this particular annexation. And we've we've briefed that including the transportation issues. It's simply not true. It's and we've provided um evidence and we've provided testimony, legal testimony. The only transportation engineering uh analysis that's been done and it's been done exhaustively is by Kelly Sandow. She's the only professional engineer that's provided that testimony uh for uh the testimony that's been received today. The opponents Richardson and Greb could have but did not hire a transportation engineer to try and poke

1:59:27 holes into our analysis. And I think that's telling. There's a saying that the name of the game of zoning is change. Well, we have crisises here in Oregon. One of which is housing. The housing crisis has been uh attempted to be addressed by this the state legislature and has in a sense supersited many requirements when it comes to needed housing. You have heard testimony tonight about the cris the mental health crisis that we have in this community and with the stigma that comes with that. It is necessary sometimes for the state legislature through the democratic process to intervene and the state legislature and the governor have

2:00:12 decided to do so. What does that mean for the city of Springfield? Well, there are many laws that supersede local laws. You have the Americans with Disability Act. You have the religious and land use institutionalized persons act which is meant to cut through the stigma that happens to occur in religious or uh other contexts. And that's what's going on here. Mr. Gelardi is incorrect when he says that we need to cor that before anything can be cited on this property, whether it's this the intended use that's been discussed tonight or any other use, that we have to fix that problem. That is simply not true. Annexation does not require what what is called the transportation planning rule. Should the Royal

2:00:58 Caribbean property seek a plan amendment zone change or or in the case of Peace Health when we sought the uh inpatient rehabilitation hospital plan amendment zone change that this uh that this council approved. We did have to go through a transportation planning rule analysis and we had to we had to prove that uh an annexation does not require it. We provided such an analysis and we did it in good faith and now it's being used against us and that cannot stand. We have great respect for the employers uh that are the opponents uh in in this case uh in in particular Mr. Ardell Wixs and uh his employer Richardson Sports. Uh they are a great asset to this community. However, that being said, we

2:01:45 have provided ample explanation for why the Riverbend campus cannot be used for this uh proposal. And I'll tell you I'll tell you one. First of all, it's not 100 acres. A great portion of that property is zoned medium is designated by your comprehensive plan as medium density residential. And I've already talked about the housing crisis. We need that land for uh medium-density residential. But the the property that is zoned for medical services that is extremely valuable and extremely important property that must be preserved for uses that require trauma level two care. It needs to be adjacent to these proposed uses do not need to be adjacent to a level two trauma center. That property peace has a a long-term plan for that.

2:02:33 And I was there 23 years ago when uh I I actually clerked for Joe Ley who was the long-term longtime city attorney for the city when there was opposition to the Riverbend campus itself. And that hospital should have had another floor. And if there wasn't opposition to that hospital, we would have had another floor. We would have had more space. But because of opposition, that short-sighted opposition, we have what we have now. And we're dealing with those consequences. And I would urge this this uh council not to repeat the mistakes of the past. In that case, Peace Health provided extensive transportation. The the transportation network that we have in that area is in large part because of the Riverbend

2:03:19 campus and this traffic studies that were done for the Riverbend campus at that time overestimated the amount of traffic that would be generated by the Riverbend campus. we still have not met the thresholds that were estimated uh over 20 years ago. So the the improvements that we have in that area, much of that has to do not only in kind, but also in cash and also dedication. And we're doing that again. Peace and Lane County are providing uh additional dedication for the city's transportation system. There are public uh the minimum level of public services. It's absurd to suggest that this property does not have adequate key urban level services. Again, it's it's sandwiched between sites that have already been developed.

2:04:07 Are you telling me that they there's not urban level services? There are cases where property that's inside the urban growth boundary but is not inside the city limits is far away from services. you, the city or someone else would have to connect the storm water or the wastewater or the water or the streets and that's when the city has an annexation agreement that says, "Okay, if we as a city are going to provide those services, you're going to compensate us for that." But that's not the case. The infrastructure that was already in place was already provided either through taxes or system development charges and the city acquires the reimbursement for those facilities that have been provided either by developers such as Peace Health or by taxpayers and rateayers

2:04:54 through system development charges. And I think that's important for us to understand. So I disagree vehemently with uh Mr. Gelard's legal conclusions. We've provided uh the Lane County uh county council has reviewed those arguments and has provided you with an explanation. There's actually a luba case almost directly on point. It's it's actually better than this situation. And we provided that LUBA case that says that when a city is looking at an annexation application in conjunction with a development application that the city can only look at the annexation criteria and cannot conflate the development. here. We don't even have a development. We just everyone knows that the intended use is for the stabilization and the behavioral health health hospital. To do what Mr. Gelardi

2:05:40 asks you to do would be to violate case law and the and the and the uh annexation criteria of your code. And uh I think at that we will leave it to um written material to uh to answer the other questions that were raised. Um, but if you have any questions, I'd be h happy to answer those at this time. >> All right. I'm before I open up for questions, we're going to get sidetracked on questions of transportation and annexation rules. I just want to spend time acknowledging the significant behavioral health challenge this community faces and appreciate the fact that we have so many uh providers in the room that are sharing information about the crisis that this is all about. And I don't want

2:06:26 that to get lost in what I'm sure is a million questions about the finer points of annexation law. Does anybody have questions? Okay. The one question that I had um was really trying to help me understand on one side you are saying I feel like you're saying that the annexation is only a question of can you serve the property and then on the other side you're talking in depth at the the breadth of the crisis and the services this will provide and the development and I'm trying to figure out how to weigh those two things in my head and before we let you go I wanted you to sort of feed into those that are I feel like you're telling me both things at the same time. Could you help help me

2:07:12 understand a little? >> Yeah, absolutely. That's a great question, mayor. Uh that's the tension that I've been doing this for about 23 years, and that is almost always the challenge that a land use attorney has when dealing with an issue, a a a proposed use that is controversial. the city has criteria and then there's the emotion for controversial uh uh projects such as the one that's intended and it's very difficult for volunteers such as yourselves, elected officials, planning commissions who are not paid to do this on a regular basis to separate the controversy from the law. And so what we did tonight was try and because there is so much opposition

2:07:57 and we have there's a lawsuit right now uh on this uh from the opponents that you heard from tonight because there is so much media publicity and others. We wanted to give you the context for why this is important to help you make the correct decision. But yes, again, if we came before you today and there was no intended use or the intended use was not controversial, there was no supersiding, there was no opposition, this would be very straightforward. It is actually a no-brainer. This property should be annexed and the city will benefit from the annexation whether it be for the intended use or for any other use whether that's a use in the CI zone or whether there was a plan amendment zone change. So yes, I understand the concern. I understand what Mr. Gelardi

2:08:42 is saying, but the fact of the matter is is sometimes projects get controversial even when it's annexation. >> And could you respond to this question about could we site it someplace else? And I think it's a two-part question in my mind. It does does peace peace health own land where this is an allowable use and zoned correctly today and is that a criteria for approval for annexation of this property? >> I'll start with Thank you, mayor. I'll start with the first the second question first and the answer is it's not a criterion for approval at all. Period. Full stop. The uh other answer for you for this the the the first question is is why not the peacealth property? Well, it is an allowed it would be an allowed use in the medical services zone or a commercial zone, but you don't you when

2:09:28 when you have a crisis, let's let's say you've got uh you've got a famine, okay, after World War II, uh you need you need seed potatoes, you don't eat the seed potatoes even when you're hungry, okay? That property that property surrounding the hospital is extremely important. That's the seed potatoes. You don't want to eat those. The Peace Health has a plan for taking care of this community in in partnership with their partners Mackenzie WMA and Lane County and others. But that's extremely important. It's a level two trauma center. You don't want to have a use that does not require the ambulatory services that you have there at the trauma center. It's just that that is very shortsighted.

2:10:13 >> All right, that is the the two questions I had. Does anybody else have any questions before we have our staff back up? All right. Thank you very much. >> Yeah, thank you. >> I heard staff back up. So, here happy to help. >> You have few have fewer steps than the city assistant city attorney. >> Sorry about that. I I forgot to bring my binder up last time, so I hope I don't have to open it. Hoping you'll go easy on us with questions. >> Well, um I think I'm open to hearing more. Like this seems like a lot of new testimony to us and giving uh the staff

2:11:00 a chance to respond seems appropriate to me. Um and that's just going to require I think require us to keep the hearing open to keep the conversation going. >> Yeah. Our recommendation is that you continue the hearing to June 1st and on June 1st essentially go through the same process that you went through tonight. You can choose to make rules to limit um folks who have already testified um and limit you know to sort of response to things that have been brought up or you can keep it open for any new testimony at that continued hearing. Um I think that's your your discretion. I mean by limit I mean time wise. We can you can put some time limits on things. Um, and you can ask for um, you can also, you know, just request that people not reiterate points

2:11:46 they've already made. Certainly, but um, I know Andy and I would like opportunity to review the written comments that were submitted in a flurry in the last minute. Um, and I'm sure that other participants in this process would appreciate that opportunity and then to provide additional either verbal or written testimony. >> Councelor Buck. All right. Um so Christina, my question is is for you on on this. Can you help me understand um how the city approaches uh approaches situations like this when we have two opposing councils kind of what feels to me and and I may be misinterpreting this apologies to both of you if I am. um kind of a different

2:12:31 presenting a different view of the legalities and the requirements. Um Mr. Reer saying on one hand um this is this is how he sees it and Mr. Darly is saying um something seemingly different. Where is the city's role in helping um helping us as counselors kind of navigate that? >> Yeah, that's a good question. So I view that my role as a assistant city attorney and particularly in land use issues um to analyze the legal um arguments that have been put forward and then make a recommendation to council on where I think the law is and where your flexibility is as a council um versus where the law binds you. There were there were um there was a reference made to a Luba case. I have not had the time to review that. Um so I imagine I will

2:13:17 get back to you with additional analysis on um the state of land use case law. Um certainly the recommendations in the staff report were based on legal analysis, but we will take into account the other arguments that have been submitted. >> Uh Council Weber, >> uh that was essentially my question, too. I've heard the comment no-brainer a couple of times tonight, and I don't agree with that sentiment. I think that we are hearing from two different attorneys with different views and it's going to be critical for me to understand what reality is.

2:14:09 I think the other open questions that I have when we come back um to this and I'll get to the procedural questions. Um under I know understanding what the what the blinding conceptual street map is is going to become very very important. I know that there's some conversation about where where the road would potentially go and there seemed like there was late breaking news in this department. Um getting feedback about what actually the binding portion of the agreement is and what our flexibility uh around that is would be really would be really important. The other question that I have is um is really to get some sort of response about how we think about the I guess the strategic traffic issue,

2:14:54 right? Because I'm all I'm always thinking about that belt line and gateway intersection and I don't know at what point that triggers any number of you know ongoing ongoing issues that we might have and helping me understand how to weigh those components um would be would be helpful. And then I think lastly um and this may be a multiple part sort of question is more information about um our analysis between the two uh legal councils about what the supersiding bill is actually telling us we have to do because I feel like we're sort of stuck between these two tensions. On one side, we have folks saying, you know, that don't consider it at all. And on the

2:15:39 other side, it it, you know, we we hear some folks saying, hey, you can't the the uh the compliant uses of that area, right, are overridden by the uh the superersiding bill or that they're not. And understanding how to weigh those two things would be extraordinarily helpful. You're asking for like a legal analysis of how does House Bill 2005 affect annexation in more detail than what's in the staff report now? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And I guess mainly a response to what we've seen from the applicant and um the legal counsel from Richardson's would be probably the more on point portion. And then I think the question that I have is

2:16:24 procedurally like the hearing's going to still stay open. How is there a way that we can sort of help focus the conversation a little bit so that we don't you're right like so we don't create a situation where we're all collectively responding to the latest thing um and and not taking in a bunch new of new information but kind of start narrowing some of these broader issues. >> Yeah. If you leave the if you continue the hearing, then I think all new evidence can come in um and new responses. Um you would have the you do have the option to close the hearing and leave open the written record, which puts us into a really structured system, but um I would prefer the opportunity for council to review the information

2:17:10 that's been submitted and then um ideally use June 1st to um ask questions. Um, I think that's one thing that can happen in a hearing that, you know, you don't have the opportunity to ask all of your questions of the applicant or of other members who have testified um, particularly those testifying in opposition if you're not um, or or even of staff if we're going to introduce new evidence um, in our responses. And so I I don't want to make you have to I don't want you to lose the opportunity to do that or have to notice a new hearing with um the cost and time associated with that. I think the um time here in terms of the city can you can the council can take as much time as you need. The um applicant generally

2:17:56 tends to be the one that wants a more efficient or um timely decision. And so in that regard, um, a lot of the new information I think comes typically will come from an applicant. So the incentive there is not to give the council a lot of new information, you know, right before the June 1st continued hearing if they want the council to be able to move on that night. Um but otherwise I think time is um time is not a fact like the council is not constrained to 120day review period like you are in other land use decisions. >> So given the complexity of this your recommendation is just a little bit more flexibility and let this thing play out. Okay. I think I'm fine with that.

2:18:41 >> June 1st does not represent a decision ultimatum or anything like that. So >> okay. >> Um you could further continue the hearing past June 1st. You could leave the record open after June 1st. you could close everything down and give direction to staff on, you know, final decision-m on that day. All of your options would be open at that time. >> Okay, great. Uh, any other comments? >> Yep. Go ahead. >> Um, I I just wanted to thank everyone for coming out. I know probably half the folks have left and it was a very long night, but um, just thank everyone for coming out. Um, all the folks who have sent things in and will continue to. And I just really want to thank our staff who have really, you know, I saw you show up with your big stack of papers there, Andy. So, um, thank you for the work on this and and the continued work

2:19:27 to help us move through this. So, I appreciation. >> Do you do you have enough direction? >> I think we do. >> Yes. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, the next hearing, the continuation of the hearing will be on June 1st. We do have one other item. Um, we are not going to take it personally if you take a minute and exit because it is after 9:00. So, we'll give you guys a minute to do that. But if you want to stay for the capital improvement plan, we're more than happy to have you. >> Mayor, can you just announce that hearing will be at 7 p.m.

2:20:12 >> Uh, the next meeting hearing is going to be continued to June 1st at 7 p.m. at a regular meeting. >> All right. Next item, please. Mayor, the next item is business from the audience. I do I do have one card. I I think she

2:20:58 left. Is Amanda still out there? Hey, can you >> Any business from the city council? >> I think we're good. Okay. Uh, business from the city manager. Item number one is ratification of the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission MWMC fiscal year 2026 2027 regional wastewater program budget and capital

2:21:43 improvements program. Matt Stoutder is here for this item. >> Good evening again, Mayor and Council. Matt Stouter, executive director of MWMC. Um, I'll try to be brief here. The uh the MWMC's IGA provides that uh the governing bodies of Springfield, Eugene, and Link County must ratify uh MWMC's regional wastewater budget and CIP. Uh actually before I get going, I meant to acknowledge Jeremy Clevery in the audience for one still being here and two um doing the lion share of the work this year of putting together our budget. Um it was a big lift. It always is a big lift and this is his first year doing it and he did a wonderful job uh with others. Okay. Um, so I'm here to ask you to ratify our fiscal year 2627 budget and CIP um abbreviated talking points so you can ask any questions you

2:22:29 want when I get done. Um, the MWMC board approved the regional budget April 10th at our um our public meeting and directed staff to send it out to the governing bodies. They held three work sessions prior to uh that adoption um and talked about uh the rates, the capital improvement program and our work planning goals. Uh the budget was developed assuming the 5.5% rate adjustment. Um and in accordance with MWMC's IGA which was updated recently, thank you um to all three agencies. Um Eugene provides for operations and maintenance with MWMC and Springfield does the administrative work. I think you know what the budget provides provides for. Um I'll just say

2:23:15 it's going to allow us to continue to operate and maintain our our infrastructure, serve over 275,000 folks in the area that we serve uh and continue to implement and meet our mandated regulatory investments. This year's budget uh is set the operating budget is set at $29.5 million. It's there's a the budget itself contains a 7.3% increase. And I wanted to note this has been uh one year of many uh where our actual um increases that we're experiencing have been higher than the rate adjustments that we proposed and it's starting to we're starting to experience some difficulty. Um I won't get into detail on that. Um however I I the conversation earlier I take that to heart and u we have been um

2:24:00 implementing what we feel is the the mo the least responsible rate adjustments that we can get by with um a little bit of detail. Um contractual services have been increasing our indirects have been increasing. Chemicals and utilities have been increasing. I think everybody's aware of that. Our revenues are on target. Uh our capital budget for the five for this next year is 42 million. Uh we have large projects that span multiple years. I'm happy to answer questions about those. I have some listed. I'll for the sake of time not speak to them. Uh and I'll note that uh the Eugene Council ratified this budget on May 11th. We're here tonight uh before you um and I am scheduled to be at the county board tomorrow um for

2:24:45 ratification before finally going back to our board June 12th for adoption. So, with that, I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have and request that Springfield um council ratify the fiscal year 2627 regional wastewater program budget and CIP. >> Are there any questions? >> I move to ratify the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission MWMC FY202627 regional wastewater program budget and capital improvement program CIP. >> Second, please. Yes. Councelor Weber. >> Yes. >> Councelor Mo. >> Yes. >> Councelor Rodley. >> Yes. >> Councelor Cuadros. >> Yes. >> Councelor Buck. >> Yes. >> And councelor Stout. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. I

2:25:32 did see Amanda come back into the room. Um. >> Do you still want have want to speak to the council? >> Okay. Come on. >> Could you state your name and address for the record? And then you'll have three minutes. Uh now here >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Up here. >> Amanda Walberg. I live at >> Take a seat. >> My name is Amanda Wberg. I live at >> Sorry. My name's Amanda Walberg. I live at 275 South Garden Way in Eugene, Oregon. Um so, but like I have to spend a lot of time in this town. Okay. And I sent you guys this email and what it shows is this footage is people locked up in containers at the water plant on D Street in Second. Um there's blood

2:26:18 coming out of a pipe and like I used luminal on it, okay? Like it's blood. Uh, and it's ironic that you hear, and I don't know if this is the exact same facility, and I don't want to be ignorant and assume that it is, but like it's just interesting that you're talking about expanding this kind of stuff when it's like, why isn't this place getting searched? Why isn't getting like taken apart? Like I mean I know there's like you know sometimes you just end up in a situation where you're in too deep and stuff like that but like the fact that nobody's speaking about this stuff and I have a whole government trying to suppress the truth that I'm telling. But I have video evidence of this and I'm happy to share it with

2:27:03 anyone that wants to see it. But like at this point it's like do you want to just like publicly like cosign like child trafficking? like maybe kids wouldn't be needing to go into mental hospitals if they felt safe here. And it's unfortunate that they left because uh I don't know if anyone here has ever been in Riverbend as a woman who's struggling with mental health issues or addiction or just like homelessness, but I've talked to women that have been there under those circumstances and they've reported getting raped. I don't want those people locking my kids up. That's all I have to say. >> Thank you. Thanks, Adam. >> Any other business from the city manager?

2:27:48 >> No further business. Thank you. >> Any business from the city attorney? >> No, thank you. >> All right. Thank you, everybody. Urgent.