For More Information Contact:
Mark Oberle, project manager, 341-1851, or
Marty Douglass, 341-1879
Eugene Water & Electric Board

July 7, 2008

Advisory team to create new vision for EWEB riverfront

Members of a newly formed advisory group will meet for the first time on Thursday, July 10, to begin developing a master plan for the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s riverfront property.

The initial meeting of the Riverfront Master Plan Community Advisory Team will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Training Center of EWEB’s North Building, 500 E. Fourth Ave.

EWEB commissioners and the Eugene City Council appointed nine citizens to serve on the advisory group, which will develop a plan for the future revitalization of EWEB’s property along the Willamette River near downtown. The advisory team’s recommendations will be forwarded to the utility’s Board of Commissioners for approval. Commissioners will submit a final plan to the Eugene City Council for approval.

The advisory team is expected to meet twice a month for the next 12 to 18 months. A master plan consultant will be hired by EWEB to help develop a draft plan for the 27-acre riverfront property, based on the advisory group’s recommendations. All meetings are open to the public. The advisory group also will hold at least four open forums to gather public comments.

EWEB will be vacating approximately 12 to 14 acres of the site once its new Roosevelt Operations Center is completed in early 2011. A new operations building, vehicle shops, warehouse and storage yard will be built at Roosevelt Boulevard and Beltline Road. EWEB’s administrative staff and customer service employees will remain in the main headquarters building along the river.

The master plan is a formal land-use document that will guide how the vacated property along the river will be redeveloped. EWEB plans to sell most or all of the vacated property once the electric and water operations are relocated to the new Roosevelt facility. Proceeds from the riverfront property sale will be used to help pay for the new Roosevelt Operations Center.

The nine members of the Community Advisory Team are Desiree Moore, Gary Wildish, Tom Hoyt, Dean Pape, Dave Hauser, Mark Johnson, Pat Johnston, Mary Unruh and Anita Van Asperdt.