Eugene City Council to hold special meeting on natural gas ban

EUGENE, Ore -- City Councilors will decide on Monday whether to put the issue of natural gas in new developments to a public vote.

If they choose to put it on the ballot, then it would be up to voters to decide in May whether to allow new homes to be either fully electric or have the option to continue to use natural gas. However, if the Council votes no, they will be able to decide on the matter themselves.

Home builders would be one of the groups that would be directly affected by the decision.

Dane Butler has been vocal in opposing this measure. One of the major complaints is the ordinance would limit people's ability to decide what's best for their home from an energy perspective.

Butler said, "I think as a community, when you feel like you may be being pushed into a situation or an outcome it doesn't feel like a solution."

Home builders feel the community should have a greater voice. Butler said it would be ideal if the Council decided to hold a public vote on the matter.

"And so, we've been vocalizing from the very beginning that the community has solutions to this. And that the community should be heard and if it were up to a public vote that would be our choice." Butler said. 

Butler also believes a compromise can be found on this issue.

"In new construction, hybrid models are amazing energy source," he said. "It gives you options when needed, and so some type of hybrid model. Actually hybrid homes are very common and we believe that's probably the solution going forward."

Come Monday, February 6, the special meeting by the Eugene City Council won't be an open forum. In the past the council has reached out and heard debates regarding this matter from members of the community.

It's a little different this time around. The city is encouraging people to be vocal about this issue and they want to get as much public input as possible before the vote on Monday.