Bend considers code change to trim downtown street closures for events

Only 48 hours a month, amid merchants' concern over business impacts

BEND, Ore ( KTVZ) -- The city of Bend and the Downtown Bend Business Association are considering a revision in city codes to reduce the number of days downtown streets are closed during city-permitted special events.

The Bend City Council Stewardship Subcommittee met Tuesday to discuss proposed event caps through a new section of city code:

Here's the current Downtown Event Caps:
- Bend Code Chapter 7.40.010B: “No more than three special events per month requiring a street closure are allowed in the district during July and August. No more than two events per month requiring a street closure are allowed at any other time.”
- The Downtown Bend Business Association requested a change to: “A special event requiring a street closure in the district will be allowed to close the street for a maximum of 2 days (48 hours) per month, including pre-event set up and post-event clean up. At no time during the year will the downtown district have street closures for more than 2 consecutive days.”

Mindy Aisling, executive director of the DBBA, shared with NewsChannel 21 the significance of these potential changes.

"Right now, there won't be any code changes," Aisling said. "I think it is really important that this inspired a conversation, community-wide, about how do we feel about events as a community, and what are we going to do to make sure they feel they have a place in our community as our city grows.

"Downtown Bend isn't going to be the perfect host for them as traffic increases -- you know, the growth of a city, so I think this is a really great start for that conversation."

The city is partnering with event promoter Lay It Out Events on a 14-point plan to help regulate closures and manage congestion, while still maintaining an inclusiveness to allow other business to host events in the area.

Aaron Switzer of Lay It Out Events said this will bring more balance to the area.

"I think it's really going to be a question of the type of events that can come into downtown," Switzer said. "I think that right now, there are currently a lot of parades that happen downtown, races, festivals. And what this does is address that balance, like what is it that the downtown and the community want for their array or menu of events in the community."

The council's Stewardship Subcommittee will meet again this upcoming fall to discuss the potential code.