City of Bend to clear road near St. Charles of parked vehicles, structures

Mary Rose Place was cleared a few weeks ago when a camp trailer was demolished

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- While some streets in Bend have been cleared of campers over the months, residents are noticing vehicles parked long-term in other areas of town, including Mary Rose Place near St. Charles and other medical offices. 

One of those vehicles belongs to Josh Lemmons and his wife, who are traveling the country in their renovated school bus and have spent the past two months in Bend.

“We just wanted something different,” Lemmons said Tuesday.

He said he saw other vehicles parked there and figured they would be okay to stay.

“I actually haven’t had any problems since we got to Bend,” Lemmons said. “Nope, no one has said anything to us, besides people saying they like the bus -- they stop and talk for a little bit.”

While Lemmons follows city code, which requires a parked vehicle be moved every three days, some of the people with vehicles there may have other issues.

“They seem to be pretty bad druggies, '' Lemmons said. “And to be honest, I think this guy sells it.”

A few weeks ago, the City of Bend Streets Department did a clean-up of a demolished camp trailer on Mary Rose Place. 

Code enforcement provided a notice of clean-up last week, which could take place any day now. 

Lemmons said Bend's been one of the friendliest towns he’s stayed in.

“Everywhere else -- we’ve been to like 30 states, and stayed in 25 of them, and this is the one I haven’t had cops called on me, I haven’t had people complain saying they were going to call the cops,” Lemmons said.

While it may not be about him, Bend police said they've gotten at least 20 complaints in that area in the past month.

The City of Bend is just waiting on a contractor to start the cleanup.