Bend asks: Where do you want city to grow next?
The Bend City Council is inviting the public to comment on proposed next steps for implementing the Urban Growth Boundary plan.
City Councilor Bill Moseley said Thursday he hopes this will help the council figure out what exactly Bend residents want when it comes to growing the city.
“And we’ve got to make choices about which (areas) to expand first,” Moseley said. “So we’re really seeking input to say, where do you think that should be? There’s a lot of people that are in favor of the Bend Central District, there’s some people in favor of building more single-family homes on the periphery of the city, so we’re really looking for input on what people want.”
Senior planner Damian Syrnyk said asking for public input will help the councilors know what to do.
“I think the council wants to hear from folks, they want to get their impressions about the work. There’s quite a bit of material there, so I think they can take that into consideration before (April)18th,” Syrnyk said.
Moseley said continued rapid growth is causing problems in Bend, and it’s time that it be addressed.
“I hope we hear from people, while the Bend Central District are and the southeast are important areas to build, we really need to be making plans to build it all,” he said. “And if we don’t build it all, we’d better be prepared for skyrocketing housing prices. And those aren’t fun choices.”
Public input will be taken during the City Council’s regular business meeting at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. Written comments can also be submitted to Council@bendoregon.gov by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 13.
The decision to provide the opportunity for public comment arose from a March 21 work session presentation and discussion about the UGB plan’s implementation.
Feasibility studies assessed areas within Bend’s UGB that are most ready for development based on land-use characteristics, property tax and system development charge revenues, infrastructure capacity and costs, and input from taxing districts and city departments. The full analysis is here.
The City Council requested an opportunity for public comment on the proposed UGB implementation prior to giving direction on how to proceed. Councilors are expected to provide direction on UGB implementation during their Wednesday, April 18 regular business meeting.
In November 2016, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development approved the UGB plan for the city of Bend. The plan is a blend of infill and expansion. The expansion added 2,380 acres of land for housing and employment to the city’s UGB. Changes will arise gradually inside the current boundary and in the expansion areas.
