Bend councilors OK ‘greenways,’ won’t hear apts. appeal

On a long, busy Wednesday night for the Bend City Council, they approved the first two ” neighborhood greenways ” on less-busy streets, talked tiny homes and snow removal efforts and declined to hear an appeal on a recently approved, controversial 179-unit apartment complex on the city’s Westside.

The council also adopted their goals for the next biennium, as outlined in this city news release:

Bend city councilors on Wednesday approved an aggressive package of two-year goals for the city. The 2019-21 goals stay focused on core services provided by the city while addressing emerging issues such as mental health needs and wildfire resiliency. And, reflecting the community’s feedback from a recent statistically valid survey, the goals place a heavy value on transportation and affordable housing.

The Council Goals 2019-21 fall into four general categories:

· Economic Vitality: Housing, Jobs, Managing Growth

Strategies in this goal seek to increase opportunities for additional housing and housing types, affordable housing and employment lands through public-private partnerships.

· Transportation & Infrastructure

Strategies aim to maximize access and mobility for all users through a community-accepted funding plan. This requires an investment in transportation projects, including: Neff Road/Purcell Boulevard intersection, Reed Market Road/Bond Street roundabout, Highway 20/Greenwood Avenue sidewalks, Newport Avenue from College Way to 9 th Street, Simpson Avenue/Columbia Street intersection, Butler Market Road/Wells Acres Road roundabout and other improvements.

· Public Health & Safety

Strategies aim to preserve current service levels and response times, address crime, add more support for mental health issues and homelessness and build wildfire resilience.

· Effective & Efficient City Operations

Strategies run the gamut from facility planning to managing data systems better to updating the City’s charter. Work will also include developing an equity, diversity and inclusion program.

In their deliberations Wednesday, Council added one action item: to develop a balance sheet that shows a financial snapshot of the City’s long term liabilities and financial commitments.

City Council goals influence how discretional funds are used in the upcoming, two-year budget planning process. The city anticipates requiring up to $5.6 million in additional revenue to implement this biennial work plan. The council anticipates raising additional money primarily by raising franchise fees and increasing transportation system development charges.

—

Here are some of the other major topics of the night:

Tiny homes: At a work session, councilors made no firm decisions, but a council subcommittee will look over the questions that need answering on both such homes built on foundations and whether and where to allow the ones on wheels or movable. Affordability is key — Councilor Barb Campbell marveled at the ones on a TV series that can cost $80,000 — and the city’s Affordable Housing Committee and Planning Commission are expected to play roles, once a direction is decided upon.

Snow removal: David Abbas, streets and operations manager, gave a presentation but added some new info, such as a total cost for the contractors brought in during ” snowmageddon ” at $316,000. He said that brought 18 more pieces of equipment into the fight, for a price that wouldn’t pay for one grader. Resources were stretched throughout the region, and city crews put in 942 hours of overtime over the two-week period.

There were close to 1,000 calls for service — many, as you’d imagine, from people who said their roads weren’t plowed. Abbas said at least some were plowed but of course had more heavy snow within hours. ” We did hear some thank yous, ” he said, adding, ” This one was challenging all the way around. ” There are proposals to add more equipment and public outreach, and turn a GPS pilot project into one where people could see online just where the plows are and if they are coming their way, plus staffing an emergency operations center for coordination of all the involved government and other entities.

The city also is looking to try ” snow gates ” on the side of plows, to prevent some of those driveway berms. Abbas also mentioned the possibility of buying a large snowblower, to assist in efforts to move snow off the streets entirely and take it to a disposal spot.

Apartment appeals: The city hearings officer recently approved the 170-unit apartments fought by many residents on nearly three acres next to The Pavilion and west of the Deschutes River, though he denied a height variance sought by developers. City staff recommended councilors not hear appeals of the project, since it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion one or both sides will appeal the city’s decision to the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

Councilor Bill Moseley was the one no vote on a 5-1 decision to decline review of the appeal (Chris Piper was absent). ” I think there are laws to interpret and to hear, ” he said, noting its significance to the community and impact on nearby streets. But most sided with Councilor Barb Campbell, who noted the city did elevate the process from a staff decision to the hearings officer, who held two packed hearings where residents voiced their concerns. ” For myself, I feel comfortable moving it to a body that is more expert at details, ” she said.

Neighborhood greenways: The council voted unanimously to drop the speed limits to 20 mph for the new neighborhood greenways and to approve a $256,315 contract with Big Schatz Construction for the first two such projects, on Northeast Sixth and Northwest 15th streets, due to begin next month. The ” side streets, ” as some might call them, will get improvements to make them even more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly, such as pavement markings, speed ” humps ” and traffic circles.

Greenwood partial closure, sidewalks, e-scooters pilot: City Manager Eric King brought up three transportation matters to close the meeting. Next month, a BNSF Railway railroad ties replacement project will close westbound Greenwood Avenue under the railroad crossing leading east from downtown for several weeks; traffic will shift to the eastbound lanes. ODOT also has plans in the works for some ADA-related sidewalk improvements in the area of Third Street (Highway 20) and Empire Avenue.

King also got nods of approval from councilors for the city to seek proposals for a pilot e-scooter program in the summer, a transportation option that has sparked debate in many other cities around the West. ” They can be fairly disruptive, if we don’t get ahead of it, put in some parameters, ” King said, to which Mayor Sally Russell said that if ” this is the future, let’s find out if it works for Bend. ” King also made clear that Oregon law prohibits them from buzzing along on sidewalks.