City of Bend considers homeless transitional campsite at Juniper Ridge

But spot would be temporary while longer-term issues tackled

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend City Council met Wednesday night to discuss some major issues facing the city's infrastructure, and one big focus is very familiar: How to ease the troubling, now dangerous issues of homeless campers on the city's Juniper Ridge property.

Threats can bring opportunities -- but after two incidents bring a railroad threat to shut down two railroad crossings, one after a major wildfire at Juniper Ridge, new moves are afoot.

Assistant City Manager Jon Skidmore talked with councilors during a work session about a motor home fire that sparked the 39-acre Juniper Ridge Fire that forced evacuations on Bend's north end.

That incident and an earlier one involving a van that got high-centered on a BNSF Railway crossing and was struck by a train (though the occupants were out and uninjured) prompted the railroad to complain to the city about lack of access management that could lead to the loss of BNSF's licenses for the crossings that provide access to the city-owned site, Skidmore said.

Months ago, the city ordered homeless campers to move off the property as a big sewer project began. But as often is the case, people with few options instead moved to the northern part of the parcel.

So now, with new issues to deal with, the city is exploring new ways to move the 100 or so homeless campers still on the Juniper Ridge property.

The proposed short-term plan is to create a temporary transitional campsite (RVs and tents) site on the south end of the property, east of the 18th Street Cooley Road intersection -- with on-site management --- and perhaps down the road, a new RV/trailer park and campground, to the north of that location.

As for BNSF's concerns, city staff will be meeting again with railroad officials on Oct. 29 to discuss ideas such as more signs around the crossings and the possibility of swinging, lockable gates, to prevent unauthorized access.

"But we can't lock the gate with 100 campers behind it," Skidmore said. "We need to move campers out of harm's way. We need to find a place they can legally sleep, without fear of citation. We don't have the amount of shelter beds that would offset the need."

City staff noted that two court rulings say cities can't just cite and remove people for sleeping outdoors, even on public land -- they must to assure there's adequate shelter place for them to go, within the city.

Councilors and staff discussed working alongside social service providers during this transitional period --- and creating a good place for the campers to move to, rather than an eviction process and all that signifies.

"We need to get services to the people living there, so they would have options to maybe take additional steps," Skidmore said. "Maybe that's access to some training, access to some jobs, or access to health care."

Other longer-term staff recommendations included creating a city-led task force in partnership with Deschutes County to address the critical housing shortage on a regional level.

They also aim to create a long term homelessness action plan as part of the 2021 council goal-setting.

With many devilish details to work out, councilors generally gave approval to work on making it happen.

"I'm delighted to see the city take more of a leadership role, and acknowledge we shouldn't do it by ourselves," said Councilor Bruce Abernethy.

But the most emotional moments of the night came during the visitors section, when most of the dozen or so who spoke (at another council meeting held remotely online) were sharply critical of police actions at or since an Oct. 3 incident at Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park. Several called for the firing or resignation of Police Chief Mike Krantz, some also calling on Mayor Sally Russell to step down.

At the end of the night, City Manager Eric King spoke about one target of criticism – a police news release this week that detailed 22 unnamed adults police recommended for likely riot or other charges to the Deschutes County district attorney. King said it was an effort at “transparency – no other motives. … That was truly the intent.”

On other topics, the council discussed downtown Bend's public restrooms, or rather lack thereof.

Feedback from local downtown businesses suggests that closures to existing public restrooms due to COVID-19 have created a major inconvenience.

Council did look at building entirely new facilities, but with that comes a hefty price tag.

City Business Advocate Ben Hemson said the focus is on reopening restrooms previously closed due to, among other things, COVID-19.

"Businesses already facing a large burden around cleaning and sanitation because of COVID-19 are now having shoppers come in and ask to use their restrooms," Hemson said. "So our goal was finding some solutions that would be fairly simple to implement and really wouldn't hit the budget." 

Hemson said after discussions with partner organizations, it makes more fiscal sense to reopen existing restrooms, rather than create new ones.

The Visit Bend Welcome Center at the corner of Lava Road and Oregon Avenue is the targeted location for restroom reopening.

On another downtown topic, councilors reviewed a proposal by Worthy Brewing for a pilot program to limit vehicles use of the Brooks Street Promenade, west of Wall Street, where businesses already have expanded with outdoor seating to meet social distancing requirements and add capacity

So far, the idea has received mixed reviews from businesses along Brooks Street.

The section between Oregon and Franklin avenues could be an open air space that is safer for walkers and bikers. The change could also give more flexibility to businesses for expanded seating.

The proposal suggests only authorized vehicles would be allowed between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Councilors agreed to explore the proposed pilot program this fall and talk with other businesses about their issues. If details can be ironed out, the closure could be tested next spring, to see how it works.