UGB public forum wrap up

A public forum hosted by the League of Women Voters at the Deschutes Public Library downtown on Oct. 15 featured a conversation about the city’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) plan. City planners, Bend Mayor Jim Clinton and private land-use and government-watchdog attorneys discussed the process and answered questions for the public.

The City is following legal requirements to develop a framework for how the city will grow. It will include plans for land use, sewer, water and transportation infrastructure. The UGB plan considers population growth expectations and economic development needs.

The city planners on the panel overviewed the history of the project and outlined how it will proceed. The process will include a community outreach and engagement component to allow interested parties to influence some aspects of the plan.

The discussion outlined differences between community groups who favor more expansion of the city’s urban grown boundary and those who prefer to limit its expansion. Topics included economic development, conservation and costs of living.

The panelists appeared to agree that this is more than a technical planning exercise; it’s the process of shaping the city.