Bend Current, Newsletter for the Community, October 2024

(Photo credit: Doug Hauck 2024)

In this issue of the Bend Current, we’re moving straight from fall into winter. You’ll learn about how the City of Bend prioritizes which streets to plow first when winter weather (aka snow!) arrives, what your role is in terms of preparing for the upcoming season, an update to the City’s camping code and much more.

Finally, with a mere five days to go before the election, please remember to vote! If you’re a procrastinator and really like deadlines, Nov. 5 is your final opportunity according to the Secretary of State – either drop your ballot at one of the local ballot drop boxes or have it postmarked by that date. Check out this Frequently Asked Questions for more election related information. And remember: this election season, every vote matters. Everyone’s vote contributes to the collective decision-making process, shaping the future of our democracy. Let’s show how democracy works in Bend with civility and respect.

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Accessible and Effective City Government

Where Do Your Property Taxes Go?

If you’re a property owner in Deschutes County, you’ve probably received your property tax statement by now.

About 26% of your property tax bill goes to the City of Bend, the rest goes to other organizations like Bend-La Pine Schools, Deschutes County, Bend Park and Recreation District, Central Oregon Community College and others.

As a property owner in Bend, you pay taxes which are used by the City to provide all the core services you need to live your life, like streets, public safety, community projects and more.

If you’d like to learn more about the City of Bend budget head to bendoregon.gov/budget.

Sponsorship Program: One Way the City Supports Community Organizations

Every budget cycle, the City of Bend sets aside an amount of discretionary funds to support local, community organizations. Those funds are distributed through the sponsorship program, which intends to foster community engagement, promote inclusivity, and support events that enrich the cultural and social fabric of Bend.

If you want to learn more about the program and who is eligible to apply, check out this webpage. If you’re interested in how the funds have been distributed, the 2023-24 report contains a list of funded organizations and projects.

The Sponsorship Program conducts a bi-annual review of applications to ensure equal opportunity for organizations to access available funds throughout the fiscal year (July-June).

The next deadline to apply is March 31, 2025 (for consideration for an award in April 2025).

Questions about the program? Contact sponsorships@bendoregon.gov.

City Council Updates Camping Code

Updates to the City of Bend’s camping code were finalized in October; the changes align regulations for tent camping and vehicle camping. The camping code was initially adopted in 2022, and the application of the code has led to a decrease in larger, long-term camps in the City. The code updates make the camping regulations regarding tent and vehicle camping more consistent.

You can read the ordinance that specifies changes to the code here. Some of the changes include:

• Limiting vehicle camping to 24 hours in one location and after 24 hours in one location, a vehicle can be given a 72-hour notice of removal. The 72-hour notice is required by state law.

• Prohibiting tent and vehicle camping near residential dwellings.

• Apply a density limit of three camps per block to any combination of vehicles and tents.

• More clearly include vehicles within the definition of a camp.

• Implement a movement requirement of 1,500 feet for vehicles, used for camping after they have been in the same location for 24 hours. The movement requirement of at least one block or 600 feet for tents will remain unchanged.

According to the 2024 Point in Time Count, the City of Bend has seen a 5% decrease in individuals experiencing houselessness since January 2023 with the 523 shelter beds, 20 units at Central Oregon Village and 16 safe parking spots in Bend. This is all possible because of a coordinated regional effort with the Coordinated Houselessness Response Office, legislative efforts and partnerships with service providers.

Public Safety

Find Out Where and How Bend Fire & Rescue Serves Our Community

You probably see Bend Fire & Rescue when you’re out and about (they’re hard to miss), but do you ever wonder just how busy they are or what the firefighters are doing?

Check out the new data hub, launched this month! It includes information on call volume, fire incidents by cause and much more. The information available goes all the way back to the year 2000.

Check out the incident map or incident dashboard (desktop and mobile versions are available) and learn more about the area that Bend Fire & Rescue serves. Sidenote: did you know that Bend Fire & Rescue is the largest fire department in Oregon east of the Cascade Mountains? They’re also the primary ambulance service to over 1,450 square miles – stretching all the way out to Mt. Bachelor and deep into land east of Bend, towards Burns.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Are You Prepared for Snow Day(s)?

Believe it or not, winter is right around the corner! Occasionally, Bend hearkens back to the film “Snow Day” and we see some true winter weather. The City itself sits at 3,623 feet of elevation and averages more than 20 inches of snow in a winter. Storms can vary from a couple of inches to more than a foot. The severity of snow and road conditions also can vary depending on which part of town you live in (hello, microclimates!).

We want you to be set up for a successful snow day (or days), and it is very important to be prepared. Get the resources and supplies you need on hand before you’re snowed in. It’s never too soon to make some phone lists, find your snow tires and buy snow shovels and roof rakes. Here are a few other quick tips to be aware of:

• Sidewalks: If you’re a property owner, did you know that it’s your responsibility to shovel the sidewalks that border your property? People rely on clear sidewalks to get to and from work, school or bus stops. Check out these guidelines to learn more about sidewalk snow and ice removal: bendoregon.gov/departments/community-development/code-enforcement/sidewalk-snow-and-ice-removal.

• Snow driving: It’s a learned skill! Do you have the experience and the equipment that you need to drive in Bend in the winter months? The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) offers these helpful tips: oregon.gov/odot/pages/winter-driving.aspx

• Traction tires: Many drivers elect to use traction tires to move around Bend through the snowy months. You can learn more at ODOT’s traction tires page: tripcheck.com/Pages/Traction-Tires

More tips for preparing and protecting your home can be found at bendoregon.gov/winter.

Snow on Your Street? Learn How the City Prioritizes in Winter Weather

We are set up for the average winter, but the occasional extreme storms can be challenging. If this next sentence sounds like a math problem, we apologize: the City of Bend maintains about 936 lane miles with two daily work shifts, 18 snowplow operators per shift and 30 pieces of equipment. While crews are constantly working during winter weather events, we cannot address every road at the same time.

We prioritize plowing and sanding on the highest-use streets that accommodate the most drivers, major employment areas, schools and transit routes. This map helps you understand how we prioritize which routes to plow first.

• Priority One: Main arterials (165 lane miles), focusing on routes to the Hospital, transit routes, employment centers, government facilities, and schools (if class is in session).

• Priority Two: Typically main collectors (80 lane miles) connecting to the arterials, including business centers, medical facilities, safe routes to school, transit routes, connecting neighborhoods, etc.

• Priority Three/Final Priority: Residential streets (691 lane miles)

During a big snowstorm, City officials will consider whether to call contractors to help the City crews. That decision is based on a variety of factors, including the weather forecast. Contractors are typically used to help us clear local, residential roads.

Bend has microclimates, or different weather patterns depending on geographic locations, and storms can impact parts of town differently. In ongoing heavy snowfall, multiple passes of the high-priority routes can be necessary before moving to lower priority routes, to try to keep the street network system open for emergency services.

Join Us to Talk about “People Streets” in Bend

When you think of a street designed for people, what do you envision? What makes a street more welcoming to people?

The City of Bend wants your help defining exactly that at our upcoming Planning for People Streets open house.

When: November 15, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Where: Commons Café & Taproom (875 NW Brooks St.)

Learn about best practices for “people streets” and “low-car districts” to understand possible street types, design considerations, as well as supportive policies and programs to allow for more vibrant, people-centered streets in Bend.

Your input will help us define terms like “people street” and “low-car district” to meet new state land use and transportation rules, which will guide future development of our town.

This discussion will help inform our Juniper Park to Drake Park Case Study. This study will explore ways to connect key destinations with people-oriented streets as an addition to the planned Hawthorne Pedestrian & Bicycle Overcrossing.

If you miss the in-person open house, an online open house will follow after its conclusion.

Affordable Housing & Sustainable Development

Where Will Bend Grow its Urban Growth Boundary? You’re Invited to Provide Input!

You’re invited to provide feedback about two potential site options for a one-time Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion. The two sites under consideration are: Jasper Ridge, located near the east side of town, and Caldera Ranch, located near the southeast part of town.

This online open house will provide high-level details about the two site proposals including the proposed types of housing, areas for commercial and open space and parks. This open house, which includes a survey to offer feedback, is only online and will be available through Dec. 4, 2024 at 5 p.m. The open house feedback will be shared with City Council prior to their final decision regarding the one-time UGB expansion.

Only one site may be selected.

If you’re interested, here’s a little background on the process and reason behind the one-time UGB expansion: In 2024, the state legislature passed a bill, known as Senate Bill 1537, that provides qualifying local governments a one-time option to add up to 100 acres of net residential land to their urban growth boundary. Using this bill, cities can go through a streamlined UGB expansion process to build affordable and market-rate housing.

Any land added to the city through this process would require a minimum of 30% of housing units to be affordable. Affordable in this context is based on a household of four making 80% of the area median income (AMI), approximately $83,750 annually, if they are renting or 130% of the AMI, approximately $136,110 annually, if they are buying a home.

In addition to the open house, community members can provide feedback via email to Michelle Patrick at mpatrick@bendoregon.gov or in person at the Dec. 4 Bend City Council meeting.

More information on the bill requirements and general background can be found here on the City’s website.

Environment & Climate

Action Taken to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

One of the City Council’s main goal areas focuses on the Environment and Climate, and the Community Climate Action Plan sets out a roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most recent actions took place at the Oct. 2 City Council meeting, when Council adopted a resolution to make its buildings more energy efficient. Sidenote here, before we share more about the resolution itself: please look out for a community survey that will be posted on the Community Climate Action Plan webpage in early November. We’d love your feedback as we update the plan (created back in 2019) to identify new actions for emissions reductions.

You can read the full resolution here, but the action items are included below:

• Excluding the use of fossil fuels in the operation of all newly constructed or substantially altered City-owned buildings.
• All newly constructed buildings will accommodate the Green Energy Technology program.
• All newly constructed buildings must be ready for the installation of additional solar panels, EV chargers, or other green technologies where applicable
• Retrofit existing buildings to eliminate fossil fuel-based equipment when its ready to be replaced.

Here’s one data point from the Resolution that helps situate the why behind the City’s efforts: Limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5°C is still achievable, but only if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced immediately, rapidly and on a large scale. Emissions need to be reduced by at least 43% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, and at least 60% by 2035 (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2023).

If you want to learn more about the City’s Environment and Climate goals head to bendoregon.gov/sustainability.

Future Closures

City Offices Closed November 11 in Observance of Veterans Day

City Offices will be closed Monday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day; as always, your public safety will be serving Bend around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We want to say thank you to the Veterans and pay respect to those who have served in the armed forces.

City Offices Closed November 28-29 in Observance of Thanksgiving

City Offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 24 and Friday, Nov. 25 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Your public safety will be serving Bend around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The holiday represents so many different things to different people and may represent something different to indigenous populations. We welcome everyone to learn more about indigenous people and explore the complicated history of Thanksgiving. We recognize the larger complexities and welcome all to observe this time genuinely and authentically.

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