Bend Current, Newsletter for the Community, June 2023

Newport Avenue Corridor Now Open

The City of Bend opened the entire Newport Avenue corridor to all modes of travel on Friday, May 26.

Despite the uncertainty of COVID setbacks, staffing shortages and supply chain impacts, the roadway opened only one month behind the original schedule.

Below the road surface, this project provides the community with reliable stormwater, water and sewer infrastructure.

Above ground, this project improves continuous sidewalks throughout the corridor, safety improvements for people who walk, ride bikes and drive, and stormwater improvements to protect the Deschutes River.

Firework Safety

As we head into the summer months, we wanted to remind the community that fireworks are not allowed within Bend city limits.

This permanent prohibition on the sale and use of fireworks in Bend was created in 2021.

There is an exception for certain permitted public displays such as the annual show at Pilot Butte.  

Violations are subject to a maximum $750 fine and anyone whose fireworks causes property damage or injury could be subject to criminal or civil penalties. 

To report the use of personal fireworks in the City of Bend, please email fireworks@bendoregon.gov. 

Learn more by clicking the link here.

Own Your Zone

Flammable Vegetation

Wildfire is a real threat here in Central Oregon.

Our Code Enforcement team is asking for your help to prevent wildfire from occurring within city limits by using your property to create a defensible space! 

A defensible space is created by removing flammable vegetation from your property, including weeds, grass, vines, brush and low-hanging limbs or other vegetation. 

City code requires property owners to cut or remove all flammable or potentially flammable vegetation as close to the ground as is reasonably practical or by the application of an EPA-approved herbicide.

For more information on flammable vegetation, or to make a complaint or request an assessment, please visit bendoregon.gov/veg.

Noxious Weeds

Another way to prevent wildfires and own your zone is by removing noxious weeds.

Don’t let looks deceive: Just because they are pretty doesn’t mean they should stay in your backyard.   

They could be noxious weeds, which are non-native, aggressive plants brought to the U.S. accidentally or on purpose. 

Noxious weeds increase soil erosion, reduce habitat for wildlife, rob native plants of water, nutrients and light and are potentially toxic to humans and other animals.

Some examples include Orange Hawkweed, Dalmatian Toadflax, Spotted Knapweed, and others.  

For more information on how you can help prevent the spread of noxious weeds, visit bendoregon.gov/weeds.

City Council Updates

An Update from Mayor Kebler

Mayor Melanie Kebler gives an update on some of the work that the City Council accomplished this past month.

Watch the video here.

Timber Yards Development

Council approved amending the Bend Development Code to create the Timber Yards development.

The 32 acres development is at the former Kor Pine site south of Industrial Way and east of Bond Street (Between the box factory, Crux and the Old Mill District).

The proposed development will include:

• 1,600 housing units (250 of those are proposed to be intended affordable senior housing)
• 180 hotel rooms
• 70,000 sq feet of retail
• 120,000 square feet of office space
• 3.2 acres of park space

Click here to learn more about the development.

Affordable Housing Project Approved

Also in June, Council approved vacating a right-of-way and partitioning about 7 acres off of SW Simpson Avenue.

Kor and Housing Works plan to develop affordable housing just north of the OSU-Cascades campus, and those adjustments were critical for the project to move forward.

The property and the adjacent properties to the north were designated as an Opportunity Area in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan update.

It’s an opportunity to transform an industrial area into a vibrant, urban mixed-use district.

Click here to learn more about the project.

Budget Approval

At its June 21 meeting, the Bend City Council approved the City’s $1.3 billion, two-year budget.

In May, the Budget Committee, which is comprised of seven City Councilors and an equal number of community members, discussed and approved the proposed 2023-25 biennial budget in public meetings.

The budget reflects funding increases that are needed to keep operations at current service levels. Public safety, transportation and housing are consistent community priorities and there are a few revenue options that are in the City’s control that can help with those core service areas, including a fire levy, a possible transportation fee and permit fees in Community and Economic Development.

Learn more by clicking the link here.

Housing Profile: Mellissa Kamanya

Housing affordability and access in Bend is not just a job for Mellissa Kamanya, who works as one of the City’s Affordable Housing Coordinators, it’s her story.

Kamanya and her family moved to Bend in 2010 after losing their home during the great recession and over time, she began to feel the pressure of steadily increasing rent while the surrounding area became more unsafe.

“I will never forget feeling trapped with no affordable options to move to, and at the time we had no choice but to remain in substandard conditions. I am now grateful for those experiences and use them as a lens of dignity and motivation in my work,” Kamanya said.

After four years at Habitat for Humanity, Kamanya joined the City in January where she manages programs that award federal and City funds to community partners who build affordable housing and provide critical community services.

Part of Kamanya’s job is to monitor awarded funds to make sure they are used to support or develop affordable housing often ensured through a deed restriction, which requires a property to remain affordable based on Area Median Income for a set number of years.

The goal is to make sure their experiences inform the development of policies that address barriers to housing.

If you have a story about how you have faced discrimination or other barriers to having the kind of housing that works for your family, send it to housing@bendoregon.gov. If you have concerns about confidentiality in sharing your story, please let us know. 

Inside Bend: Public Works

This month on the Inside Bend podcast, we’re Celebrating Public Works with Utilities Program Manager Dan Denning, EIPD Engineering Associate Carrie Theus and Street Supervisor Paul Neiswonger.

For this episode of the ‘Inside Bend’ podcast we wanted to honor the great work that the public works department does for the community!

From designing and maintaining roadways to maintaining our water systems, the public works team is at the core of the services that are provided by the City and are the people that keep everything running. 

On this episode you’ll hear from three staff members who each play a vital role in our community.

You can listen at bendoregon.gov/inside-bend or on Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts or Spotify. 

Congratulations to the 2023 One Water Student Video Contest winners! 

Liam Schmitt from Bend High takes the highest honors as the Grand Prize winner and will work with Emmy award-winning producer Joe Dean at Central Oregon Daily to produce his video into a professional TV public service announcement. 

Olive Stout, also from Bend High, was the 9^th – 12^th Grade Division Winner, while John Cardwell, a homeschool student, won the 4^th – 8^th Grade Division Winner. 

The One Water Student Video Contest, sponsored by the City of Bend, BendFilm, and Central Oregon Daily, allowed students to submit a video on topics related to water quality, protection of the river, and water conservation. 

 This year the topic was “My Own Front Yard: It’s A Part of the Deschutes Watershed!” 

You can check out the winning videos at bendoregon.gov/cleanwaterworksKIDS.