Purpose and Responsibilities
The City of Bend and the Bend Neighborhood Districts work closely together to understand and address issues facing community members as Bend grows and changes.
Neighborhood Districts serve as partners to the City by giving valuable feedback on projects, programs, policies, and decisions made by City staff and City Council members. The City supports this partnership by formally recognizing Neighborhood Districts in the City Code and by providing yearly funding for district events and activities.
Neighborhood District Purpose
The Neighborhood District program is intended to:
- Encourage and build community and neighborhood understanding of City issues.
- Provide open, representative, informed, and effective communication between the City and community members, especially on issues related to City Council goals.
- Support meaningful and positive connections within neighborhoods and throughout the City.
Neighborhood District Responsibilities
To stay officially recognized in the City Code, Neighborhood Districts must meet these requirements:
Each Neighborhood District must hold a general meeting for all members once every twelve months. This meeting may take the form of a block party or a more formal event and often includes the following activities or elements:
- Updates or presentations on major issues in the neighborhood
- Announcements about committees, events, or projects
- Election of officers and other important positions
- Other important votes for the Neighborhood District
Many Neighborhood Districts also hold monthly board meetings for district leaders and guests. These meetings are not required by the City Code but are important for effective district operations.
Neighborhood Districts must complete a yearly survey to gather representative feedback on topics important to the neighborhood that relate to City Council goals or future goals.
The City of Bend provides a Survey Planet membership to each district to support this responsibility. Contact the Communications and Engagement Department to activate or ask about your membership.
Neighborhood Districts must have bylaws or other binding rules that:
- Require publicly announced and open meetings
- Explain election procedures for board members and officers
- Describe meeting procedures
- Require keeping minutes for open meetings
Members should be able to attend any meeting held by the board and have a way to access decisions and actions made by the board or membership.
Neighborhood District members must be informed about decisions involving proposed land use changes within district boundaries. Each Neighborhood District must choose an authorized representative and provide the City with that person’s contact information so notices can be sent under land use regulations.
Neighborhood Districts that want to remain formally recognized must submit a yearly report describing their activities and explaining how they used their funds. This report shows whether they are meeting City Code responsibilities.
Role in Neighborhood Public Meetings
People applying for zoning changes, conditional use permits, land subdivision, or other activities must give a presentation at a publicly announced meeting with the affected neighborhood. This meeting is called the Neighborhood Public Meeting.
Applicants must:
- Send notice to property owners within 500 feet of the project area
- Notify the Neighborhood District where the project is located
Presentations must include:
- A map of the affected area
- A visual description of the proposed project
- Expected impacts
- Efforts planned to reduce or address those impacts
Neighborhood Public Meetings help Neighborhood District members and property owners learn what they need to know to speak up for appropriate development. They also help Neighborhood District leaders organize responses and follow up at future meetings or public hearings.
Land Use Education
Neighborhood Districts help the community understand land use and land use planning in Bend. Community members often find land use difficult to understand, so Neighborhood District representatives have worked with the City to create helpful resources.