Climate Friendly Areas

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Image of people sitting outside of a wine bar located on the ground floor of a multiple unit residential building.

A Climate Friendly Area is a place where people can live, work and meet most of their daily needs without having to drive a car. Designing neighborhoods like this helps lower carbon emissions.

Climate Friendly Areas (CFAs) are part of Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rules from the State of Oregon. CFAs will be walkable areas that provide jobs, housing and features such as parks and schools.

The rules require cities over 50,000 people to update their land use and transportation plans and codes. Adopting these changes supports several Bend City Council goals, policies and plans.

The Climate Friendly Areas Study Report and Appendices are available for review in the following links:

The report and appendices were presented to City Council on December 20, 2023. They were submitted to the State of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development on December 21, 2023, for approval.

Do you have questions or want more information? Contact Elyse Vukelich via email at evukelich@bendoregon.gov or by phone at 541-693-2138 or Jennifer Knapp via email at jknapp@bendoregon.gov or by phone at 541-317-3029.

Climate Friendly Areas Engagement Report and Themes

Outreach for the project centered the voices of historically under-served community members. The intent was to provide meaningful opportunities for equitable involvement.

CFA Engagement Report

The Climate Friendly Areas Engagement Report outlines outreach between January 1, 2023, and June 30,2023. It describes key themes we heard and next steps. Participation opportunities included pop-ups in the parks, stakeholder meetings, and a community open house.

CFA Engagement Themes

Public comment on CFAs was gathered throughout the summer and fall of 2023. This document summarizes the conversations and online comments. Engagement opportunities included: nine in-person op-ups in neighborhoods throughout Bend, an online questionnaire and an in-person and online open house with questions and comments available.

Climate Friendly Areas Map

Map of Bend with 10 potential Climate Friendly Areas identified. Areas include one north of Farewell Bend Park on the west side of the Deschutes River, one just south and east of Pilot Butte, and the remaining eight along Hwy 20 and South 3rd Street between Empire Avenue and Murphy Road.

The City expects between 275 and 350 acres of CFAs to be selected by the end of 2025. Staff recently looked at 10 candidate areas shown in the map to the left. Not all of these areas will be chosen as a CFA. The map may be accessed by selecting this link.

What will Climate Friendly Areas do?

Promote connected neighborhoods
Encourage people-centered complete communities
Help reach the City's climate goals
Increase access and safety for multi-modal travel
Address the housing crisis
Provide or incentivize more housing and transportation options
Re-establish traditional urban patterns of walkable, amenity-rich areas
Limit displacement and gentrification
Will happen over time – development will occur over the next 20-50 years

Areas studied include opportunity areas, and areas near downtown and along main transportation routes. The City analyzed demographic and housing data for these areas to assess and limit the risk of displacement and gentrification.

Outreach has centered the voices of historically under-served community members and has provided opportunities for equitable involvement.

Timeline

Línea de tiempo

FAQ

What is a Climate Friendly Area?

What do Climate Friendly Areas look like?

Where will be they be?

How will the decision be made?

The decision will be made through a community process. Outreach will center the voices of historically under-served community members and will provide opportunities for equitable involvement.

The City will look at demographic and housing data for these areas to assess and lower the risk of displacement and gentrification. City Council will make the final decision to select one or more CFAs in 2025 to 2026.

When is this happening?

Why is this happening?

I have more questions. Where can I go?