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In this Bend Current enewsletter you’ll learn about the City’s winter street operations including emergency snow zone parking restrictions and priority snow routes, updates to Bend’s Transportation Plan and changes coming to downtown parking. You’ll also see many Council updates, including the application information for the Council vacancy, information on the plastic bag ordinance, partial exemption in SDCs for childcare facilities, septic to sewer funding, Mirror Pond updates and much more.
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DECEMBER 2018
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WINTER STREET OPERATIONS
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When it snows, we have a plan for plowing. The City prioritizes plowing and sanding on the streets that get the highest use and accommodate the most drivers - major employment areas, hospital area, schools and transit routes. Check out the priority snow plow routes map to see which routes the City will plow first.
After six inches of snow falls, the City considers variables such as the weather forecast and decides whether to call contractors to help the City crews. Contractors are typically used to help the City clear local, residential roads, which are not first priority routes.
Winter operations also include emergency snow zone parking restrictions.
Everyone has a responsibility to prepare for winter. Learn what to expect at bendoregon.gov/winter.
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TRANSPORTATION PLAN
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The City is updating Bend’s Transportation Plan. Last week, the Citywide Transportation Advisory Committee met to discuss key projects to be included in Bend’s Transportation Plan. Its recommendations included projects to improve connectivity, capacity and safety. Here are those citywide transportation projects.
The committee also discussed several large regional transportation needs and recommended studying the potential for a new bridge across the Deschutes River and a possible extension of Wilson Avenue to the east. The committee recognized that a Parkway study needs to be completed before making recommendations related to the Parkway.
The community is welcome to attend a public meeting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2019, in Council Chambers at City Hall, where the recommendations will be presented.
Citywide transportation projects are just one part of the committee’s recommendations. In the future, the committee will also make recommendations on projects that are needed at the neighborhood street level. In late January, the committee will host neighborhood workshops throughout Bend to get input on transportation improvements needed at the neighborhood level.
A neighborhood workshops list can be found here:
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DOWNTOWN PARKING
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Starting Jan. 1, 2019, parking improvements in downtown Bend will make parking easier, more available and safer.
Here are the five changes visitors to downtown can expect to see:
- Enforcement times will be extended to 7 p.m. to increase turnover for on-street parking and provide better access to businesses during evening hours in the busiest parts of downtown.
- The ParkMobile app will be available as a quick, easy option for downtown patrons to pay for parking in the Mirror Pond Lots and Centennial Garage. ParkMobile will be the only way to pay for parking at the Greenwood/Wall Lot and on Irving Street.
- Parking permits will change from paper to virtual permits to make paying for and managing parking permits easier for downtown employees.
- A 4-hour time limit will go into effect for the Mirror Pond Lots to increase turnover and make more parking spaces available.
- New parking rates will support better downtown parking management and respond to community expectations for parking availability, equity in opportunities for all downtown visitors and the economic vitality of downtown.
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COUNCIL VACANCY
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When Sally Russell becomes Mayor on Jan. 2, 2019, and vacates the remaining two years of her Council position, Councilors will declare a vacancy, starting a 30-day clock for Councilors to appoint a replacement. The appointed term expires December 2020. Councilors will accept applications through 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Council appointment application information is here. The Council anticipates conducting interviews the week of January 14, and expects to appoint someone at the Jan. 16 Council meeting.
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PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE
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The Bend City Council passed an ordinance this month to encourage the use of reusable bags and limit the use of carryout plastic bags. The ordinance will require a deposit of at least 10 cents for non-reusable bags. A communications campaign will begin next summer and the enforcement period for this policy won’t begin until January, 2020.
See our Frequently Asked Questions to help you understand what this all means for you at bendoregon.gov/plasticbags.
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CHILDCARE NEEDS
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To support the need for childcare in Bend, Councilors approved a 70 percent exemption to Transportation System Development Charges (impact fees) for child care facilities, to encourage child care providers to open new facilities or expand existing ones. Presently there is only one child care slot for every three children who need child care in Deschutes County and the fees have made it difficult for some facilities to operate.
The current transportation impact fee for a childcare business looking to start or expand in Bend is $18,639 per 1,000 square feet. The change reduces this charge by 70 percent, to $5,592, for the next two years. Here is the Council issue summary about childcare SDCs.
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MIRROR POND
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The City Council committed spending $300,000 for a Mirror Pond dredging plan that also includes a $300,000 investment from the Bend Park and Recreation District and a $300,000 private investment. The remaining balance will be discussed by Councilors and other partners in 2019. Increasing the Pacific Power franchise agreement to generate additional revenue could help contribute to funding.
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DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES
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Councilors approved Comprehensive Plan and Development Code amendments to support duplexes on 6,000 square foot lots and triplexes on 9,000 square foot lots in the Standard Density Residential (RS) zone. Read the Council's issue summary on the approved changes here. The amendments also addressed design standards for duplexes and triplexes in all residential zones.
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SEPTIC TO SEWER
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Approximately 2,800 households rely on septic systems for waste water disposal. The conversation of homes on septic to City sewer has been a big topic before the Council and has implications for public health, water quality and economic development. In December, after an extensive public process that determined that individual homeowners would be financially burdened by required conversions without a substantial City subsidy, the Council approved a concept that would fund septic to sewer conversions via a $10 million up-front investment followed by $2.5 million annually. Here is the Council's septic to sewer issue summary.
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The City of Bend is addressing climate change and we’re asking for the community’s help. A public advisory group known as the Climate Action Steering Committee is working on a Community Climate Action Plan. Discussions include what actions our community could take to reduce fossil fuel use. Watch the Climate Action Plan video!
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Saving water indoors this time of year will lower monthly sewer charges throughout the year!
Your average water consumption during the months of December, January and February each year (called Winter Quarter Average or WQA) is used as the basis for monthly sewer volume charges.
During the winter months, water leaks may result in a higher sewer bill. If you have a water leak during these months, be sure to notify the City of Bend Utility Billing Department within 60 days of repairing the leak. The City will review your account and determine whether a leak existed that would have a negative impact on your WQA. The City will adjust your sewer volume charge appropriately when WQA’s are updated annually on July 1.
Need help?
Watch the Winter Quarter Average info video.
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The City of Bend is partnering with WaterSmart Software to connect Bend water customers with their water use. All City of Bend water customers now have access to their account information from a computer or mobile device. Once registered, account holders will be able to see how their water use compares to similar homes, find helpful ways to conserve water and get leak alerts. Visit bendoregon.watersmart.com today, register your account number listed on your City of Bend utility bill and personalize your account profile.
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It’s estimated that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, more than 1 million tons of additional waste is generated each week nationwide. Consider some of these tips and ideas from our partners over at Bend Garbage & Recycling to help reduce waste.
Use reusable gift wrap or alternative gift wrapping ideas. Scarves, bandanas, and newspaper (comic section) are great alternatives for gift wrap.
Send electronic or recycled-content cards. Electronic holiday cards reduce paper waste. If you are purchasing cards, look for recycled ones.
Take reusable cloth bags on shopping trips. Help reduce the thousands of bags that end up in the landfills during the holidays.
Purchase a live tree that can be replanted after the holidays. Or recycle your live tree when you are done with it at. Make a donation to the Boy Scouts of America to pick up your tree or bring it to Deschutes Recycling in Bend at no charge in the month of January.
Give the gift of togetherness. Consider making a charitable donation in someone else's name. Or, give an experience or an event to remember, such as tickets to a concert, sporting event, or memberships to a museum or zoo.
Turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. This saves energy and lights last longer.
Use rechargeable batteries. About 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. Rechargeable batteries reduce the amount of potentially harmful materials thrown away, and can save money in the long run.
Electronics: Remember to recycle your old electronics at Deschutes Recycling, located at Knott Landfill in Bend. TVs, computers, monitors, desktop printers, keyboards, and computer mice can be recycled for free. Other electronics can be recycled for a nominal fee.
Holiday items you can recycle: Regular gift wrapping paper (no foil), paper shopping bags, gift boxes, holiday cards and envelopes, packing paper, cardboard packing pieces, holiday catalogs.
Holiday items that can’t go in your blue recycling cart: Liners and tissue paper from shopping bags and shoe/gift boxes (that you don’t want to reuse), ribbon, foil backed wrapping paper, plastic bags and wrappers.
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Accommodation Information for People with Disabilities
To obtain this information in an alternate format such as Braille, large print, etc., please contact Anne Aurand at: communications@bendoregon.gov; Relay Users Dial 7-1-1.
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