TRANSPORTATION BOND HEADS TO VOTERS ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

Map of some of the proposed project improvements on the GO Bond.

The City of Bend is referring a $190 million General Obligation (GO) bond measure to voters to provide funds for traffic flow, east-west connections and neighborhood safety improvement projects citywide. The bond measure will appear on the November 3, 2020, General Election ballot. 

Proposed bond-funded projects were selected by the Bend City Council after a two-year process with a public advisory committee that examined projects that would assist people who drive, ride bikes and walk. Projects closely match the priorities cited in public opinion research. Priorities include: Reed Market Road, US 97/Parkway, 3rd Street, east-west connections and pedestrian and bicycle access to schools, parks and jobs. 

Bonds would be repaid by an annual assessment on real property, estimated to cost property owners an average of 47 cents per $1,000 of assessed value each year of the repayment period. The owner of a home with a real market value of $415,000 and assessed value of $220,000 (Bend’s citywide average) is estimated to pay an average of $170 per year over the repayment period.  

Bonds will be structured so that property taxes would not be increased before 2022. If the GO Bond is approved, the City will issue bonds in multiple series over time to provide funds to construct the proposed bond projects. The annual cost to property owners may be lower in initial years and higher in later years. The City anticipates issuing the final bond series in 2030, which would be paid off in 2050. 

The City Council has adopted a resolution to establish a bond oversight committee of community members if the bond measure passes, to track and report to the community on project expenses, schedule, progress and benchmarks. 

To see frequently asked questions and an interactive project map, visit bendoregon.gov/safe-travel. 

How Your Tax Dollars are Spent

Many of you wonder where your taxes go. We at the City of Bend work alongside our partner agencies — the Bend Park and Recreation District, Bend-LaPine Schools, and Deschutes County — who take the lead on things like core services, parks, schools and health.  

About 21 percent of your property tax dollars go to the City of Bend. The City’s budget is spent on core needs from improving our roads to keeping you safe and bringing in new jobs as well as affordable housing. Everything we do is focused on helping Bend work as smoothly as possible while providing Bendites with the most value for their dollars. 

The City’s General Fund is mostly made up of property taxes. Other sources of income for the General Fund include some room taxes (i.e. lodging taxes) and franchise fees. 

Only about 30 percent of the total revenues that the City receives go into the General Fund, and they are known as “discretionary” funds. The other approximately 70 percent (the part that is not the General Fund) are what we call “restricted” funds.

Learn more in this video: How the City's budget works

We make Bend a city. We make Bend work.

GET YOURSELF READY FOR WINTER IN BEND

Prepare for Snowfall & Icy Roads

In recent years, Bend has experienced some harsh winters and epic snowfalls. Are you, your family members and your home ready for winter? Everyone has a responsibility to prepare for the snowy season. That means getting resources and supplies lined up before the first big storm hits; such as shovels, snow blowers, roof rakes, proper snow tires and vehicles to handle the snow and ice. Learn what to expect and get information about street plowing, sidewalk shoveling and protecting your home at bendoregon.gov/winter. 

Did you recently move to Central Oregon and aren’t prepared to drive in the snow? Be sure to peek at the Oregon Department of Transportation’s helpful winter driving guide.  

Our Winter Streets Plan for Plowing & Sanding

During winter streets operations, we prioritize the highest-use streets that accommodate the most drivers and access hospitals, major employment areas, schools and transit routes. Priority routes receive de-icing, sanding, and plowing first. Get plowing information and maps here.   

During the occasional extreme storms, it may be necessary to stay focused on clearing priority routes, which could mean postponing lower priority routes until the priority routes are safe and open to traffic. Lower-use streets—the local residential streets—are a lower priority. Alleys are not considered priorities. 

Winter weather in Bend can range from inches to feet of snow (trust us – feet), and conditions can vary widely in different areas of town. We prepare our budgets and resources for the average winter, and we adjust operations for the occasional extreme storms; which can be challenging for everyone.

We maintain 865 lane miles with two daily work shifts, 17 snow plow operators per shift and 24 pieces of equipment, from light-duty pickups to medium-duty dump trucks to heavy-duty (two motor graders) with plows.

COUNCIL UPDATES:

Do you wonder what the City is working on? Here’s a snapshot of our 2019-2021 Council Goals and progress updates. You’ll find details about how we support the supply of housing and employment lands, consider natural resources, invest in transportation with an emphasis on congestion and safety, and continue to keep water, sewer, and street maintenance up to speed with our community’s growing needs. From law enforcement policy to wildfire resilience, the City has a breadth of public safety goals in the works, and we’ve put new emphasis on community and economic resilience in response to COVID-19 this year.

Community Input on Policing

Thank you to everyone who provided input related to the City Council’s goal to: “Be responsive and accountable to the changing needs and expectations of the community and increase Council awareness and public participation in law enforcement policy.” Community input was collected through an online input opportunity in September where more than 930 people submitted comments and responses, and an online virtual listening session on Oct. 17. Along with input from the Bend Police Department, all feedback will be compiled into a report to the Council at a work session, currently scheduled for December 16.

Juniper Ridge & Homelessness

Council supported the idea of creating an Emergency Homelessness Task Force and exploring the possibility of developing a temporary transitional shelter site on City-owned property at Juniper Ridge. The temporary site would create a place for individuals and families in our community experiencing homelessness to more safely camp. The task force would ensure collaboration for site design and camp management among the City, County and nonprofit partner agencies. For more information, visit the task force webpage.

Housing

Council approved providing more housing types in Bend, such as duplexes on smaller lots, micro-units (one-room living spaces with shared kitchens) and small dwelling unit developments. These recent actions support a two-year Council goal to permit 3,000 housing units to improve affordable housing challenges. For more information about the code changes, see this issue summary.

Human Rights & Equity Commission

Councilors approved an ordinance creating a Human Rights and Equity Commission.

2019-21 Council Goals include a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in Bend.

The strategy included training for Council and staff, hiring a consultant to conduct an organizational assessment, establishing a short term task force to help identify needs and priorities of underrepresented communities and establishing a permanent committee. Read the issue summary here. An application and appointment process to fill the commission’s seats will follow.

Here is a link to the DEI summary report.

Council Appoints Environment and Climate Committee

On Oct. 7, City Council appointed nine community members to the new Environment and Climate Committee.  

The committee is responsible for developing recommendations to implement the Community Climate Action Plan, and provide a continuing venue for input and evaluation of City policies and actions relating to the community's stewardship of natural resources and the environment. 

A list of committee appointees and information on upcoming meetings is available on the committee webpage. The committee’s first meeting is at 11 a.m. on Nov. 12.

Parking Permits

Council approved fees associated with the Old Bend Neighborhood Parking Benefit District Pilot Program. The program aims to address parking challenges in the designated area. All residential parking permits are annual permits, valid from January through December, with an annual cost of $25. Read more about other types of residential parking district permits and associated fees here.

MEETINGS & EVENTS:

Southeast Area Plan Open House

You’re invited to come and learn about the Southeast Area Plan at our online open house from Oct. 22 - Nov. 12!

The Southeast Area was identified in the 2016 Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Expansion and contains approximately 479 acres outside of City limits and within the UGB.  

This online open house will allow attendees an opportunity to review the current plan and provide comments on: 

• Changes to the Bend Comprehensive Plan to support development of a complete community with a variety of housing, jobs, neighborhood services, schools, parks, and multi-use paths;
• Changes to the Bend Development Code to tailor the future land uses and development standards to the Southeast;
• Infrastructure plans for transportation and sewer to support new development, and;
• Conceptual design plans to illustrate potential development based on these plan and code changes. 

To access the open house and learn more about the Southeast Area Plan, please visit the project website at bendoregon.gov/southeastareaplan.

2021 Neighborhood Street Safety Program Open House

Here’s your chance to learn more about the Neighborhood Street Safety Program’s (NSSP) final four projects!

As the first four projects of the NSSP near completion, the City would like to invite the community to join us for a virtual open house on Thursday, Oct. 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m. as we feature information on the final four NSSP projects that are set to be constructed in summer of 2021. Community members can learn about preliminary design for these projects, ask questions and provide feedback to City staff!

The NSSP is a program for small-scale, residential street projects to address pedestrian and bicycle safety, safe routes to school, speeding, intersection control and crossings, and other residential street traffic safety related issues.  

Information on attending the open house, the NSSP program, design and construction of the final projects can be found at bendoregon.gov/streetsafety.

PLEASE DON'T FEED THE WILDLIFE!

We want to remind you that feeding deer and other wildlife in Bend can have negative effects. Feeding deer and other wildlife can attract predators that can create risk to people and wildlife, damage to property, and spread disease and parasites. The Council favors this resolution in hopes that increasing awareness of the issues will prevent the need to take a more direct regulatory approach.

STATE OF THE CITY 2020

Hear from Mayor Sally Russell and City Manager Eric King about how the City of Bend is tackling some of the tough challenges facing our town. Discussions include economic vitality, growth and its impacts on transportation, housing and other vital services, all during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Join the Bend Chamber webinar – the event is free for all to attend.

Register here!