Caldera Ranch

Raised public safety concerns for Woodside Ranch: 72% of the 66-acre site sits on former cinder mines and a geotechnical review has never occurred.

Asked council to abandon the Caldera Ranch plan, citing an incomplete application, outdated traffic model, and fire-evacuation risks.

Eleven-year-old Woodside Ranch resident worried about wildfire, one-way-out evacuation and an outdated fire station.

Woodside Ranch homeowner begged the council to slow down, citing a decade of construction and loss of rural life.

Said evacuation bottlenecks would endanger existing homes and argued the housing market is already oversaturated.

ER physician and medical director warned added traffic and roundabouts will slow ambulance transports from La Pine.

Former ER physician said Knott Road is the critical ambulance route and congestion would cost lives within golden-hour windows.

Emergency physician and Woodside Ranch resident of 30 years cited evacuation level alerts and gridlock fears on Knott Road.

Woodside Road resident said Knott Road is already dangerous and wants a roundabout if the project proceeds.

Woodside Ranch HOA board member summarized six requests: wildfire plan updates, fire study wait, new traffic analysis, locked housing mix, more commercial acreage, and complete-community concerns.

Wife of a retired firefighter cited the Hidden Forest Fire and asked for real evacuation modeling before approval.

Said thousands of homes in the corridor will overwhelm Knott Road and roundabouts won't fix evacuation.

Physician compared the room-to-exits ratio to Woodside Ranch: 716 more homes, same few roads — 'a death trap.'

Woodside Ranch Association president asked for a wildfire evacuation clearance study done with fire agencies before or with the master plan.

Woodside Ranch resident called the process rushed, citing skewed traffic counts and loss of a canal fire barrier.

Retired forester challenged the ex-parte disclosures and urged rejection of farmland conversion for sprawl.

Woodside Ranch resident asked the council to continue the hearing, hold the record open and define defensible space objectively.

Said no evacuation model exists for 716 units fleeing at once on Knott Road and cited the Spokane fire disaster.

Called for a construction moratorium, citing record Oregon wildfire seasons and mega-fire risk.

Central Oregon Builders Association representative spoke in support, calling it a win for housing affordability and workforce.

Argued the traffic study is stale, skewed by detours and missing 750 units from other developments; asked for current cumulative analysis.

Fifty-year Woodside Ranch resident described worsening response times and Knott Road's truck-route role.

Recalled Knott Road's promised non-bypass status; suggested center-lane evacuation capacity improvements.

Asked that the design shift to fire/traffic safety: widen Woodside, add a roundabout at Knott/Woodside, connect to Kemper; noted insurance woes.

Retired firefighter called the project irresponsible growth, warning of deaths in a fast-moving fire without road capacity.

Retired nurse described icy Knott Road dangers and lamented small-lot development quality of life.

Asked council not to lock the expansion into the comprehensive plan while broader planning tools are still in progress.

Former bank regulator questioned documentation validity and density, calling it the worst example of uncontrolled growth.

Said more housing isn't creating affordability (80% AMI is ~$123k), resources are overwhelmed, and expansion is unnecessary.

Forty-eight-year Woodside Ranch resident said the traffic plan omits area development and asked for reduced density.

Focused on Knott/Woodside intersection, truck traffic, and possible emergency-only limits on Woodside connections; noted insurance trouble nearby.

Thanked council and backed all traffic comments; described her neighborhood's three decades of wildfire suppression work.

Bend Chamber of Commerce supported the project as a meaningful housing-supply addition while acknowledging growth impacts.

Twenty-five-year resident noted Bend was first in the state on SB 1537 and asked council to keep the process moving.

Supported the plan's street grid and below-market housing, noting it's across from a school and park.

Former Sundance resident recalled the Skeleton Fire and warned of repeating evacuation disasters like Maui and Spokane.

Said all developments must come with sufficient infrastructure — water, sewer, schools, fire, police.