Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bend public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Outback Well Improvements
The city is close to buying 48 acres of Forest Service land next to its key water treatment facility, needed for a pretreatment facility and possibly in-conduit hydropower. Two related items come to council May 20.
Juniper Ridge Reserve Loan for Affordable Housing Projects
BURA wants a loan from the city's unrestricted $5 million Juniper Ridge reserve to cover park district fees for affordable housing projects. Council favors helping only the two projects already under construction and wants to see actual rents before committing — the money could otherwise fund airport, water, police or shelter needs.
Southeast Area supplemental transportation fee
New development in the Southeast Area would pay an extra fee — about $2,660 per typical single-family home on top of the existing $10,230 transportation SDC — to fund three road projects totaling $11 million, including roundabouts at 27th/Caldera and Caldera/Journey Way. It's developer-requested and would replace the current 'who builds first' standoff.
Animal sheltering services agreement
A five-year sole source agreement, up to $550,000 total, keeps the Humane Society of Central Oregon providing animal sheltering and impoundment services for the city.
Eminent domain for Reed Market Bridge Project
The city locked in $32.3 million in federal money to finish design and construction of the Reed Market Bridge over the BNSF railroad tracks — a GO Bond project easing east-west travel.
Tax Increment Assistance policy for housing affordability
Most roundtable participants backed exempting deed-restricted affordable housing from the fee, and several pushed to extend exemptions to middle housing up to 120% of Area Median Income. Climate advocates warned every exemption weakens the fee and worries about stranded gas assets hitting lower-income owners later.
Employment growth forecast for land planning
Developers say tree rules and process complexity are pushing jobs to neighboring cities. Council rejected full deregulation of industrial land but backed a flat per-acre fee feeding a tree mitigation bank, plus easier mass grading and on-site rock crushing.
Bend's eight-year housing need and safe harbors
Bend won't hit its middle housing goal (826 units) and likely won't hit its affordable housing goal (1,818) this biennium, as single-family applications have plateaued. Staff say the goals were always a stretch and are pushing on state funding, permitting efficiency, and helping smaller builders navigate review cycles.
Galveston corridor and pressure reducing valve construction
The council approved a $341,981 construction contract with McKernan Enterprises for water system and Galveston Corridor street improvements.
Silver Rail Elementary shooting response and school safety
Six days after a school shooting killed three children and a teacher, the council, police, and school district shared updates on the investigation, the return to school, and community support resources. Residents sharply divided over whether the council should have acted earlier on SRO staffing shortfalls and what security measures should come next.
City–Park District Shared Framework
Bend and the park district are formalizing how they collaborate on shared values and facilities. The framework returns October 7 as a resolution, with future work including updated intergovernmental agreements.
Wildfire Defensible Space Code
Bend is entirely high wildfire risk, and a proposed community-wide defensible space code could require work like clearing the first five feet around homes, limiting bark mulch, and non-combustible fencing. Council wants community buy-in via a citizen assembly, faster action on new construction, and a pilot project in a high-risk neighborhood before next fire season. Costs and equity are open questions.
Neighborhood-Serving Commercial and VMT Goals
A new market analysis found residents don't shop near home and zoning patterns make true neighborhood commercial districts hard to create — which challenges Bend's vehicle miles traveled reduction goals. Council discussed Climate Friendly Areas, allowing commercial on both sides of streets, and adding homes near Juniper Ridge.
Fiscal Policy Updates
Staff proposed tweaks to the city's fiscal rulebook, including spending 20% of street preservation money on bike/pedestrian/safety projects and letting the City Manager approve new positions rather than the council. Councilors want clearer target language and deeper budget conversations.
Development Infrastructure Requirements
Final adoption of BMC Chapter 12.10 changes updates how the city charges developers for growth-related infrastructure.
Sign code amendments
Proposed sign code updates would simplify permitting but expand illuminated signs, clashing with the city's dark-sky interests. Business groups support the flexibility; the Bend Night Sky Alliance warns of growing light pollution. Council deadlocked 3-3 and will revisit.
Lava/Delaware diverter rework
A dozen Old Bend residents told council the new traffic diverters are funneling cut-through traffic onto narrow streets, sending cars over curbs and through stop signs, and making the neighborhood less safe for walkers and cyclists. Staff promised quick-build barriers, police enforcement and ADA ramps while the two-year pilot continues.
Lonza enterprise zone tax exemption
The city handed Lonza a ten-year property tax exemption on a $251 million lab expansion in exchange for 81 jobs paying at least 150% of county average wage and school support payments in the extended years.
Century West neighborhood district revival
After a grassroots effort led by Jenny Sutton, the Century West neighborhood gets its association back — restoring representation in city programs and a seat at the neighborhood round table.
Affordable housing progress at Summit area
Councilor Platt highlighted a Habitat for Humanity groundbreaking for affordable homes near an elementary school, prioritizing Bend-La Pine Schools staff.
Lights Out Bend bird protection
A proclamation asks residents to dim unnecessary lights at night during migration seasons — over a billion birds die in building collisions nationally each year, and Think Wild has treated 91 window-strike birds this year alone.
Sunday dial-a-ride cut for disabled riders
Cascades East Transit canceled Sunday dial-a-ride in September over budget shortfalls, stranding disabled riders who use it for church and jobs. Joyce Nichols asked the city to fund roughly $2,000 per Sunday to restore it.
City Council Building Purchase
Bend’s City Council voted to buy the old PacificSource building, which could reshape where city offices are located and how your tax dollars are spent. The details that matter now are price, financing, and whether this replaces rented space or adds a new cost.
Prevailing wage and BURA housing subsidies
Union carpenters blasted BURA for structuring housing subsidies to avoid prevailing wage; a BOLI ruling changed the math and staff proposed front-loading assistance to keep four projects alive.
Future City Hall location and downtown redevelopment
The city is buying a 70,000+ sq ft east-side office building to consolidate staff under one roof, saving roughly $100 million versus new construction. It frees downtown land for redevelopment and possibly a First Street civic center/council chambers.
Sign code illumination changes dropped
Council broke a 3-3 deadlock by passing sign code updates without expanding illuminated signage allowances.
Bend Central District conceptual plan
BURA kicked off a 12-18 month conceptual planning process for the BCD with heavy public outreach, and Perkins wants a First Street civic center/council chambers included.
Core Area SDC exemption to spur redevelopment
Council is converging on a five-year exemption from system development charges for adaptive reuse projects in the Core Area, with an ordinance due September 16. It's aimed at filling empty downtown-adjacent buildings, but Councilor Riley warns it could create future infrastructure funding gaps.
Surveillance technology in legislative priorities
Residents pushed back on language supporting 'expanding responsible technologies'; council agreed to narrow it to sound/photo enforcement with data transparency language.
Caldera Ranch growth boundary expansion
The council adopted the binding conceptual plan and UGB expansion for Caldera Ranch under SB 1537, despite neighbors raising wildfire, traffic and former mine-site safety concerns.
Industrial land tree rules and employment site readiness
Developers say tree rules and process complexity are pushing jobs to neighboring cities. Council rejected full deregulation of industrial land but backed a flat per-acre fee feeding a tree mitigation bank, plus easier mass grading and on-site rock crushing.
Greenwood Avenue quick-build results
A year of data shows the Greenwood quick-build is working as designed: slower speeds, more people walking and biking, and about 8-10 seconds of added drive time. Staff won't collect more data until the Franklin Avenue and Hawthorne Bridge projects reshape traffic.
GO bond unallocated funds prioritization
About $28 million in leftover GO bond money needs a project list, and council is sending the question to TMAC. Early favorites: $8-10 million toward the Highway 20/US 97 connection, extending the Neighborhood Street Safety Program, and cheaper options for Boyd Acres Road.
Tree preservation code annual review and incentives
Bend's tree code only applies to about 3.5% of permit applications, and the urban forest has been declining for decades. Council backed new incentives — fee reimbursements for saving extra trees and breaks for small-lot builders who protect big trees — but refused to loosen the code by counting street trees or exempting right-of-way trees.
Olney Avenue/8th Street intersection redesign
The intersection fails for six hours a day and traffic is growing. Staff recommend a $3.4 million partial multilane roundabout over a $5 million signal rebuild; a council majority agreed despite safety objections from Councilors Méndez and Franzosa.
North Mirror Pond parking and event space
A scaled-back $5 million downtown parking lot and event space will use the CM/GC delivery method to hit a tight timeline; some councilors worry about losing downtown parking.
Bend Central District Economic Improvement District assessments rejected
Following a remonstrance hearing where more than 33% opposed, council began repealing the Bend Central District EID, ending the district's assessment program.
Bond/Reed Market roundabout and SDC list
The council added the Bond/Reed Market roundabout widening to the SDC project list and hired HDR for design, moving the safety project up a couple of years.
Downtown parking management
Bend is hiring Diamond Parking for five years of enforcement citywide, with two new districts proposed (Old Bend East and Miller's Run). Councilors heard complaints that Old Bend residents are getting tickets they didn't sign up for under the benefit district, and promised a policy conversation in June.
Utility infrastructure contracts
Consent agenda funded $1.3 million for sewer primary clarifier rehabilitation and $765,337 for River Well #1 design — behind-the-scenes water and sewer reliability work.
City Council Elections
Bend’s City Council races are shaping up with surprisingly few challengers, so voters may see limited or even uncontested choices on the ballot. That means less competition and fewer debates over city spending, growth, and services. If you care about local decisions, this is the election where your vote—and who bothers to run—matters a lot.
Growth plan branding and community engagement
Residents and four councilors say an irrigation canal shouldn't count as open space. The council continued deliberations to July 15, leaning toward granting the block-length deviation, excluding the canal, and aligning the east-west path.
Vacancy tax exploration
A resident urged the city or county to charge a fee on Bend's roughly 5,000 vacant or second homes, calling them an economic drain on neighborhoods. No council action was taken.
Small Business Assistance Grant Program
The Urban Renewal Agency is developing micro, small-business, and pre-development loan programs to close financing gaps for newer and underserved businesses in TIF areas, addressing approval disparities for minority- and young firms. Councilors were supportive; details come back later this year.
Shelter funding cliff and regional cuts
Regional funding for shelters is set to drop by about half — roughly $5 million — starting next year, plus a new $30,000 per-bed cost cap. Bend has made real progress on homelessness (16% fewer people unsheltered in 2026), but keeping shelters open past mid-2027 will require new local or state money.
Police staffing shortfall
Bend Police is authorized for 120.5 sworn officers but has only 96.5 deployed, with seven in training. A rigorous background process and slow hiring are the main drag; staff are exploring using community service officers as a training pipeline.
New council meeting schedule
Staff surveyed councilors and proposed one longer monthly work session with better materials, aiming for changes by late summer 2026.
Immigration enforcement concerns in Bend
Mayor Kebler delivered a pointed statement on ICE actions, and the council agreed to draft a resolution supporting immigrant communities plus join a lawsuit challenging federal immigration enforcement tactics.
Hayden Homes Legacy Village financing request
The council advanced the 260-acre Legacy Village plan: at least 2,487 homes, nearly 24 acres of deed-restricted affordable housing, a 23-acre park, and commercial land. Councilor Franzosa's dissent centers on whether commercial actually gets built.
Street preservation and capital projects update
Four contracts totaling about $4.34 million will treat 77 lane miles — paving, chip seal, micro seal, and slurry — keeping Bend's pavement score around 76 as asphalt costs jump 20 percent.