Employment growth forecast for land planning
Summary
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.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 2 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 28, 2026.
Impact analysis
Developers estimate current tree mitigation costs at roughly $10,000 per acre on industrial sites; a flat fee could lower that.
Industrial developers and the jobs they bring — plus workers who might otherwise commute long distances.
Tree canopy on industrial sites, which would be removed under a flat fee rather than preserved case by case.
Mentions & discussions (3)
Council Bend Made Work Session - Oct 28, 2026
Bend must pick an employment growth rate that determines how much job-site land it plans for over 20 years. Staff recommend 1.37% annually — a middle path that avoids over-buying land like the 800 acres added in 2016, including the long-idle Juniper Ridge.
City Council Work Session - Sep 9, 2026
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.
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