Tree preservation code annual review and incentives
Summary
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.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 9, 2026.
Impact analysis
Tree mitigation fees brought in $63,000 in 2025 and nothing in 2026 — so any loosening has small fiscal stakes but big canopy implications.
Developers and housing builders get new cost-saving incentives, while residents gain from any additional tree retention.
Tree canopy advocates worry the incentives could undercut retention of mature trees, which can't be replaced by new plantings.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Bend City Council Stands By Tree Code - The Source
Bend City Council Stands By Tree Code The Source - Bend, Oregon
City Council Work Session - Sep 9, 2026
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.
City crews, volunteers count all of Bend’s trees
City crews, volunteers count all of Bend’s trees Bend Bulletin
City Council Work Session - Mar 11, 2026
Developers want junipers exempted from Bend's tree code, saying preservation costs too much. Council didn't go that far, but asked staff to explore different standards for industrial land, counting street trees as mitigation, and better ways to identify iconic old junipers — with answers due in a couple months.
City Council Business and BURA Meeting - Mar 4, 2026
Council advanced narrow amendments to Bend's tree preservation code, but residents pushed back hard on any weakening of juniper protections. A work session on junipers is set for March 11, and the amendments would take effect April 17 if adopted on second reading.
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