Bend City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting - April 3, 2024

The Bend City Council held a work session starting at 5:00 p.m. and a regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on April 3, 2024, at City Hall. The work session included discussions on council schedule requests, an analysis of impediments to fair housing, parking code modernization, and an update on system development charge (SDC) methodologies. The regular meeting featured proclamations, public comments, a public hearing on surplus property, second reading of a transportation fee ordinance, and council actions. Key outcomes include adoption of a resolution for surplus property near SW Donovan Avenue, approval of the transportation fee ordinance (6-0-1), and acceptance of a proposal for Juniper Ridge land.

Council Schedule Requests

• Councilor Méndez requested two actions: reviewing posted speed limits citywide and updating street design standards this summer to ensure safe speeds. Staff suggested using the Community Building Subcommittee for detailed discussion and noted an upcoming neighborhood roundtable on June 11, 2024, focused on public safety and transportation, including automated traffic enforcement. Council supported the approach.
• Councilor Riley paused his request regarding natural gas transmission pipeline safety, citing a need for more research and staff consultation.
• Mayor Pro Tem Perkins proposed a work session on May 15, 2024, for the Citizen Assembly group to discuss their memorandum of understanding with the city, focusing on youth homelessness. Council agreed.

Consent Calendar

• Approved March 20, 2024, work session and regular meeting minutes.
• Accepted the OLCC Report.
• Approved the monthly financial report for February 2024.
• Authorized an amendment to the services agreement with Kuzyn Logistics dba HD Courier for $1,540, with a total contract not-to-exceed $101,040.
• Authorized the City Manager to enter into agreements with Century West Engineering Corporation for airport pavement rehabilitation projects: Taxilane Pavement Rehabilitation ($311,395) and Taxiways A/B Rehabilitation and Lighting ($325,202).

Public Comments & Testimony

Visitors Section (General Comments)

• Doreen Ty (online): Criticized the city's airport expansion and flight school impacts, citing noise-induced agitation and inadequate response to complaints. Urged the council to honor commitments to children, citizens, and land.
• Josh Liner (First Presbyterian Church member): Urged ongoing conversations with the church's proposal to build affordable housing on the surplus city property on SE 9th Street, noting the partnership with Northwest Housing Alternatives. He emphasized the need for deeper affordability levels.
• Gwen Wisling (Bend resident): Expressed disappointment in the lack of transparency in the surplus property process but hoped for continued dialogue to create 100 affordable housing units on the combined city-church land.
• Julie LeCee (First Presbyterian Church member): Thanked council for the update and urged them to consider a longer-term, more complex solution for the property, emphasizing the need for truly affordable housing.
• Gina Whitney (reading for Sherry Hilt): Requested a conversation about zoning, permitting, and land pricing to build workforce housing on adjacent property, emphasizing the unique location near schools and businesses.
• Alia Christofferson (First Presbyterian Church member): Stated that the church had been ready to partner since 2022 but faced delays; criticized the decision-making process moving from AHAC to Real Estate; asked the council to prove its commitment to affordable housing.
• James Teeter: Advocated for Vision Zero policies, including 25 mph speed limits on collectors and arterials, camera enforcement, protected bike lanes, raised intersections, elimination of right on red, and speed bumps. Argued that policy-level changes are needed to prevent deaths on city streets.
• Mike Connell: Opposed the transportation fee, calling it a tax without voter approval, and questioned the authority to add such fees to utility bills.
• Jay Gillifford: Cited an internet poll showing 93% opposition to the transportation fee, arguing it should not be imposed without public consent.
• Becky Clear: Opposed the transportation fee, citing its bad timing amid rising costs of living (food, gas, utilities, housing) and potential harm to local businesses.
• Lori Hill (CEO, Central Oregon Pediatric Associates): Requested a minimum three-year phase-in for medical SDCs and creation of additional medical overlay districts. She noted that private medical practices cannot increase prices to offset costs and face unique challenges.
• Tanny Whiskey (CFO, dermatology practice): Echoed concerns about SDC increases for medical uses, asked for a pause on medical SDCs, and noted planned data collection on patient travel patterns to challenge assumptions in the methodology.
• Sarah Odendahl (Bend Chamber of Commerce): Thanked staff for revisions but supported longer phase-in periods for medical SDCs and additional medical overlay districts; urged council to consider total cost of doing business in Bend.

Discussion Items

Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Melissa (Housing staff) presented findings from a 10-month community engagement process (8 public events, 350 survey respondents, 300 personal conversations). Five impediments were identified:

1. Concentrations of poverty and limited social mobility in certain census tracts.
2. Need for city-specific data collection and community partnerships.
3. Limited housing and infrastructure for persons with disabilities (overwhelming need for fully accessible units; estimated extra cost of $25,000–50,000 per unit).
4. Need for fair housing enforcement and education, including developer accountability and training on reasonable accommodation requests.
5. Racial disparities in lending practices (Black and Native American populations face higher rejection rates and less favorable terms). Staff proposed three options: regular updates to council, incorporation into council goals, or other direction. Council expressed support for both regular reporting and including recommendations in short- and long-term goals.

Parking Code Scoping Russ (COO) and Kate Schneider outlined a project to modernize the city's municipal parking code, aiming to create a comprehensive and defensible framework for managing curb use citywide. Four work buckets were identified:

1. Parking and curb management rules (regulations on who, when, where, how long).
2. Parking management strategies (districts, permit/paid parking, benefit districts).
3. Enforcement (codifying administrative policies, resource allocation between downtown vendor and police).
4. Vehicle sheltering (linking parking code with camping code). Council supported the project, with councilors emphasizing the need for clear criteria for parking districts, public education, and consideration of shared parking and EV charging. The project aims for a new code by end of 2024.

System Development Charge (SDC) Methodologies Update Staff (Russ, Sarah) presented revisions made since January 17, 2024, public hearing. Key changes included: disaggregating certain retail/office categories, adjusting water/sewer rates for schools (50% reduction), modifying transportation trip rates, and adding a two- or three-year phase-in for non-residential uses with fee increases of 20%–50% or over 50%, respectively. The effective date target remains July 1, 2024. Staff plan an open house in late April for questions, with written comments due April 30 and continued public hearing on May 1. Councilor Perkins signaled she will ask for a one-year pause on the medical/dental category and removal of the current medical overlay district around St. Charles.

Key Outcomes

• Fair Housing Proclamation: Adopted (with amendment correcting