OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bend City Council and Urban Renewal Agency Meetings - October 16, 2024

City Council — Wednesday, October 16, 2024
BodyBend, Oregon
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, October 16, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Quite a bit to get through in the next hour and a half.

0:03

Kicking kicking it off, I'll be just highlighting a few accomplishments since our last quarterly update.

0:09

Starting with what we've had intended to bring to council tonight, I think we're going to have to delay is the Juniper Ridge temporary safe state area.

0:18

That's that you go to the next slide.

0:22

Just by the numbers, here's where we are with the five goals, 13 strategies.

0:26

We're on track largely.

0:28

We're about three quarters of the way through the biennium.

0:32

We're going to begin starting the next goal period.

0:35

Really in December with the new council and then council listening sessions and goal setting retreat in February, and all this process starts in January, and it's going to take us through the first six months of the year culminating in a budget and goals and work plan and all of that.

0:51

So this is the where we are right now through this current biennium, and just a full report is online for folks that they can go into each of these goal areas and see the progress being made and specific actions that are tied to those goals.

1:06

So you can kind of see some of that summary status there on the slide.

1:10

Next slide.

1:11

So as I started to say the Juniper Ridge Temporary Safe Stay Area, we are going to have to move some things around, I believe, tonight, and we'll talk about that in more detail based on some county of the meeting today at the county commission.

1:23

Of course, the accomplishment of the fossil fuel free uh resolution for city buildings has been accomplished.

1:30

Our update to our community climate action plan and then a survey to help inform that plan has been completed.

1:37

The EMPG grant, that's an emergency management grant that we are going to receive some additional funds to help uh bolster our emergency management programs.

1:47

So you'll be seeing some action.

1:48

Uh well, there we we've received the grant, and now uh we're gonna be in the process of hiring staff.

1:54

Uh and so we'll have more to report probably at the next quarterly update.

1:58

Uh just gonna hit a few of these just because we're a little short on time.

2:02

The midtown projects you're gonna hear about tonight, uh Juniper Ridge land sale we've completed.

2:07

Now we're in the you know, working out all the the details with the purchase and sale agreements, and uh where we have the purchase and sale agreement approval from council.

2:15

Now it's just working through those implementation details.

2:18

Uh public works campus is well underway.

2:21

If you haven't been, if you weren't part of that CIP tour, um, encourage you to go see the progress being made.

2:27

We've got buildings that are vertical.

2:29

Uh all three buildings are now vertical.

2:31

Uh we're on track to move into that campus about a year, a little over a year from now in December of 25.

2:39

Uh, and the uh state of the city, the community outreach.

2:42

I think it's been the that was actually from our last quarterly update.

2:46

Um, but just some good lessons learned about doing more outreach events in the community, and I think we want to repeat some of that as we look towards goal setting of going out into community versus some of the format that we have been uh entertaining with round tables and things where people come to our place, kind of reversing a little bit and being more out in the community.

3:05

Um, so upcoming decisions with of course the parking code tonight.

3:09

Uh our hope is to get a code in front of you by the end of the year.

3:13

Um our one-time UGB uh site selection process that's uh we have two proposals that have been submitted, so you'll be reviewing those proposals in November and making a decision in December.

3:26

Um, the electrification policy work.

3:28

So we did our city facility focus uh resolution that I just talked about.

3:32

This is the broader policy work that's going making its way through the environment and climate committee right now, and uh as well as with some stakeholder interviews.

3:41

Uh, we'll probably have a mid stop point with the uh stewardship subcommittee in November to get an update, and then either end of November or December, that policy, those policy recommendations will come before you.

3:53

Uh updating on the advisory boards and committees of how we can better leverage those advisory boards, especially as we work towards the new council goals.

4:03

We have a vision of having a summit between advisory boards, committees, and commissions, and the city council to help inform the next uh set of council goals.

4:13

And so we want to talk about that goal setting process and how we can better align ourselves to the work of the advisory boards that's coming up in uh November or December time frame.

4:23

And then that transit update with COIC.

4:26

As you know, we have an IG and intergovernmental agreement.

4:28

We have some new leadership at COIC.

4:30

Our intent is to bring those folks to City Council in December to talk about that path forward, some of which will involve some legislative uh advocacy as well as updates to master plans and just really ultimately resulting in better service to our community and better alignment with our vision that's in the transportation system plan.

4:54

And then what we have been doing every quarter, there's been a big focus around process improvements for our permitting uh system.

5:01

So both on the technology, the people side and just processes in general.

5:07

How can we always look toward and we have this philosophy as an organization to be a culture of continuous improvement and always trying to think of how ways that we can improve our service delivery?

5:20

So Colin is here to give you an update, kind of continue to follow the dashboard of how we're meeting our goals for our permit turnaround times and then just updates to our process in general.

5:30

This again is all information that's online as part of our council dashboard.

5:34

Thank you, Eric.

5:35

And thank you, Mayor.

5:36

And counselors, uh good afternoon.

5:38

So I've got about 10 minutes and five slides, so I'll be respectful of your time and move through these.

5:44

The first couple of slides are reiterations of what you've seen in the past.

5:48

Um go through them so if you can function the first one.

5:52

So these are our permit uh turnaround times.

5:57

The first, this first slide is residential.

5:59

I was back here, or I was sitting here in August, or I'm sorry, July, um, and went over the numbers that were relevant at that time.

6:07

So the on the right hand side of each one of these graphs is the last three months, and that's what you have not seen yet.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety████████████████16%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████11%
Parking Management███████████11%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Procedural██████6%
Active Transportation██████6%
Homelessness██████6%
Affordable Housing████4%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Bend City Council and Urban Renewal Agency Meetings - October 16, 2024

The City of Bend held a work session at 3 p.m., an Urban Renewal Agency meeting at 6 p.m., and a regular City Council meeting at 7 p.m. on October 16, 2024. The work session covered council goal highlights, a public safety focus (police staffing study, fire strategic plan and dashboard), a southeast area sewer supplemental system development charge, a bike share pilot program review, and parking code modernization. The Urban Renewal Agency approved minor amendments to the Core Area Tax Increment Finance Plan, authorized an intergovernmental agreement for the 2nd Street Streetscape project, and adopted a policy for tax increment assistance for housing affordability and employment growth. The regular meeting included a consent agenda, public comment, a postponed joint resolution with Deschutes County, four public hearings, several contract authorizations, and second reading of the camping code amendment.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes from October 2, 2024, OLCC report, Engineering Quarterly Report for FY2025 Q1, and a contract with ACG Systems, Inc. for airport air traffic control tower communications and weather equipment not to exceed $806,445.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Samuel Facy (La Pine resident) expressed concerns about homeless individuals being pushed out of the region and asked about city plans.
  • Garrett (Bend native, medical worker) spoke about the difficulty of finding affordable housing in Bend despite working in the community.
  • Jonathan Curtis (Bend resident) alleged harassment after previous meetings, criticized the city’s COVID-19 response, and claimed conflicts of interest among council members.
  • Collin Wood (Bend resident) described a personal situation where Social Security benefits were counted as household income, disqualifying his family from assistance; requested city help.
  • Foster Fell (Bend resident) urged reconsideration of Councilor Campbell’s amendment to delay camping code enforcement until May 1, citing risks of hypothermia and death among unsheltered individuals.
  • Chuck Hemingway (County resident, homeless outreach volunteer) provided a memorandum on the proposed Juniper Ridge Temporary Safe Stay Area (TSSA); recommended a person-by-person and vehicle-by-vehicle count before authorizing the TSSA.
  • Nora Heron (Bend resident) urged the council to adopt strong electrification policies, including prohibiting fossil gas in new construction and setting progressive emissions standards, to address climate change.
  • Ken Wilkins (Northeast Bend resident) supported the recent fossil‑fuel‑free resolution for city buildings and called for further policies to ban fossil gas in new buildings and establish zero‑emission standards.
  • No public testimony was offered during the four public hearings (Woodside Court vacation, flood hazard ordinance, Juniper Ridge overlay zone, burning amendment).

Discussion Items

  • Council Goal Highlights (Work Session): City Manager Eric King reviewed progress on five goals and 13 strategies, noting the Juniper Ridge Temporary Safe Stay Area is delayed. Key accomplishments included a fossil‑fuel‑free resolution for city buildings, a community climate action plan update, and receipt of an emergency management grant. Upcoming items include parking code adoption, one‑time UGB site selection in November/December, electrification policy, and a transit update with COIC in December.
  • CEDD Process Improvements: Colin Stephens reported on permit turnaround times: single‑family residential first review averaging 35 days (goal met); commercial first review averaging 57 days (goal 90). Engineering tier‑3 permits averaged 36 days (goal 45). 43 customer‑focus action items were identified, 17 completed; a permit extension program from January–June 2024 saw 39 planning extensions and 51 building permit extensions.
  • Police Staffing Study (Work Session): Chief Mike Krantz presented findings from Matrix Consulting Group. The study found an immediate need for 21.5 FTEs and a total of 49.5 FTEs by 2033 to maintain current service levels. Recommendations for December 2024 budget adjustment include 4 patrol officers, 1 deflection program officer (funded by opioid settlement), and 1 traffic sergeant (funded by police reserve). Council support for the plan was expressed. The police department currently has about 1.0 officers per 1,000 residents, less than half the national average of 2.0.
  • Fire Strategic Plan and Dashboard (Work Session): Chief Todd Riley presented the five‑year strategic plan (five initiatives: enhanced community services, improved internal services, effective communication, professional development/well‑being, long‑term sustainability). A new public fire data dashboard (bendfire.bendoregon.gov) provides incident data, response times, and apparatus use. 78% of calls are medical; engines are sent only to higher‑acuity medical calls.
  • Southeast Area Sewer Supplemental SDC (Work Session): The Southeast Area lift station project cost dropped from $30M to $26M. Staff proposed a 50‑50 split between the sewer capital fund and a supplemental SDC of approximately $3,200 per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) for development in the basin. A $4M cost allocation to the BPRD‑owned parcel was discussed as a placeholder; council directed staff to continue discussions with property owners and return with a formal methodology in spring 2025.
  • Bike Share Pilot Program Review (Work Session): Staff reported on the two‑year pilot with BIRD e‑bikes. Ridership declined to ~11,000 rides in 2024 (year‑to‑date), but complaints per ride dropped sharply to 2.5 per 1,000 rides (from 9.7 in 2022). Compliance improved with a new digital management tool. Council directed staff to issue an RFP for a permanent micromobility program focusing on bikes (pedal‑assist, cargo, adaptive) but excluding scooters for now.
  • Parking Code Modernization (Work Session): Staff proposed replacing the current parking chapter with a modernized code. Key policy decisions: retain the three‑business‑day continuous parking limit citywide; create an administrative process for parking districts with two council touchpoints; prohibit overnight parking in residential areas for vehicles over 26,000 pounds (based on license plate designation). Council supported these directions and will see a draft code for public comment in November, with adoption targeted for December 2024.
  • Juniper Ridge Temporary Safe Stay Area (Regular Meeting): Council discussed the joint resolution with Deschutes County to authorize temporary overnight vehicle camping at Juniper Ridge. After the county commission failed to act (2‑1 vote, motion not seconded), Council postponed consideration to November 6, 2024. Council directed staff to explore alternative safe parking options with ARPA funds and authorized the mayor to send a letter urging county reconsideration.
  • Camping Code Amendment (Second Reading): Council voted 6‑1 to adopt the ordinance amending BMC Chapter 4.20 (Use of Public Rights‑of‑Way and City Property for Camping). Councilor Campbell opposed, citing concerns about enforcement during winter.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
  • Juniper Ridge TSSA Resolution: Postponed to November 6, 2024.
  • Woodside Court/Country Club Drive Right‑of‑Way Vacation (First Reading): Passed (Councilor Norris recused).
  • Flood Hazard Management Ordinance (First Reading): Passed unanimously.
  • Juniper Ridge Overlay Zone and Sign District Map Amendment (First Reading): Passed unanimously; Council affirmed intention to prioritize affordable housing on the western edge of Juniper Ridge.
  • Burning Ordinance (First Reading): Passed unanimously.
  • Water Reclamation Facility Plan Update Contract: Approved with Carollo Engineers, Inc. not to exceed $1,674,942.
  • 2nd Street Streetscape GMP Amendment (K&E Excavating): Approved for $4,419,714.70 (total contract $8,949,276.78).
  • Consor Engineers Contract Amendment: Approved for $260,924 (total $510,515).
  • BURA Intergovernmental Agreement Amendment for 2nd Street Streetscape: Approved (as previously authorized by BURA).
  • Fire Station Master Lease Agreement: Authorized City Manager to execute a master lease with Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2 for eight properties.
  • Camping Code Amendment (Second Reading): Adopted on roll call 6‑1 (Campbell opposed).
  • Urban Renewal Agency Actions: Unanimously approved resolution to amend Core Area TIF Plan to include 2nd Street Streetscape, authorized IGA amendment with the City for the project, and adopted a resolution establishing a policy for Tax Increment Assistance for Housing Affordability and Employment Growth.
  • Directives: Staff directed to explore alternative safe parking plans with ARPA funds given the county delay on Juniper Ridge; Mayor to send a letter urging county reconsideration.

Meeting Transcript

Quite a bit to get through in the next hour and a half. Kicking kicking it off, I'll be just highlighting a few accomplishments since our last quarterly update. Starting with what we've had intended to bring to council tonight, I think we're going to have to delay is the Juniper Ridge temporary safe state area. That's that you go to the next slide. Just by the numbers, here's where we are with the five goals, 13 strategies. We're on track largely. We're about three quarters of the way through the biennium. We're going to begin starting the next goal period. Really in December with the new council and then council listening sessions and goal setting retreat in February, and all this process starts in January, and it's going to take us through the first six months of the year culminating in a budget and goals and work plan and all of that. So this is the where we are right now through this current biennium, and just a full report is online for folks that they can go into each of these goal areas and see the progress being made and specific actions that are tied to those goals. So you can kind of see some of that summary status there on the slide. Next slide. So as I started to say the Juniper Ridge Temporary Safe Stay Area, we are going to have to move some things around, I believe, tonight, and we'll talk about that in more detail based on some county of the meeting today at the county commission. Of course, the accomplishment of the fossil fuel free uh resolution for city buildings has been accomplished. Our update to our community climate action plan and then a survey to help inform that plan has been completed. The EMPG grant, that's an emergency management grant that we are going to receive some additional funds to help uh bolster our emergency management programs. So you'll be seeing some action. Uh well, there we we've received the grant, and now uh we're gonna be in the process of hiring staff. Uh and so we'll have more to report probably at the next quarterly update. Uh just gonna hit a few of these just because we're a little short on time. The midtown projects you're gonna hear about tonight, uh Juniper Ridge land sale we've completed. Now we're in the you know, working out all the the details with the purchase and sale agreements, and uh where we have the purchase and sale agreement approval from council. Now it's just working through those implementation details. Uh public works campus is well underway. If you haven't been, if you weren't part of that CIP tour, um, encourage you to go see the progress being made. We've got buildings that are vertical. Uh all three buildings are now vertical. Uh we're on track to move into that campus about a year, a little over a year from now in December of 25. Uh, and the uh state of the city, the community outreach. I think it's been the that was actually from our last quarterly update. Um, but just some good lessons learned about doing more outreach events in the community, and I think we want to repeat some of that as we look towards goal setting of going out into community versus some of the format that we have been uh entertaining with round tables and things where people come to our place, kind of reversing a little bit and being more out in the community. Um, so upcoming decisions with of course the parking code tonight. Uh our hope is to get a code in front of you by the end of the year. Um our one-time UGB uh site selection process that's uh we have two proposals that have been submitted, so you'll be reviewing those proposals in November and making a decision in December. Um, the electrification policy work. So we did our city facility focus uh resolution that I just talked about. This is the broader policy work that's going making its way through the environment and climate committee right now, and uh as well as with some stakeholder interviews. Uh, we'll probably have a mid stop point with the uh stewardship subcommittee in November to get an update, and then either end of November or December, that policy, those policy recommendations will come before you. Uh updating on the advisory boards and committees of how we can better leverage those advisory boards, especially as we work towards the new council goals. We have a vision of having a summit between advisory boards, committees, and commissions, and the city council to help inform the next uh set of council goals. And so we want to talk about that goal setting process and how we can better align ourselves to the work of the advisory boards that's coming up in uh November or December time frame. And then that transit update with COIC. As you know, we have an IG and intergovernmental agreement. We have some new leadership at COIC. Our intent is to bring those folks to City Council in December to talk about that path forward, some of which will involve some legislative uh advocacy as well as updates to master plans and just really ultimately resulting in better service to our community and better alignment with our vision that's in the transportation system plan. And then what we have been doing every quarter, there's been a big focus around process improvements for our permitting uh system. So both on the technology, the people side and just processes in general. How can we always look toward and we have this philosophy as an organization to be a culture of continuous improvement and always trying to think of how ways that we can improve our service delivery? So Colin is here to give you an update, kind of continue to follow the dashboard of how we're meeting our goals for our permit turnaround times and then just updates to our process in general. This again is all information that's online as part of our council dashboard.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com