Bend City Council Meeting – December 18, 2024: Work Session and Regular Session with Transit Update, Fee Increases, UGB Site Selection, and Multiple Project Approvals
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Bend City Council Meeting – December 18, 2024
The Bend City Council met in a hybrid format at City Hall on December 18, 2024. A work session from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. covered a transit update from the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC), a review of development activity and fee increases, and solid waste franchisee operations reports. The regular session began at 7:00 p.m., featuring public hearings, budget items, a one-time Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) site selection, several infrastructure project authorizations, and recognition of outgoing councilors and staff.
Consent Calendar
- Approved consent agenda items A–F except item D, which was pulled for separate discussion:
- A. Approval of December 4, 2024 meeting minutes.
- B. OLCC Report.
- C. Declaration of the November 5, 2024 election vote.
- D. Agreement with Consor North America, Inc. for the Outback Facility Plan Project ($618,955) – pulled and later approved unanimously.
- E. Contract with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for SCADA software and integration services ($1,556,057).
- F. Services agreement with JECS Inc. dba Central Oregon Bio Solutions ($510,000).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Carl Schumacher (Bend resident) read a poem about homelessness and the struggles of people living in tents.
- Paul Dewey (Bend resident, no affiliation) requested that item D (Consor North America) be removed from the consent agenda to allow for more extensive environmental analysis of the Outback facility, particularly regarding spring systems. The item was later discussed and approved.
- Audrey Smith (Bend resident) described dangerous conditions on Wilson Avenue due to reflective pylons, nearly hitting a pedestrian; she urged the city to address the safety issue.
- Drew Myers (South Bend resident) expressed strong support for bike and pedestrian infrastructure, stating that painted bike lanes are inadequate and that protected lanes or separate paths are needed for safety. He also echoed the need for more frequent transit service.
Discussion Items
-
Transit Update from COIC (Bob Townsend, CET Director): Townsend provided a “State of the Union” for Cascades East Transit, including completion of Hawthorne Station improvements, mobility hub plans (Troy Field and Bend North Corridor), bus stop upgrades, and a priority list for 2025: service hour expansion, transit pass cards, service area expansion (Northeast Bend, Shutes River Woods, airport shuttle), express routes, and a new fare structure. He noted that fixed-route service costs about $3.50 per ride, while dial-a-ride costs $15–$30, and that expanding service hours (to capture commuters) is the top priority. Councilors discussed the importance of frequency over new routes, equity considerations, and the role of fares in funding services. Councilor Méndez emphasized that transit is a public good and should be community-funded. Councilor Campbell praised the new energy and direction.
-
Development Activity and Fee Update (Roger Sarad, Colin Stevens, CEDD): The presentation showed that the planning fund is facing a solvency risk due to declining development activity. The top 10 planning fees are projected to generate only 59% of total revenue this year (down from 71%–69% in prior years), with site plan new development dropping from over $1 million to about $800,000. The planning fund is drawing down reserves; staff have reduced FTE from 20 to 14.5 by holding vacancies and reallocating staff. Fee increases of 10% (building), 15% (planning), and 5% (engineering) were presented as part of a multi-year strategy. Councilor Campbell suggested considering a general fund subsidy to avoid high fee increases. Councilor Méndez stressed the need to maintain planning department capacity to address the housing crisis.
-
Solid Waste Franchisees Operations and RecyclePlus (Patrick Neely, Carrie Curry, Courtney Boss from Cascade Disposal and Republic Services): The franchisees reported serving 45,000 customer accounts with over 3 million services annually. Waste volumes: 200,000 tons of trash, 25,000 tons of recyclables, and 22,000–25,000 tons of compost per year. The largest cost driver is gate rate increases at the landfill (27% in 2023, 14% in 2024). The Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) will take effect July 2025 and may stabilize recycling markets. The new RecyclePlus program is an optional subscription service for hard-to-recycle items (styrofoam, light bulbs, textiles, batteries, plastic film, clam shells) at $10/month for the bin and bags, plus $5 per collection. Customers can also drop off materials at hauler offices. Participation is expected to be 1%–3% of customers. Councilors asked about equity, cost, and contamination rates. Councilor Méndez recused himself from the vote on the rate resolution (6D) due to a conflict of interest.
-
Audit Results (Amanda McCleary Moore, Moss Adams): The city received an unmodified (clean) opinion on both the city and Bend Urban Renewal Agency financial statements. No instances of noncompliance with federal or state laws were found. No fraud, waste, or abuse was identified. The audit committee (Councilors Broadman, Norris, and Mayor Kebler) met with the auditors and had no questions.
-
Proclamations:
- Safe Parking Site Providers Recognition Month (December 2024): Recognized the collaboration of Nativity Lutheran Church, Church of the Nazarene, Antioch Church, UUFCO, Central Oregon Villages, and others. Donna Burklow (Central Oregon Villages) reported that nine people moved into permanent housing in the last month and a half.
- National Homeless Persons Memorial Day (December 21, 2024): Gwen Wisling (Bethlehem Inn) and John Lodese (Shepherd’s House Redmond) noted that 29 homeless individuals have died this year; a memorial will be held at Drake Park on Saturday, December 21 at 5:15 p.m.
-
Envision Bend Update (staff): The Vision Action Plan, published in fall 2023, has entered implementation. Over 20 presentations were given, and community roadshows highlighted projects like the Drake to Juniper corridor, moving switchyards out of the UGB, and expanding childcare access. A community belonging conversation was held during Welcome Week. Priorities will be updated in January 2025.
-
Budget Items (6A–6D):
- 6A: Adopted supplemental budget and budget appropriation adjustments, including a new special revenue fund for the PRO Housing grant ($5 million). Unanimous.
- 6B: Established fees and charges for FY 2024–2025, including development fee increases (building 10%, planning 15%, engineering 5%). Adopted unanimously. Councilor Norris recused due to conflict.
- 6C: Amended the staffing schedule, adding seven positions (six police: four patrol officers, one deflection program officer funded by opioid settlement, one traffic sergeant for automated enforcement; one court administrator). Adopted unanimously.
- 6D: Amended solid waste collection rates to include RecyclePlus services. Councilor Méndez recused; adopted unanimously.
-
UGB Site Selection under SB 1537 (Brianne Gale, Growth Management): Council adopted a resolution selecting the Caldera Ranch site for a one-time UGB expansion. The resolution includes requirements for substantial consistency with the concept plan, minimum affordable housing units (including at 30%–80% AMI), timely application within one year, enhanced wildfire mitigation measures, and future transportation improvements. Staff emphasized this is not a UGB expansion but a site selection; future steps include UGB amendment, comp plan amendments, master plan, and annexation. Councilor Campbell noted that only one site (Caldera Ranch) met urban service provider requirements; the other site (Bend Park) was not feasible. The vote was 5–1 (one councilor opposed). Councilor Méndez expressed support, stating the need for a “both/and” approach to infill and limited expansion.
-
Reed Market & 15th Street Roundabout Widening Project (Sinclair Burr, Engineering): Authorized a $695,649 design contract with DOWL, LLC. The project is part of the 2020 GO Bond and will widen the roundabout to two lanes, improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings, and include a concept design check-in with council in spring 2025. Councilors discussed the possibility of accelerating the 15th & Ferguson roundabout and ensuring safety improvements (e.g., grade-separated crossings, pedestrian-activated signals) meet Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) 1 standards. Adopted unanimously.
-
Olney Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Project (staff): Approved three contracts: (1) K&E Excavating for construction ($10,682,940), (2) DOWL for construction contract administration ($458,375), and (3) Parametrix for final design and construction support ($189,884, total $2,152,073). Construction begins February 3, 2025, with major closures at Wall Street intersection through summer. Two-thirds of public survey respondents supported the design. Adopted unanimously.
-
Awbrey Glen and Westside Pump Station Improvements (Lisa Kimelli, Engineering): Authorized a $5,742,480 construction contract with Emery & Sons Construction Group. The project will replace aging equipment, improve safety and ventilation, and add backup systems at two critical sewer pump stations. Completion expected by May 2026. Adopted unanimously.
-
School Support Fee for Bend Enterprise Zone (Cyrus Mooney, Business Advocate): Adopted a resolution setting the fee at 15% of abated property taxes in years 4 and 5 of the 5-year exemption, as requested by the Bend-La Pine School District. Unanimous.
-
Intergovernmental Agreement with Deschutes County for Temporary Safe Stay Area (Amy Freely, Housing Division): Authorized an IGA for $400,000 in county funds (non-ARPA) for housing-focused case management at the Juniper Ridge temporary safe stay area. Also amended the Houseless Services Grant Program to recognize the county funds. Total program funding is approximately $3.1 million. Preliminary awards include $1.5 million to various providers for case management, shelter, and services. Unanimous.
-
Second Reading – Parking Code Update: Adopted an ordinance repealing and replacing chapters 6.20, 6.25, 6.30 with new chapters 6.20 (Parking) and 6.25 (Enforcement). Staff provided parking data: over 16,800 cars parked downtown during Thanksgiving week, with average on-street stays of 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes and turnover above 5 times per day. A comprehensive parking update is planned for February 2025. Unanimous on roll call.
-
Second Reading – Development Code Amendment (Auto-Dependent Uses): Adopted an ordinance prohibiting new auto-dependent uses in the Convenience Commercial (CC) zoning district, with clarifying amendments for approved uses. Unanimous on roll call.
Bend Urban Renewal Agency (BURA) – Immediately Following Council Regular Session
- Approved minutes from May through October 2024.
- Adopted a resolution amending the 2025–2029 Capital Improvement Program, reducing Franklin Crossing and Second Street streetscape budgets and eliminating Hawthorne Overcrossing; funds will be reallocated as new revenues develop. Unanimous.
- Adopted a resolution establishing program fees for FY 2025–2026 for new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) areas: application fee $650, document preparation fees ($3,500 staff; $6,500 consultant), development agreement fee $2,200, and annual administrative fee up to 3% (set by BURA in each agreement). Unanimous.
Key Outcomes
- The consent agenda was approved unanimously except for item D, which was pulled and later approved separately.
- All budget items (6A–6D) were adopted; Councilor Norris recused on 6B and 6D; Councilor Méndez recused on 6D.
- The UGB site selection resolution (Caldera Ranch) passed 5–1.
- All construction and design contracts (Reed Market roundabout, Olney improvements, Awbrey Glen/Westside pump stations) were approved unanimously.
- The School Support Fee resolution was adopted unanimously.
- The IGA with Deschutes County for case management was approved unanimously.
- Both second-reading ordinances were adopted by unanimous roll call votes.
- BURA resolutions were adopted unanimously.
- Councilors Barb Campbell and Anthony Broadman were recognized for their service (Campbell 10 years, Broadman 4 years). City Attorney Mary Winters was recognized for her retirement after 16 years of service. The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
All right. So I'll call to order our Ben City Council work session tonight. We have everyone present. We are going to start with a transit update from C O I Crown Bob Townsend, the new executive director, or director of transit. Okay. Bob is going to share a presentation with us of if you remember, we are operating under an intergovernmental agreement between the city and uh Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council, uh, which operates our transit through Cascade East Transit, and that agreement, one of the conditions of that agreement is that there is an annual update provided to council. So we are fulfilling that obligation tonight. But I think more importantly, with new leadership, uh, some new direction, a kind of a refocus on transit, um, leading into some changes that potentially will happen, hopefully, over the legislative session upon us, and uh, I think some other exciting news for that Bob will share. This is really just an update and an opportunity for you to engage on transit. Hopefully, it'll be more uh conversations to come. Thank you. Uh mayor counselors, thank you for uh having me here tonight again. Bob Townsend, Cascades East Transit Director. Um, as Eric mentioned, just want to give an overall, I've been calling it the State of the Union type for CET what we've been doing the last year, change in leadership with me and what we're is on the agenda for uh for next year. Certainly are looking forward to a lot of big changes um coming forward and a different perspective uh on transit in central Oregon. Um so we have a couple projects that I I certainly want to give an update uh mobility hubs and things. I want to talk about our 2025 initiatives and kind of highlight a timeline for each of them, and then certainly happy to have a more formal discussion or answer questions. Uh so just some project status updates here. Uh if you've been by Hawthorne uh lately, you know that there's been a lot of changes going on. Um actually paving today with hopefully completion of the project, you know, by uh Monday of next week, uh, but revamping how we uh do business uh at the station. So hopefully our footprint will be a little smaller uh in the community there. We won't need to use uh frontage that we've been using now. We have an additional parking lot. We've revamped our front parking lot, so most of our uh buses will be stopped either in front of our business or on our lot, so not uh on the safe way side, if you will, not in front of people's houses. Now there will be times as we're turning in and stuff, we'll certainly be using streets there, but uh, and in case of an emergency, maybe, but we should not be parked in in front of people's businesses or houses moving forward. So excited to get that done. New bus shelters out there today. Our um bike repair station was up and running, and we had our first people using it, got some photos of that, which maybe I was a little too excited about, but still uh good steps. Um, and like I said, that should be wrapped up. Well, we're still installing some cameras, electrical work, and things like that through the new year, but uh that'll be behind the scenes, but excited to have that done. Uh, mobility hubs. This has been a you know a constant uh conversation here the last few years from uh City Events TSP that includes uh substantial effort in the mobility hub uh manner, uh certainly uh ODOT and and CT supportive of the mobility hubs, and I've been working on both sides of that from my previous role to this one. A couple ones on the horizon here is the Troy Field, of course, which is uh just across the street here. Um, and that's there's two different types of hubs as we talk about it. You uh I'm sure you guys are much more familiar uh with some of the mobility hubs, micro mobility and what that means. But for our purpose, there's really two types that we're working on. We're talking about the Troy Field one, which is definitely you know serves a purpose that connects downtown with transit. At the same time, we already have four to five stops downtown. So it's more about connecting the downtown to other services, connecting to other multimodal e-bikes, those type of things. And so we look at this one as we're not running multiple buses in and out. We may have two different routes that use the same stop, but the majority of that is working with the city and managing parking. You know, how can we support that by getting more people to use the bus? And then there's the Bend North Corridor hub, which is uh piece of property located adjacent to Cooley and Business 97, right in front of Lowe's, it's where the contractor has all their equipment parked. Um, there's about three and a half acres there that we're in process of purchasing from the Oregon Department of Transportation. It'll take about a year uh for us to acquire that longer for us to get development moving forward. Uh the purpose of that hub though will be different. That will be a formal transit hub where we'll be running you know north routes out of it, it'll be connecting to our city routes and things like that. It'll be a CET-driven uh entity. Now it'll still have connections to e-bikes and other mode shift opportunities, the new trail system that's up there, the pass system, it'll certainly be connecting to there. It'll you know, have other park and ride type of features and things like that.
openpublica.com