Bend City Council Business Meeting – July 15, 2026
Bend City Council Business Meeting – July 15, 2026
The Bend City Council held a business meeting on July 15, 2026, covering a range of topics including a shared framework with BPRD, councilor reports, public comments on privacy and youth programs, a consent agenda item on an owner's representation contract, continued deliberation on the Cavity Master Plan, a public hearing on the Bend Central District Economic Improvement District (EID) where objections exceeded the 33% threshold leading to termination, adoption of a resolution for extended enterprise zone tax abatements, approval of an intergovernmental agreement for transit bond funds, and a second reading of an annexation ordinance. The meeting also included discussion on financial tools to support the Legacy Village development.
Consent Calendar
- Approved consent agenda except Item D.
- Item D: Professional services contract with Consor North America Inc. for owner's representation for the only and reviewer intersections project (progressive design build) in an amount not to exceed $1,155,306. Councilor Franzosa questioned the need and cost; staff explained it protects the city due to the alternative delivery method. Approved with one opposed (Councilor Franzosa).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michael Baker (CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Oregon): Reported summer program capacity and gold card ceremony, noting 67 children have attended 105 days (up from 38 last year). Encouraged referrals for families in need.
- Jonathan Westmoreland (Bend Privacy Alliance): Expressed concerns about privacy and cybersecurity in city systems (e.g., water meters, cloud software). Requested a standard privacy process for technology procurement, stating granular utility data can reveal household patterns. Thanked staff for engaging but emphasized the need for clear rules.
Councilor Reports and Updates
- Councilor Franzosa: Attended Warm Springs tribal council meeting (June 30) and Central Oregon Villages open house. Highlighted shared water resource concerns and need for community support for the Villages' move.
- Councilor Riley: Attended Paiute Shah Treaty Day celebration. Expressed dismay over recent ICE activity and killings of immigrants in Maine and Texas; noted fear in the community and called for support.
- Councilor Perkins: League of Oregon Cities Energy and Environment Committee voted to support a feasibility study on nuclear energy (small modular reactors). Homeless Leadership Coalition finalized a strategic framework. Bend Economic Development Advisory Board unanimously approved enterprise zone recommendation.
- Councilor Norris: Echoed comments on Warm Springs trip (importance of stewardship) and immigration enforcement concerns, referencing the Latino Community Association.
- Councilor Platt: Rode with police, EMS, and camping code enforcement; praised empathy of providers. Met with Bend-La Pine schools on growth planning. Highlighted Bend Climate Coalition events.
- Mayor Keebler: COCO water meeting with legislators and tribal partners; supported bill to extend sunset on mitigation program. Received flag from Warm Springs tribes. Emphasized impacts of immigration enforcement and resources through Latino Community Association and Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition.
Discussion Items
Shared Framework with BPRD
- City Manager Eric presented a draft framework document to guide city-parks cooperation on property tax exemptions and SDC exemptions. Developed over several meetings with small leadership group. Council to provide feedback; resolution planned for August agenda. Similar effort with school district underway.
Cavity Master Plan (First Reading of Ordinance)
- Continued deliberation on amendment to Bend Development Code for a 45-acre major community master plan. Planner Nicholas Lenar presented revised findings supporting deviations (e.g., 3,100 linear foot block perimeter) and open space composition: 4.53 acres required, 4.11 provided outside canal easement, 0.42 within. Council condition: multi-use path alignment to be lined up. Motion passed unanimously.
Bend Central District Economic Improvement District (EID) – Public Hearing
- Staff Sarah Smooney reported: city received written objections from owners representing 59% of commercial square footage (exceeding 33% threshold), so assessments cannot be levied and project must terminate. Public comment:
- James Floyd (property owner): Opposed; praised end of process; criticized city’s sound system.
- Jack Holt (property owner): Process was good; market message clear; cautioned against adding taxes.
- Megan Martin (Furnish Hope): Opposed; would burden nonprofit; their own beautification plans.
- Randy Woodlinks (property owner): 943,457 square feet objected; criticized city and BCDBA for not gauging opposition earlier.
- Council discussion: Mayor noted value of conversation started; encouraged continued engagement. Motion to certify objections, terminate project, and direct staff to prepare ordinance rescinding EID. Unanimous.
Enterprise Zone Extended Tax Abatement Resolution
- Staff Katie Brooks and Cyrus Smooney presented resolution to allow up to 10-year property tax abatements (extended from 5-year max) for eligible businesses per HB 4084. Requires council approval on case-by-case basis. School support fee (15%) applies in years 4-10. Moratorium on data centers. Councilor Riley proposed amendment to recital language focusing on job/income growth and supporting local businesses. Resolution approved as amended unanimously.
Intergovernmental Agreement with COIC for Transit Bond Funds
- Approved IGA to allocate up to $8 million from 2020 Go Bond for transit supportive and transit enhancing capital projects, with initial $1 million transfer. Supports bus stop improvements, micro-mobility hubs, and hub-and-spoke model. Motion passed unanimously. Council thanked outgoing CET manager Bob Townsend for his service.
Annexation Ordinance (Second Reading)
- Councilor Norris recused due to financial impact on employer (Hayden Homes). Second reading and adoption of ordinance annexing 10 acres in Southeast Urban Growth Boundary expansion area and assigning Sign District 5. Roll call vote: all in favor (Norris recused).
City Manager’s Report – Legacy Village Financial Tools
- Russ Grayson (COO) presented letter from Hayden Homes requesting exploration of financial tools: local improvement district (LID), reimbursement district, supplemental SDCs, and potential city construction of a roundabout at ReMarket/27th. Staff seeking council direction. Council expressed interest in exploring options, with concerns about equity and impacts on other CIP projects. Staff will bring back options, likely with CIP update in September.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved with Item D passed (1 opposed).
- Cavity Master Plan first reading approved with condition.
- EID terminated due to sufficient objections; ordinance to rescind directed.
- Enterprise Zone resolution adopted as amended.
- IGA with COIC for transit funds approved.
- Annexation ordinance adopted.
- Staff directed to explore financial tools for Legacy Village and report back.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, the Benn City Council will now meet an executive session pursuant to RS one nine two six six zero two E to conduct deliberations with persons designated to negotiate real property transactions. Representatives of the news media and designated staff shall be allowed to attend the executive session. Representatives of the news media are specifically directed not to report on any of the deliberations during the executive session, except to state the general subject of the session is previously announced. No decision may be made in an executive session. At the end of the executive session, we will return to open session. Thanks. All right, so we are going to go ahead and begin our business meeting for the evening for our city council with a roll call. Let's go from your end, Council Rayleigh. Mike Ryder, EM. Megan Perkins, she, her. Melanie Keebler, she, her. Megan Norris, she, her. Steve Platt, E him. Gina Franzosa, she her. Thank you. And Councilor Mendes's excuse tonight. Um, so we're gonna get into good of the order. We do not have any proclamations tonight. First up is going to be just um a reminder of our shared framework with BPRD. Eric, did you want to talk about that just a little bit? Yeah, email to council, a document that we've been working on with the leadership with Ben Parks and Recreation Board. We meet on a monthly basis. And based on, I think some just challenges over the last couple of months in agreeing to property tax exemptions, some challenges with SDC exemptions. We had a joint meeting a while back. We said let's let's uh think a little bit bigger picture about how we approach this relationship and create a document really meant for elected to elected board uh to uh have us or to create sideboards for staff then to develop more specific uh program tools, uh approaches that would result in ultimately a renewed intergovernmental agreement between the two agencies. So I just wanted to make sure that you all have seen that if you have comments about that document, please just send me those uh comments and then our plan is if there's not really much in terms of changes that we need, I will move right forward. I'll move forward to putting that on your agenda for meeting in August, and that would just be in the form of a resolution that would support that framework. The park board is going to do the same thing that kind of just formalizes the ask. So just wanted to make sure that you saw it, give me some feedback, and then if we feel like we're getting a substantive enough feedback, we might need an intervening work session or agenda item to talk about it. Yeah, and we discussed this over several meetings this year with that small leadership group, and we did try to wordsmith it pretty hard. So um, yeah, I would encourage if you have substantive comments, make sure we know about those. If it's just wordsmithing, you know, that's maybe minor, and we can keep moving forward. And just we're also working on a very similar effort with the school district as well. So yeah, we're at the beginning stage of that. Yeah, we'll behind. All right, thank you. Um okay, that moves us to council action and reports. Um, we did not have any letters um at this point, and then um we do have one appointment. We have um a member who was moved from alternate to the HREC, but needs a little more time, I think, to get familiar and wanted to go back to the alternate status. So we're moving another alternate up. Um so that's what you'll see that Morgan Farnall will be a voting member in uh Navi Hughes and back to alternate. So look for a motion to approve that appointment. Move to approve that appointment. Sorry. All right, move by uh Council Perkins, second by counselor Riley. All those in favor? Aye, aye. Um and then that gets us to councillor reports. Counselor Francis, you want to start us off? Yeah.
openpublica.com