Bend City Council Business Meeting – October 7, 2026

On October 7, 2026, the Bend City Council held a 5:00 p.m. executive session followed by a 6:00 p.m. business meeting in Council Chambers at Bend City Hall, 710 NW Wall St. The executive session was held under ORS 192.660(2)(h) to consult with legal counsel about litigation and ORS 192.660(2)(e) to discuss real property negotiations; no decisions were made in executive session. Mayor Melanie Kebler presided, with Mayor Pro Tem Megan Perkins and Councilors Ariel Mendez, Mike Riley, Megan Norris, and Steve Platt present; Councilor Gina Franzosa was excused. The Council issued the Lights Out for Bird Migration proclamation, heard public comment about Sunday transit, approved the consent agenda, adopted a Southeast Area supplemental transportation system development charge (SDC), reestablished the Century West Neighborhood District, adopted two ordinance amendments, and received the city manager's report.

Proclamation and Council Action & Reports

• Councilor Platt read a proclamation declaring Lights Out Bend, noting that Oregon has the sixth-highest bird species total in the United States, more than one billion birds die annually from building collisions, North America's bird population has declined by 30% since the 1970s, and the Lights Out program has been shown to reduce bird mortality by 70%. The Council accepted the proclamation unanimously.
• Molly Honia of Think Wild, Bend's Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Center, expressed support and said Think Wild has admitted more than 400 birds due to window strikes since 2021, including 91 this year across 38 species.
• Barb Rumer of the East Cascade Bird Alliance and Bend Night Sky Alliance expressed support and noted that 15 community organizations co-signed the Lights Out initiative.
• The Mayor reported that the Council was joining a U.S. Conference of Mayors letter to protect Head Start programs and submitting a comment to HUD to protect proven methods of serving people experiencing homelessness.
• The Council unanimously appointed Wayne Moter as an alternate to voting member on the Environment & Climate Committee.
• Council reports highlighted Habitat for Humanity's affordable housing groundbreaking, police and airport updates, climate action partner grants, the Children's Museum (24,000 people served since 2024; planned 6,000 sq ft indoor and 3,000 sq ft outdoor space), the small business assistance grant program ($130,000 available, with 77 applications requesting $2.1 million), Welcoming Week, NAMI Central Oregon's suicide prevention event and the 988 crisis line, an accessibility walk-and-roll tour with about 40 participants, a Central Oregon Builders Association development tour, and plans for a joint city-county meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joyce Nichols, a Bend resident who is partially blind, asked the City to fund Sunday Dial-A-Ride service. She said Cascades East Transit canceled Sunday Dial-A-Ride on September 6 due to budget shortfalls, that the service costs about $2,000 per Sunday, and that disabled riders need it to reach churches, jobs, and community. She said she counted 10 churches served by the bus route and described losing the service as isolating and harmful to mental well-being. No other public commenters were present.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the consent agenda unanimously. It included:
  • Meeting minutes from the 08/31/2026 Developer Round Table and the 09/02/2026 Business Meeting
  • A brand name exemption determination for APG-Neuros Turbo Blowers for the Turbo Blower No. 6 Project
  • A Bend Enterprise Zone property tax exemption agreement with Lonza Bend Inc. for new capital investment for up to ten years
  • An Owner's Representative contract with DOWL, LLC for the Reed Market Bridge Project not to exceed $999,884.50
  • An amendment to Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan R14529 with Oregon DEQ, increasing the loan by $300,000 to a total not to exceed $2,000,000
  • A construction contract with Deschutes Construction Corporation for the Central Oregon Villages Site Preparation Project not to exceed $299,184
  • Amendment No. 2 to the Intermediate Construction Contract with Central Service, Inc. for the 1st Street Fueling Station Decommissioning Project, increasing the not-to-exceed amount by $16,860

Discussion Items

• Southeast Area Supplemental Transportation SDC Public Hearing:

  • Councilor Mendez declared an actual conflict because the item would have a financial impact on his employer, Hayden Homes, and did not participate in the discussion or vote.
  • Staff said the supplemental SDC was requested by property owners and developers working with the Central Oregon Builders Association. The Southeast Area Plan includes approximately 122 acres of residential land, 103 acres of employment land, and 67 acres of commercial land.
  • The identified project costs total $13.33 million, up from the previously shared $11 million amount, and include a $4 million roundabout at 27th and Caldera, a $2.5 million internal roundabout, and a $6.83 million road improvement whose outside half is covered by the citywide transportation SDC.
  • The methodology results in a fee of $3,323 per PM peak-hour trip, plus compliance and administrative costs, for a total of $3,389 per PM peak-hour trip. The fee does not overlap with the existing citywide transportation SDC and would be adjusted annually for inflation.
  • Councilor Riley noted that the development community was asking for the supplemental SDC despite a roughly 30% increase in SDCs and said he was for it, describing it as the cost of development. Staff noted the fee helps developers avoid paying for major improvements as an initial capital outlay and instead pay as permits are pulled.
  • Councilor Mendez asked whether the methodology could be amended later; staff said amendments are possible but would require the same notice process, and outside funding sources must be accounted for and could require reducing the fee. Mendez also questioned the use of PM peak-hour trips as the basis for traffic modeling; staff said that approach follows current adopted plans and could be revisited in the Transportation System Plan and the Bend Made comprehensive plan process.
  • An email of questions from an adjoining neighborhood HOA arrived about 30 to 40 minutes before the meeting and had not been fully reviewed; staff said it appeared the project list and fee table were substantively correct.
  • No one signed up to speak at the hearing. The Council adopted the resolution on a motion by Councilor Riley, seconded by Councilor Platt.

• Century West Neighborhood District:

  • Staff introduced the community effort led by Jenny Sutton to reestablish the Century West Neighborhood District. The district has created bylaws and identified new board members, including an operating chair and a land use chair, and planned to participate in the neighborhood round table on Monday, October 12. The Council adopted the resolution reestablishing the district unanimously.

• Real Estate Contract Ratification:

  • The Council ratified the vacant land real estate sale contract dated July 15, 2026, with Brian and Mindy Howe for 530 Southeast 3rd Street in the amount of $1.2 million, authorized a 30-day extension of the due diligence period, and directed staff to take steps necessary to close the purchase without further Council approval. The motion was made by Councilor Riley, seconded by Councilor Platt, and approved unanimously.

• Second Reading: BMC Chapter 12.10 SDC Ordinance:

  • The Council approved the second reading and adoption of the ordinance amending Bend Municipal Code Chapter 12.10, System Development Charges, on a 6-0 roll call vote.

• Second Reading: BMC Chapter 9.50 Signs Ordinance:

  • The Council approved the second reading and adoption of the sign code amendment on a roll call vote; Mayor Pro Tem Perkins voted no. The Mayor said she voted yes because there were four votes in support.

• City Manager's Report:

  • The city manager reported that the Franklin underpass site is active, several sewer and waterline projects are wrapping up for the winter, and striping is planned as weather allows.
  • On traffic diverters, he said the pilot program is about six months into a two-year project. The Lava Avenue and Delaware Avenue intersection has drawn the most comments, including concerns about safety, cut-through traffic using alleys, and vehicles driving over curbs or ADA ramps. Staff recommended evaluating conversion of the diverter to a small traffic circle, with keeping or removing it as other options. A change would likely occur in early 2027 after neighborhood engagement. One councilor suggested removing it now and returning later with a new solution, and staff was open to working with the neighborhood on that approach.
  • The neighborhood round table is scheduled for Monday, October 12, at OSU-Cascades Ray Hall at 5:30 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Accepted the Lights Out for Bird Migration proclamation.
• Appointed Wayne Moter to the Environment & Climate Committee.
• Approved the consent agenda.
• Adopted the Southeast Area supplemental transportation SDC resolution; Councilor Mendez recused.
• Reestablished the Century West Neighborhood District.
• Ratified the 530 SE 3rd Street sale contract and authorized a 30-day due diligence extension.
• Adopted the BMC Chapter 12.10 SDC ordinance, 6-0.
• Adopted the BMC Chapter 9.50 Signs ordinance; Mayor Pro Tem Perkins voted no.
• Directed staff to evaluate the Lava/Delaware traffic diverter and engage the neighborhood before changing it.