​The City Council is holding  a virtual work session on September 16, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. to review Bend Development Code amendments for micro-unit developments.
 
Attendance instructions will be posted on the Council agenda at www.bendoregon.gov/councilagenda prior to the meeting. The work session issue summary, proposed amendments, and public comments are also posted on the agenda.

As noted in the previous post below, the Planning Commission and City Council will consider an update to the Bend Development Code that includes a new chapter on development alternatives, including small dwelling unit developments, zero lot line developments, and micro unit developments. Micro units (more commonly called single room occupancy or SRO units) have prompted some controversy due to their history in other cities.

The NLA (Neighborhood Leadership Alliance, a standing committee reporting to the CIty Council) has submitted comments on the proposal to the Planning Commission, which will hold a public hearing on Monday, Aug. 24th at 5:30 pm (see the previous post for details).

​The following document contains the NLA comments and the results of a survey on  micro units which was responded to by 284 members of the neighborhood associations. About two-thirds of the respondents were opposed to allowing micro units.

The Planning Commission will hold a hearing at its regular meeting at 5:30 pm on Monday, August 24th regarding two code update packages. The hearings will be held via a virtual meeting platform.

​For more information about how to submit written comments, see the attached notices.

To listen to or participate in the meeting, click here. Then scroll down to "Upcoming Events" and click on the "Agenda" for Aug. 24th. (Agendas are generally posted during the preceding week.) Details will be at the top of the agenda.

The draft code update documents are attached below, following each of the notices.

Among many code changes, the first package conforms Bend's development code to a new state law requiring that cities allow duplexes and triplexes in all residential zones where single family homes are allowed. They will now be permitted on 4,000 s.f. lots in RS zones. (A later update will address fourplexes, which the state also now requires.)

The major addition to the code is a new Chapter 3.8, called Development Alternatives, which begins on page 33. It addresses the following types of housing:

• Micro-Unit developments (also called SROs) (new)
• Small Dwelling Unit developments (including lots of 1,500–3,999 s.f) (new)
• Infill developments (Shared Lanes & Mid-block Lanes, Flag-lots, T-courts, and Shared Courts) (revised)
• Cottage Housing developments (relocated from another chapter)
• Courtyard Housing developments (relocated from another chapter, plus revisions)
• Zero Lot Line developments (new)
• Urban Dwelling Sites (new) (this is the subject of the 2nd notice and document attached below)

A public hearing will be held before the Planning Commission as the first step toward adoption of the City's new Transportation System Plan. The hearing will be conducted over two evenings, beginning at 5:30 pm on Monday, July 27th and Tuesday, July 28th using an online platform. For more details on participating in the meeting or submitting written comments, see the attached notice.

For more information on the public hearings, see:  Transportation Plan Website
 
For a 15-minute recorded overview of the Transportation Plan, please go here:  Bend's New Transportation Plan Presentation (Video)
 
For a PowerPoint overview of the Transportation Plan, please click here:  Overview of Bend’s New Transportation Plan (Summary Presentation)
 
To review the draft Transportation Plan, please go here:  Draft Transportation Plan

Written comments can be sent to:  kswirsky@bendoregon.gov.

West Bend Property Company previously received approval for a 3-building mixed use development on the northwest corner of the roundabout at Mt. Washington Dr. & Crossing Dr. The project is under construction at this time.

The developers are asking to remove the planned stacked-parking system within the 33-unit multifamily residential building.  They also want to eliminate 22 parking spaces, reducing the approved 129 spaces to 107.

In addition, they want to remove a vegetated cover over part of a surface parking lot, and decrease the site landscaping from the required minimum of 15% to 11.4%.

​Written comments must be received or postmarked by Wednesday, July 22, 2020. See the attached notice for contact details and other information.

(Note: this property is in River West Neighborhood Association, rather than Summit West; SWNA received notice because the property is adjacent to the boundary of SWNA. Residents who live on the south side of Troon Ave may be interested in this application. Under a new state law and under city code, triplexes are allowed on single family lots.)

The  deadline for written comments is July 6th. Please see the attached notice for contact details.

The owner of 1828 SW Knoll Ave in the Overturf Butte subdivision is proposing to create a triplex by adding two new units on a property with an existing single family home.

The property is located on the south side of Overturf Butte and north of Simpson Ave, on the north side of Knoll Ave. There is an existing two-story, 1,408 square foot single family dwelling. The proposed building location is in front of the existing home, nearer the street, in an area of clearing with the least amount of slope.

The application is for the addition of a 1,723 square foot, two-story, two-unit dwelling structure. The proposed two-story, two-unit dwelling will comprise a single-story west unit that has 827 sq. ft. of living space, 60.6 sq. ft. of storage, and 179 sq. ft. of porch & deck. The two-story east unit has 859 sq. ft. of living space, 60 sq. ft. of storage, and 190 sq. ft. of porch & deck. 

An application for a variance has been submitted for a new home in Phase 1 of the Discovery West development. The variance would decrease the required side yard setback from 10' to 7'6" on each side.

Please see the attached notice for details on how to submit comments, which must be received by June 9th.

A land division application has been submitted for part of the Anderson Ranch property west of Skyline Ranch Road and south of Shevlin Meadow Drive. Located within the Treeline Master Plan previously approved by the City, this will create 65 single family lots, including 12 townhomes, on 28 acres.

The deadline for written comments is May 21st.  See the notice below for contact details.