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The City of Bend seeks community feedback to guide priorities and direction for the next two years. People in Bend may receive a call or a text in early December asking participants to answer questions about the City and City services. Phone calls and texts requesting survey participation will begin December 1.
The community survey intends to get a sense of how Bend residents perceive City services and to assess what City services the community prioritizes. The phone survey should take about 10 minutes. Community participation will help the City set priorities and will be presented to the Bend City Council as they embark on their next round of biennial goal setting. Also, for those who don’t get randomly chosen for a call on a cell phone or a landline, the City will launch a similar online Community Survey on December 12 so everyone can have an opportunity to provide input. The online survey will be available in English and Spanish. Online survey results will complement the representative phone survey and will also be shared with the Council. Watch bendoregon.gov for the online survey later in December. PDF Press Release
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We’ve seen a huge increase in the number of e-bikes on the roads! We recognize e-bikes can be useful and fun. However, we want to make sure the community knows the rules that apply to them.
In Oregon, e-bikes are not legal for kids under 16 to ride. We’re seeing a lot of kids zooming around on them, and it’s important for parents to know that this is illegal. Kids under the age of 16 usually don’t have experience driving and may not know all the “rules of the road.” Specifically, we’re seeing kids riding against the flow of traffic on the wrong side of the road, not using correct hand signals to alert drivers to their intended route of travel, and improperly using sidewalks or crossing roads. These mistakes are exceptionally dangerous as drivers could be unable to see the e-bike and rider, expect them to be traveling at lower speeds than they are, or fail to anticipate the bicyclist's route of travel – leading to an accident. The speed at which e-bikes are traveling may be illegal. In Oregon, e-bikes are generally supposed to top out at 20 mph, but we often see e-bikes bombing past traffic at dangerous speeds. Slower speeds can help decrease the likelihood of an accident. If an accident occurs and a car is damaged or someone is injured and it’s the bike’s fault, the bicyclist would be held liable. Additionally, e-bikes that go faster than 20 mph may be considered a moped or a motorcycle, which would require a license, registration and insurance. We recommend bicyclists wear helmets, and please remember that bicyclists under the age of 16 are required to wear them. We have seen many accidents involving e-bikes, and with school back in session and many students riding to school, we worry this could increase. A helmet can do wonders to protect e-bike riders from suffering a life-altering injury. Head trauma is the most common injury and the leading cause of death and disability in accidents involving bikes. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of death or injury and reduce the severity of the injury in the event of an accident. E-bikes are not legal to ride on sidewalks. Regular bicycles are allowed on sidewalks, but e-bikes are not. Cycling on sidewalks may pose danger to bicyclists, pedestrians, and even drivers. Cars tend to look at bike lanes and roads for cyclists, and don’t see them or expect them to be on the sidewalks, increasing accidents. Pedestrians move much slower and are often unprepared for faster-moving bikes. Only e-bikes built for passengers should carry them. Specialized cargo bicycles and cargo e-bicycles can carry multiple kids or larger, heavier loads. A person can carry passengers on an e-bike if it is designed and safely equipped for passengers. Additionally, passengers should be aware of distracting or endangering the operator of the e-bike, and operators should keep passenger safety in mind. It’s great to see people having so much fun on e-bikes - we just want everyone in Bend to be safe. We have growing concerns that someone could be injured or killed from improperly using e-bikes, and we don’t want to wait for that to happen – we want to be proactive and ensure people know the rules and know how to keep themselves and their kids safe. If your family owns an electric bike, help us by prioritizing e-bike safety in your own home! PROJECT UPDATE
The City of Bend is committed to protecting the quality, safety, and long-term supplies of our water. The Awbrey Butte Waterline Improvement Project was prioritized as a critical project based on the ability to meet current and future capacity demand, upgrade existing aging and undersized pipes, improve west to east conveyance and increase flows for fire suppression. The project will improve Bend’s water delivery and increase the system’s resiliency and reliability by updating approximately 4.25 miles of water pipeline. Over the upcoming months, survey crews will be conducting land surveying throughout the project area. Crews will capture the existing topography, roadway and surface features as the starting point for the design of the waterline. These activities will primarily be done along the sides of roadways and the edges of the right-of-way with minimal impacts on traffic and residential access. Some surveying may be necessary within roadways. During these times, please be aware of cones, survey trucks and road signs that may be placed to notify drivers and cyclists of obstructions ahead. For the safety of the workers, please drive cautiously in these areas. Project Schedule The first phase of work, the design of the project, began in August 2022. Design for the entire project will extend through late 2023. Construction will occur in two phases and is expected to begin in summer 2023 and continue through the end of 2024.
Project Map – subject to change Additional information and subproject details for the Awbrey Butte Waterline Improvement Project can be found at bendoregon.gov/awbrey-waterline. PROJECT COMMUNICATIONS
A memo from Nadine McCrindle, Red Cross Executive Director for the Central & Eastern Oregon Chapter:
With a significant increase in wildfire risk around the state of Oregon underway, I wanted to give you a brief update on the activities of the Red Cross Cascades Region. In collaboration with local governments and community partners we currently have one emergency shelter open, supporting the Van Meter fire burning in Klamath County. With this weekend’s increase in wind and the concern of wildfire expansion, we are in close communication with local emergency managers to identify where additional support may be needed. The Cascades Region has been supporting wildfire disaster responses for several weeks already with trained Red Cross volunteers assisting with the Rum Creek, Cedar Creek, Van Meter and McKinney fires so far this month. Conditions with wildfires change rapidly and we encourage all Oregonians to be prepared to evacuate. You can encourage your constituents to download the Red Cross Emergency app for real-time alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and expert advice on wildfires. Be sure to follow our social media for real-time updates and preparedness tips. · Facebook @RedCrossCascades · Twitter @RedCrossCasc · Instagram @RedCrossCascades OSU’s Sustainable Tourism Lab has embarked on a 5-year research project to better understand community sentiment towards tourism. Here is a quick story about it on KTVZ
The goal of this survey is to ensure that the voices from all of Bend's neighborhoods are represented and heard. Please participate through the following QR CODE Bend City Councilors declared two Council vacancies at their May 18 meeting, triggering a selection process that is open to community members interested in being appointed to the Bend City Council for the remainder of this year. In separate announcements, Mayor Sally Russell and Councilor Rita Schenkelberg publicized that they both were resigning and that the May 18 Council meeting would be their final meeting.
During the May 18 meeting, Councilors appointed Mayor Pro-Tem Gena Goodman-Campbell as the new Mayor. Councilors then chose Anthony Broadman to serve as the new Mayor Pro-Tem. Goodman-Campbell will complete Russell’s Mayoral term (Council Position 7) which expires the end of 2022. The move into the seat of Mayor created one vacancy for Goodman-Campbell’s seat, (Council Position 5), which also expires in 2022. The other vacancy is for Schenkelberg’s seat, (Council Position 4). Both appointees will serve on the Council for the rest of 2022. Both Council positions will be on the ballot for the general election in November, at which time both seats need to be filled by election. The appointees will serve on the Council until the newly elected Councilors take office on January 4, 2023. The person elected by voters into Schenkelberg’s seat will serve out the remaining two years of Schenkelberg’s term instead of a typical four-year term. Community members interested in being appointed can apply at www.bendoregon.gov/council-application found at www.bendoregon.gov/citycouncil between May 19 and June 1. Appointees must be registered to vote in Oregon and must have resided in the city continuously during the twelve months immediately preceding the appointment. If more than 10 people apply for the vacancies, a subcommittee of councilors (Anthony Broadman, Melanie Kebler and Megan Perkins) will convene to review the applications and suggest candidates for interviews. If fewer than 10 people apply, the whole Council will interview all applicants. Councilors will hold special public meetings in early June to conduct interviews. (Watch www.bendoregon.gov/councilagenda for meeting information.) The City’s Charter says a vacancy in the council shall be filled within 30 days by appointment by the council but if the council does not fill the vacancy by an appointment within 30 days, then the vacancy gets filled at the next election, which would be in November. For more detail, section 21 of the Bend Charter and section 9 of the City Council Rules explain the requirements associated with the process to fill vacancies. More information about the 2022 Council elections can be found here. Last week, two in-person Town Hall meetings were held on the topic of Houseless Strategies and the proposed Shelter Code amendments to the Bend Development Code. These events were held at Caldera High School with 160 people in attendance on Monday, April 25th and 134 people in attendance on Wednesday, April 27th. You may have attended, or at least viewed news articles or segments on TV. If you missed these in-person events, we are pleased to let you know they were recorded, and you may view them on YouTube. Please click HERE to be taken to the recordings.
The topic refers to many terms that some of us may not be used to hearing. If you need to reference a glossary, you can find one HERE. If you missed the articles/editorials, here are links to view: https://centraloregondaily.com/%E2%96%B6%EF%B8%8F-homelessness-in-bend-forefront-of-a-town-hall-meeting/ https://www.bendbulletin.com/homeless/town-hall-on-bends-proposed-shelter-codes-draws-questions-concerns/article_611e993c-c5ba-11ec-b309-ef76ed7241bd.html https://www.bendbulletin.com/opinion/editorial-should-24-7-onsite-management-be-required-at-homeless-shelters-in-bend/article_e29124ca-c719-11ec-9db3-53f89dfa7f77.html https://www.bendbulletin.com/opinion/editorial-maybe-state-government-should-take-a-hard-look-at-patti-adairs-idea/article_7f06acac-c7de-11ec-a4dd-dfa27afeca54.html And finally, if you would like to participate further, the Council will hold a Public Hearing this Wednesday evening. The work session begins at 5:00PM, and the regular meeting begins at 7:00PM (where the topic of Shelter Code amendments will be discussed). The meeting will be held at 555 NE 15th Street, Bend. This is an in-person and virtual event - in person attendance will be limited. You may find the council agenda here. To submit comments, send emails to Pauline Hardie, phardie@bendoregon.gov. You must include the project number: PLTEXT20210835, and email a copy to Council at council@bendoregon.gov. Virtual attendees will need to register to receive the link to the meeting. Registration link: https://bendoregon-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VZ2uCXCpQzWbSNC5Mj6Dog After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Join by phone, toll-charges may apply: 1-888-788-0099 or 1-253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 846 9347 8450 Thank you for participating in this important discussion and plan for our community. City of Bend to host open house on Wilson Avenue and 15th Street improvements
The City of Bend will host an open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, at the Larkspur Community Center, located at 1600 SE Reed Market Road. The event will include information on the upcoming construction of the 15th Street and Wilson Avenue roundabout and design plans between Ninth Street and 15th Street. The design consultants, construction team, and City staff will be available to answer questions. Roundabout construction is anticipated to begin in early summer of 2022. The improvements are part of the Wilson Avenue Corridor Project, a multi-phase modernization project that will improve safety and east-west connectivity for all users along Wilson Avenue from Second Street to 15th Street. The Wilson Avenue Corridor Project is the first Transportation General Obligation Bond project approved by voters in 2020. Community members can access open house materials online at bendoregon.gov/wilson. Bend residents have been clamoring for an opportunity to discuss the new shelter code changes in a forum that allows them to hear the facts and ask questions. In response, Bend residents, collectively, are hosting Town Hall Meetings with panelists. Please see attached invitations for further details: April 25th Invitation
April 27th Invitation Please come out and help support the community as we discuss this important issue! At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6, the Bend City Council will hold a work session on proposed code amendments that will increase the availability of shelter beds by providing updated standards for group, multi-room and outdoor shelters. This work session is an opportunity for Council and the community to review the proposed code and hear the recommendations from the Bend Planning Commission. Work sessions do not include a public comment opportunity.
The proposed “Shelter Code,” was first developed by the City manager-appointed Sounding Board to House Our Neighbors to define standards for where and how development of different types of shelters and transitional options can take place in Bend. The proposed code includes recommendations for three types of permanent shelters, as well as two types of temporary shelters. In February and March, the Bend Planning Commission reviewed the proposed Shelter Code and deliberated changes based on community input. The Commission’s recommendations will now move on to City Council for consideration. To view the most recent draft of the proposed Shelter Code amendments and for information on accessing the work session, visit the Shelter Code Changes webpage. Review the Shelter Code Quick Reference for further background on these amendments, including what changes the Commission recommended and answers to frequently asked questions. Following the work session, City Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on May 4. The public hearing will provide community members an opportunity to provide public comments on the proposed code. Visit the City Council Agenda webpage for information on how to attend the public hearing. The proposed code amendments are one part of a comprehensive set of strategies identified by the City and community partners that include finding ways to keep people in their homes, providing temporary transitional housing, and increasing the availability of affordable housing in Bend, including shelter beds. City Council’s 2021-2023 biennium goals include a Housing goal to “Create housing or facilities to house 500 homeless individuals on a temporary or permanent basis.” Accommodation Information for People with Disabilities To obtain this information in an alternate format such as Braille, large print, electronic formats, etc. please contact Joshua Romero at jromero@bendoregon.gov or (541) 693-2185. proposed_shelter_code_amendments.pdf |
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