WHAT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION?

At our first membership meeting on May 24, we handed out the following FAQs - please enjoy and let us know of any questions:

Why become active in our Summit West Neighborhood Association in Bend?
In some senses, you already ARE.  If you own property or a business within our boundaries, Summit West Neighborhood Association is your Neighborhood Association as recognized by the City of Bend.  If you live in Summit West, you are represented by the Association, so we encourage you to join!
So what IS a Neighborhood Association?
According to the City website, Neighborhood Associations exist to “provide residents the opportunity to help shape the future of their neighborhood and the City…. Neighborhood Associations maintain and improve the quality of life in the city, increase citizen participation in local decision making, and form an effective partnership between the city and neighborhood residents. At this time there are 13 Neighborhood Associations that are recognized by the Bend City Council.”
So a Neighborhood Association is a form of HOA?
No!  We are not an HOA.  We do not develop or enforce ANY rules.  We do not charge fees.  We are a conduit to the City and a partner to help shape city policies. 
What’s so special about Neighborhood Associations and Land Use in Bend?
The City’s Development Code states that Neighborhood Association members MUST be included in decisions being made about proposed land use changes within the borders of an association.
Applicants for zoning changes, conditional use permits, subdivision of lands and other activities are required to make a presentation at a publicly noticed meeting with the affected neighborhood. According to the Development Code, presentations must include a map of the affected area, a visual description of a proposed project, notification of any expected impacts of the project and efforts to mitigate those impacts.
At Summit West, we are posting all received Land Use notices on our website as a service to the association.  Please go to https://www.bendsummitwest.org/land-use-notices to review the notices.  You can also sign up for an RSS feed to this page.
OK, so the Neighborhood Association represents us to the City and publishes information about Land Use within our neighborhood.  What else does our Neighborhood Association do for us?
Lots - so please join us!  We welcome your skills and time to make us better! 

• We post relevant city news on our news page (also RSS enabled) on this page that you are viewing   (Feel free to send us tips!)
  
• We are organizing to help create a network for disaster preparedness (want to help?)
• We are looking at creating a neighborhood welcome packet for new residents (want to help?)
• We will be holding meetings of the membership at least annually with guests like the Mayor, City Manager, and others
• We will collect information on our website to enable membership and to share concerns.  You may also share any City concerns by emailing us at bendsummitwest@gmail.com
  
• We hope to publish an occasional newsletter (likely twice a year)