Breaking News: UGB Proposal Approved by Steering Committee
This afternoon the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Steering Committee, which consists of the Bend City Council and representatives from the Bend Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners, approved a package of recommendations for Bend’s UGB expansion and associated growth management policies.
At the meeting, LandWatch Executive Director Paul Dewey spoke to a weakness in the UGB process which is its blind spot for affordable housing. Land Use Goal 10 requires a range of housing for a range of different incomes, but does not require below market rate affordable housing. In order to help Bend’s affordable housing crisis, Paul supported several landowner proposals to include lands with significant deed-restricted affordable housing.
The USC unanimously approved Expansion Scenario 2.1E (shown below) with several additional properties which will be required to provide drafts of deed-restricted affordable housing proposals before UGB approval. The next step for the UGB is public hearings and approval by the Bend City Council.