What’s next for Southeast Bend?
The Southeast Area is the next UGB expansion area to take steps toward development. Last week, the Bend City Council approved the Southeast Area Plan, which will guide development on 479 acres southeast of Bend’s current city limits.
The plan will provide land for a complete neighborhood with an estimated 1,230 new dwellings, 2,800 jobs, retail and commercial space, a neighborhood park, an elementary school, and the roads and infrastructure to support them. The Southeast Area was one of about 10 Expansion Areas that were added to Bend’s Urban Growth Boundary in 2016 through an extensive public process.
What is a "complete neighborhood”? The term refers to a housing area that meets the needs of people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. This means safe and convenient access to goods and services - like grocery stores, quality public schools, open space - and accessible transportation options.
How do Oregon cities grow?
You have probably heard of Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs), but do you know the rest of the process that cities use to plan for growth?
Oregon’s statewide land use planning system provides a framework for sustainable and well-planned growth. The path required to convert natural land into roads and buildings is set out in State land use law and follows the 19 Goals.
Step-by-step, cities in Oregon must:
Identify how many more housing units, commercial spaces, and industrial facilities will be needed based on projected population growth 20 years into the future.
Expand capacity within an existing Urban Growth Boundary. Cities can do this by updating their Comprehensive Plan with zone changes, code updates, and other efficiency measures. These types of updates can include things like allowing for smaller lot sizes for homes, zone certain areas for multi-family housing, and similar measures to allow for more development within limited space.
If there is an additional need that cannot be accommodated within the existing UGB, then a city can decide to expand onto the county-zoned lands that surround it.
After the UGB plan is adopted, the new Expansion Areas are not yet ready to be developed. They go through an additional process to be annexed into the city limits, which means they officially become a part of the city and can receive city services, vote for city officials, and pay city taxes.
Bend requires each Expansion Area to develop a Master Plan or Area Plan that shows how each parcel will be zoned and plans for infrastructure like roads and sewer lines.
Once land is annexed into the city limits, the infrastructure to support development must be built.
After all of this planning is completed, the land will be ready to be developed according to its new zone in the city.
Bend’s SE Area Plan just finished step #5 of this process. Read COLW’s comments here. It was the first Expansion Area that the City of Bend initiated an Area Planning process for to help coordinate 27 property owners.
Other Expansion Areas such as Discovery West and Petrosa had just one or two landowners who were able to develop their own Master Plans without help from the City.
So far, approximately 546 acres have been annexed into the city out of 2,380 that were added to the UGB in 2016. This means an additional 1,834 acres are still available for development within Bend’s current UGB and are currently at a stage in the process.
Planning for a livable future
LandWatch defends and plans for Central Oregon’s future using our expertise in the land use system, but we can’t do it without you! The public has a critical role in determining how our region will grow.
As you can see, the first decisions that determined the Southeast Area Plan’s fate occurred more than five years ago. That is why we encourage our members to advocate for their values and participate in local government’s land use planning early and often!