The Horizon
All the latest updates on our work defending rural lands, creating livable cities and towns and preserving wild lands and water throughout Central Oregon
Act Local for Climate and Community
Rapid growth presents us with a challenge and an opportunity: to grow well and with intention so that our communities are more vibrant, affordable, inclusive, and climate-resilient. So let’s take a look at what we can do to act locally for our climate and community.
Shaping Bend’s Future
The future of Bend is happening now.
The City of Bend is beginning work that will guide our community’s growth now and for the next 20 to 50 years. LandWatch’s Cities & Towns team is and will be deeply involved with these efforts on the path ahead—and we’ll make sure our community knows the best times to make their voices heard along the way.
Traveling around town
If you want to help make our communities safer, healthier, and more pedestrian-friendly, this is a pivotal moment to make your voice heard.
Bridging the Bend Central District
We’ve got a community vision for Hawthorne Avenue and connecting the Bend Central District to downtown. Together, we can make this vision come to life. Learn more about the Hawthorne Bridge and find out how you can support the project.
Reimagining Midtown Crossings
We’ve been taught to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but to grow sustainably, we also need to reimagine to grow sustainably. Getting a new plastic bag every time you go to the grocery store wastes plastic, so we try to reduce waste by reusing sturdy bags we already have. The same principle applies to the land beneath us.
Crossing town from East to West
As cities and towns across Central Oregon grow, we need infrastructure to accommodate that growth without compromising livability.
Proposal for urban renewal in the Core Area of Bend
Things are moving quickly with the City of Bend's Core Area planning process, which aims to create an Urban Renewal District in the Bend Central District and surrounding areas by August of this year.
ACTION ALERT! 🚨Funding for Parkway Crossings Slashed in Half🚨
The City of Bend is in the process of determining what projects would be funded through a potential transportation bond measure, and they are proposing to slash funding for Midtown Pedestrian Crossings in half from the initial recommendation.
BCD Block Party Draws Hundreds to the Wagner Mall
Honey I Shrunk the BCD drew hundreds of neighbors, business owners, developers and community leaders to reimagine the Bend Central District together in a fun and exciting setting last week!
Action Alert! Bend's Transportation Future!
The Transportation System Plan (TSP) Steering Committee will review the first draft of Bend's new TSP at their meeting on Thursday. The TSP will be the guiding document for transportation in Bend over the next 20 years. Any new transportation projects built in the City over the next 20 years, including transit, bike lanes, sidewalks, and road projects will be included in this plan. Learn more here.
Transportation System Plan Update & BCD Visionary Board Applications
The City of Bend has completed Phase 1 of its Transportation System Planning (TSP) process. Phase 1 identified a Citywide Transportation Framework, which includes projects and programs that principally affect the City’s arterial and collector system and transportation patterns in the City as a whole. The Citywide Transportation Framework will serve as the basis for Phases 2 and 3 of Bend’s Transportation Plan.
City appoints BURA Committee & Other Big News for the BCD
As the City of Bend moves forward with its “Core Area" Planning, we are preparing for the next steps in engaging the community to advocate for a vibrant, healthy, and resilient mixed-use neighborhood through the BCD Initiative
Central Oregon LandWatch Awarded $100,000 Grant for Community Planning in the Bend Central District
Central Oregon LandWatch received a $100,000 grant from Meyer Memorial Trust to continue work on the BCD Initiative, which is building broad support for policies and programs that promote the community’s vision for a vibrant, healthy, and resilient mixed-use neighborhood in the Bend Central District.
Find out what Millennials think about the BCD
We gave Bend's Millennial leaders the chance to design their ideal version of NE Hawthorne Ave at the Bend Chamber's first ever Young Professionals Summit.
What's Shaping the Bend Central District
As people continue to move here, the Bend Central District is our best hope for Central Oregon to grow into a place we want to keep calling home.
Projects to improve BCD could also save millions in infrastructure costs
The Franklin underpass is a key connection between east and west Bend, but it suffers from flooding during high volume rainstorms. The BCD Initiative's Streetscapes Committee made recommendations for improving streetscapes and saving the city money on planned infrastructure projects. The Bulletin reported on these recommendations when the underpass flooded on May 28, 2018.
City Council Directs Urban Renewal in Bend Central District+ 🎉!
This is a big step toward the BCD's transformation into a healthy, vibrant, and resilient mixed use neighborhood with safe connections between east and west
The BCD Initiative's Top Three Moments of 2017
This spring, we launched the BCD Initiative to build momentum and support for the Bend Central District's transformation into a vibrant, healthy, and resilient mixed-use neighborhood with safe connections between east and west Bend.