Originally published in the Bend Chamber Business Edition – January 13, 2017 Bend’s new Mayor, Casey Roats, wants City Council to get down to business. As his first comment to the new council at yesterday’s City Council Special Meeting at the Administration Building at Simpson Fire Station, the mayor laid down the framework for what will be the new norm for the council. As the new city council takes up position on the dais at City Hall next Wednesday, Mayor Roats is all about making council meetings to stay on track. “One of my main concerns is that we follow the … Continue reading Are City Council Meetings Too Long?

Originally published in the Bend Chamber Business Edition – December 21, 2016 Thanks to input from several local organization, among them the Bend Chamber of Commerce’s EVP Community Affairs Jamie Christman, the Bend City councilors decided to “soften” the controversial 90-day “no cause” eviction ordinance at their December 7 meeting. Introduced at the council work session, the new version leaves the existing 30-day “no cause” ordinance in place, with a 90-day “no cause” eviction requirement taking effect after one year of occupancy. The current local ordinance allows landlords to evict month-to-month renters with a 30-day notice. With a “no cause” eviction, … Continue reading City Council Softens the 90-Day Eviction Ordinance after Input from Community

Originally published in the Bend Chamber Business Edition – March 17, 2017 The expansion of the urban growth boundary was the easy part. Now comes the hard work, figuring out how to build and pay for the expansion. Bend Chamber’s What’s Brewing delved into the many challenges ahead of the city, developers and Bend citizens when it comes to living up to the promises made in the UGB planning document. Moderated by Bend Chamber EVP of Community Affairs, Jamie Christman, the topic of the evening was Bend’s UGB – Moving Forward. The expert panel included City Planning Manager, Brian Rankin, … Continue reading What’s Brewing – Bend’s UGB Moving Forward

Originally published in the Bend Business Journal – February 2017 The City of Bend’s latest Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion, with the addition of 2,380 acres into the city boundary has at last been approved. Now we have to tackle how we will implement this expansion. After all, Bend is expected to accommodate 116,000 citizens by 2028. The logistic and financial realities of constructing the infrastructure that allows development to occur are significant, and fast becoming a challenge. Bend’s new UGB additions are divided into two general categories, expansion and opportunity. “Expansion areas are for the most part located in … Continue reading The Price of Expansion