Summary of May 20 board of directors meeting
May 22, 2025
The BPRD board of directors met on May 20 and held a public hearing and first reading of an updated System Development Charges (SDC) Ordinance. A video recording of the meeting is available.
System Development Charges (SDC) Ordinance
SDCs are the main source of funding for the development of new parks, trails and recreation facilities to serve growth. The methodology determines the fees charged and the ordinance defines the district’s SDC program’s application and administration. The existing SDC methodology and ordinance was approved in 2019.
Following the approval of the mid-term comprehensive plan update, the district began an update to the SDC program including the methodology, project list, fees and ordinance.
On February 19, 2025, as required by ORS 223.304, district staff provided the 90-day notice to interested parties of the May 20, 2025, public hearing for the new SDC methodology. Staff issued additional notice on March 19, 2025, that the proposed 2025 SDC Methodology Report was available for review through the district’s website. The district did not receive any comments on the methodology report during the 60-day review period.
Key updates to the proposed Ordinance include:
- Interpretation of Development Types: Added language that district staff can interpret the best category for development types not clearly defined in the ordinance. This helps as housing and overnight accommodations nomenclature continues to evolve.
- Multi-Unit Dwellings: Clarified that multiple dwelling units on a shared lot, regardless of whether they share a wall or not, are multi-unit dwellings.
- Single-Unit Dwellings: Defined rowhouses or townhomes on individual lots as single-unit dwellings regardless of whether they share a wall or not.
- Shelters: Defined homeless, domestic violence, and other emergency-type shelters to help administer waivers or exemptions more clearly.
- Overnight Accommodations Developments: Further defined developments that serve overnight accommodations.
- Payment Deferrals: Aligned payment deferrals for residential development with the city’s deferral process for sewer, water, and transportation SDCs.
The second reading is scheduled for June 3, 2025, and if adopted, the board would also consider adoption of five related resolutions for the SDC methodology report, project list, fee schedule, deferral fees, and developer agreements.
Gilchrist Bridge design
By consent, the board approved a contract amendment related to design for the Gilchrist Bridge. Gilchrist Bridge is a city of Bend owned, wooden pedestrian bridge that links Riverfront Street to Columbia Park and forms a key connection between the Deschutes River Trail and the city’s Low-Stress Bicycle & Pedestrian Network.
To begin investigating potential future bridge upgrade or full replacement, the district and the city entered an agreement that committed the district to manage and fund—using a $90,000 Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Surface Transportation Block Grant—the conceptual design phase of the bridge replacement while the city granted site access and provides technical review.
In January 2023, the board of directors approved a professional services contract for the design work to be added to the scope of services for the Columbia Park renovation project. That work is now substantially complete, leaving $10,000 of the MPO grant unspent.
Staff proposed and the board approved using the remaining grant balance for a final contract amendment with ESA to produce photo-realistic renderings based on the 30 percent plans. At this time, the City of Bend does not have funding sources identified or a timeline for replacing the bridge.
Staff introduction
To begin the meeting, the board of directors was introduced to a new employee, Baylee Gregor, Human Resources Business Partner.
The next board meeting is June 3.
