The Planning and Development Department plans, designs and constructs parks, trails and recreation facilities for our growing community. Staff uses population data, development data and public input to understand which areas of our community need park and recreation amenities immediately, in the short‐term, and in the longer‐term.
Every five to seven years, planning staff update the District’s Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan serves as the roadmap for where and when the District builds new parks, trails and recreation facilities over the next 10 years. The District is currently in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan again. The Comprehensive Plan informs the District’s Strategic Plan and the 5-year Capital Improvement Plan which in turn shapes the annual budget.
Community involvement is one of the most important elements of the District’s planning and development work. The public helps shape the future of the community by sharing their aspirations and concerns about parks and recreation with staff.
The District seeks public input on each project through one or more of the following techniques:
- Interviews in parks
- Focus groups
- Neighborhood meetings
- Community meetings
- Surveys
- Questionnaires
- Comment cards
- Presentations
- The District’s website
If you would like more information regarding the Planning and Development Department, please contact:
Capital Improvement Plan
The Bend Park and Recreation District develops and maintains a comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that is amended each year during the annual budgeting process. The CIP is a planning tool designed to guide the implementation of the District’s Comprehensive Plan and to provide for the acquisition and development of parks and recreation facilities during the succeeding five-year period. The CIP is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors and revised to prioritize the most important needs and to recognize budget constraints.
Click below to view:
2018-2022 Adopted Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (Note: large 8 MB PDF file)
District Comprehensive Plan
The District’s Comprehensive Plan is a tool used by park planners and the Board of Directors to plan for growth in park, trail, facility and recreation program demands. Based on input from the community, the plan helps guide the future of District over a ten-year time frame.
The District created its first comprehensive plan in 1980 which was subsequently reviewed and revised in 1986, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2012. The District will begin a complete rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan beginning in 2016 and extending into 2018.
The current version of the Comprehensive Plan can be viewed via this link:
2012 Comprehensive Plan Update (Note: 4 MB)
FAQ’s
How can I learn more and stay informed on the process?
To learn about the latest news and happenings on the Comprehensive Plan, or to sign up to receive email updates, please visit the BPRD Comprehensive Plan page.
What does the Comprehensive Plan address?
The Plan primarily addresses the indoor and outdoor recreation needs of the District now, and into the future. A few examples of topics addressed are: How many neighborhood and community parks are needed? Where should they be located? How many sports fields are required and for which type of sports? What is the future need for trails? Are the District’s indoor facilities meeting the needs of District residents? What is the population forecast for Bend?
Does the Comprehensive Plan include community trail planning?
Yes, since 1995 the Comprehensive Plan has incorporated the Bend Urban Trails Plan. The 2005 Comprehensive Plan also incorporated the Deschutes River Trail Action Plan, jointly adopted by the District and the City of Bend. In 2008 the District adopted its own Trails Master Plan that includes an inventory of existing facilities and identifies the future need for additional trails.
How are District development projects funded?
Most of the needs identified in the Comprehensive Plan are development projects designed to meet existing and/or future community needs. Many of these projects are a requisite of community growth and will be funded with System Development Charges (SDC). SDCs are fees paid when new homes are constructed. These fees can only be used to provide future park and facility capacity to meet the needs of a growing population. Projects not eligible for SDC funding can utilize tax dollars and alternative funding sources. Larger projects may require future bonding support approved by voters in a general election.
How are citizens involved in the comprehensive planning process?
The Comprehensive Plan reflects the needs of the community and therefore the District collects extensive public input while writing the plan. For example, in the last full rewrite of the plan the District hosted ten focus group meetings involving over 150 people, held three community-wide meetings, mailed a survey to 1,500 households, and opened a public comment period to evaluate the plan. Public input will also be a major component of the upcoming rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan.
For more information on the Comprehensive Plan, please contact Quinn Keever, Park Planner, at (541) 706-6130 or email at quinn@bendparksandrec.org
System Development Charges (SDC) are fees charged when a new residence is built. Through this fee, newcomers to the community pay their share of the costs to build the new parks, trails and recreation facilities needed to serve them. The SDC fees are reviewed each year and adjusted based on an index of current land and construction costs.
The SDC fees are established through adoption of an Ordinance and Methodology by the Board of Directors. These were last adopted in 2009 and are anticipated to be updated by 2019.
