Planning Commission Meeting - 6/8/2026 5:30PM

The City of Bend, Oregon Planning Commission held a meeting on June 8, 2026, focusing primarily on two key agenda items related to urban development and infrastructure. The first major discussion involved proposed text amendments to the Bend Municipal and Development Codes to implement state laws aimed at streamlining housing production, particularly middle housing types such as duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters. These amendments included provisions for bonus units, adjustments to development standards, and changes to land division processes to accelerate affordable and middle-income housing development. The commission reviewed the implications of these changes on zoning, infrastructure, and public notification processes, with an emphasis on compliance with state mandates and local housing goals. The second significant topic was a quasi-judicial public hearing on the replacement of the Gilchrist pedestrian bridge near Columbia Park. The project, estimated at $1.6 million, involves replacing the existing 31-year-old bridge with a wider, safer, and more accessible structure using weathering steel and cedar decking. The commission discussed design details, safety features including anti-jumping deterrents, ADA compliance, and environmental considerations. Additionally, the commission reviewed a proposed text amendment to the Stevens Ranch master plan to relocate the general industrial large lot overlay to the eastern boundary of the site. This change aims to unlock development potential by making the large lot industrial land more attractive to single traded sector users while allowing smaller industrial uses to develop on the more accessible southwest portion. The commission engaged in detailed discussions about infrastructure, transportation mitigation, compliance with economic development goals, and community impacts. A continuance was granted for further review of the Stevens Ranch amendment. Overall, the meeting addressed significant planning and development code updates with implications for housing production, infrastructure investment, and industrial land use in Bend.