City Council Work Session - 6/24/2026 - 4:00 PM

The City of Bend, Oregon City Council held a work session on June 24, 2026, focusing primarily on infrastructure requirements related to infill housing development and utility system updates. The council discussed challenges in applying greenfield development standards to infill projects, highlighting issues such as aging infrastructure, cost variability, and the need for more flexible, intensity-based infrastructure requirements rather than application-type triggers. Staff presented case studies illustrating infrastructure cost impacts on small-scale infill projects and proposed administrative and policy options including expanding fee-in-lieu programs, creating discretionary pathways for qualifying infill projects, and refining right-of-way dedication requirements. Additionally, updates were provided on capital improvement projects for water, stormwater, and wastewater systems, including awarded contracts, ongoing design efforts, and funding pursuits such as BRIC and Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The council also received an overview of utility rate setting processes, emphasizing the balance between infrastructure funding needs, affordability, conservation incentives, and rate stability. No formal votes were recorded, but council members provided guidance supporting staff's direction on infrastructure policy adjustments and funding mechanisms to better support infill development and utility system sustainability.