City Council & Developer Round Table - 8/31/26, 4:00PM

The City of Bend, Oregon held a City Council and Developer Round Table on August 31, 2026, focused on housing, development, growth, and planning challenges. The meeting primarily addressed procurement-related topics such as industrial land development, tree mitigation code amendments, and site readiness programs aimed at facilitating faster and more cost-effective development. Developers expressed strong support for deregulating tree mitigation requirements on industrial lands to reduce delays and costs, with discussions on implementing flat or tiered fees and allowing mass grading prior to site plan approval. The council also explored options for System Development Charge (SDC) relief, particularly for adaptive reuse projects in the core area and grocery stores, to incentivize development and economic activity. However, stakeholders noted market challenges for grocery stores and concerns about infrastructure costs and parking limitations in neighborhood commercial areas. The meeting included updates on permitting improvements, emphasizing efforts to reduce review times and complexity, and introduced a developer navigator to assist with large projects. No formal votes were recorded, but the discussion set the stage for upcoming work sessions to refine policies and address development barriers.