City Council Bend Made Workshop - 9/23/2026 – 2:00 PM

The City of Bend, Oregon held a City Council workshop on September 23, 2026, focused on land use planning, transportation system updates, and growth scenarios as part of the Bend Growth Plan. The workshop included detailed presentations on hypothetical futures for land use and transportation, emphasizing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction targets mandated by state climate-friendly and equitable communities rules. Council members discussed three primary growth scenarios—True Trend, High Urbanization, and Edge Rebalancing—evaluating their impacts on housing density, job distribution, infrastructure needs, and VMT outcomes. The discussion highlighted the challenges of balancing growth within entitled areas, the importance of placemaking to drive market demand, and the need for multimodal transportation investments. While no specific contract awards or procurement decisions were made, the council addressed the fiscal and implementation considerations for future transportation system plans and urbanization policies. The meeting concluded with a visioning exercise to align community values with planning goals, and an emphasis on ongoing public engagement through an interactive online platform and in-person events to inform the comprehensive plan update and related infrastructure investments.