Where Was the Community Input?
The Bend City Council recently voted to expand the height restrictions on the downtown area near the river, the section of land that now embraces the Pine Tavern and Bend Brewery.
The planning commission had recommended the City allow more flexibility in limiting buildings west of Brooks Street to a 35-foot height. The current code allows taller buildings away from the river up to 70 feet where you’ll find Franklin Crossing at 69 feet. But at the riverfront it is strictly 35 feet.
The proposal to the riverfront property would allow variance applications to build higher structures, just how high we’re not sure.
The council took two meetings to debate the issue and were split on it (Mark Capell, Sally Russell and Jim Clinton were opposed to changing the city code).
Councilor Scott Ramsay expressed concerns about the unsightly vacant property on the river, suggesting perhaps that if the city is more flexible, developers might see an opportunity to build. Council Doug Knight, a developer himself, also weighed in on the change offering that these are ‘modern’ times and change is due. If change is due we should have had pubic input.
Hearing this debate you could surmise that some of the councilors have information on potential developments that are waiting in the wings as soon as the city sees fit to allow higher buildings.
At the second meeting, however, Jody Barram broke the tie and voted for the change — voted to change the city code mind you without a pubic discussion of what we want the jewel of our city to look like in the future.
So picture this, if variances are approved in the future you could see the Pine Tavern building at 30 feet next to a building twice as tall. Bend’s downtown charm and ambiance has been maintained by keeping buildings low near the river. It would be a travesty to be shortsighted enough to favor development over design appeal.
Certainly this should have been a pubic discussion and not a lone council debate.
