Summary of April 4 board of directors meeting
April 5, 2023
At the April 4 BPRD board of directors meeting, the fifth and final phase of development at Pine Nursery Park took an important step forward. The board also approved the needs-based assistance program for the next fiscal year, and discussed a tax-exemption request from the City of Bend. A video recording is available.
Pine Nursery Park
Pine Nursery Park is a 148-acre community park that has been built in several phases since 2006. This project will complete the remaining features identified in the approved development plan for the park. The project will evaluate the potential to develop additional athletic fields, athletic field lighting, artificial turf infields, pickleball and/or tennis courts, pedestrian trail lighting, access improvements, maintenance and infrastructure improvements, irrigation and landscaping.
For the first step, staff recommended and the board approved entering into a contract with Cameron McCarthy for Professional Design Services. The district has worked with Cameron McCarthy on several projects previously – the most recent being the Larkspur Community Center project. It is expected that concept design and stakeholder engagement will begin in summer 2023.
Needs-Based Assistance (NBA) Program
The Needs-Based Assistance Program (NBA), including the Recreation Scholarship Program, is the primary way that the district facilitates access and participation in recreation programs for those with limited financial resources.
Scholarship use for Fiscal Year 22-23 was budgeted at $425,000. The budget assumed that the district would not receive any grant funding. Due the receipt of a Summer Learning Grant for $380,000 (a portion of which supported additional scholarships), the district was able to provide a higher level of scholarship funding for the summer months as well as provide free summer family passes to eligible households. As a result, the district estimates that scholarship funding will be approximately $680,000 for Fiscal year 22-23. The Fiscal year 23-24 estimate does not include the significant amount of grant funding to be secured.
Tax exemption request
Last year, the Bend City Council adopted a Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) program to support development and redevelopment goals in Bend’s core and transit-oriented areas, and identified program requirements that would need to be met for projects to be eligible.
The Hiatus Homes MUPTE application is the first complete MUPTE application received by the city. The applicant plans to build a three-story, 43,485 square foot building of 40 micro housing units. Thirty percent (12 units) will be designated middle income housing and rented at levels affordable to those making 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less.
The BPRD board voted three to 1 to oppose the applicant’s request for a ten-year tax abatement. The project is scheduled for city council review on May 17. As part of the discussion, the board plans to provide further input to the city on the MUPTE program.
Other topics
In work session, the board celebrated Volunteer Appreciation month with an update on BPRD’s volunteer service contributions. In 2022, more than 1,500 volunteers contributed nearly 48,000 hours of valuable service to the community as sports coaches, teen volunteers, adopters of parks and trails, hosts at Riley Ranch and Shevlin Park and more.
Also, the board approved an amendment to the ground lease with Bend FC Timbers for turf field development at Pine Nursery Park. The amendment extends the timeline by one year for phase two and the associated milestones.
The board will take a budget tour on April 12.
