Summary of Feb. 4 board of directors meeting
February 5, 2025
The BPRD board of directors approved the purchase and sale agreement for a future park at its Feb. 4 public meeting. A video recording is available.
The elected officials also discussed two ordinances – the special district’s highest degree of rulemaking – related to system development charges and park rules and regulations.
New eastside park site
Parkside Place is an approximate 37-acre development that will contain a mix of 346 single family, town home and multi-family housing units, including some affordable housing units, a new neighborhood park and trail areas.
Parkside Place includes a proposed, approximately 4.09-acre neighborhood park that Hayden Homes will transfer to the district for ownership and operation of the Big Sky Trail. The proposed park site is located within park search area 14, identified in the district’s comprehensive plan would address identified park needs within the district’s service boundaries. As part of the board approval to enter into a purchase and sale agreement for the park and trail areas, a nearby property owned by the district is no longer needed.
The district purchased the Litchfield property site in 2016 for $218,000 using system development charge (SDC) funds. It was appraised in February 2024 and valued at $620,000. This value reflects a raw land value of approximately $720,000 minus an assumed cost of $100,000 to improve Livingston Drive. Staff estimate that the development of Livingston Drive will cost closer to $200,000, reducing the value to approximately $520,000.
The board agreed to designate the Litchfield property as surplus in a 3-2 vote (Owens and Hovekamp opposed). The potential sale of this property would offset a portion of the total cost of the Parkside Place park site; however, those proceeds are dependent upon future board approval of a sale.
System development charges (SDC) project list and ordinance update
As part of mid-term comprehensive plan update the district is updating its park SDC project list, fees and ordinance. During work session, the proposed project list and the pros and cons of the updated SDC rates and level of service implications were presented for board feedback.
The next steps before returning to the board for future action are:
- Review and update BPRD’s SDC ordinance. The existing ordinance will be reviewed for housekeeping and other necessary legal clarifications or changes.
- Conduct the public hearing, first reading and second reading of the revised ordinance. Adopt ordinance.
- Adopt resolution(s) approving the new project list and SDC fees.
Park Rules and Regulations ordinance
The Park Rules and Regulations Ordinance was last adopted in September 2018. Since then, the population of the Bend area has grown, and new issues have emerged in the parks and on the trails necessitating an update to the rules. Some of those issues include electric bikes and other rolling devices, parking lot misuse and defining enforcement options. In addition, rules need to be updated to reflect current operations under temporary rules related to restroom use.
Over the last several months, district staff have worked with legal counsel and law enforcement partners to update the ordinance for board consideration. During work session, staff shared details about the proposed updates and the board agreed that proceeding with a public hearing and first and second readings of the ordinance are appropriate next steps.
The next board meeting is Feb. 18.
