Summary of March 4 board of directors meeting
March 5, 2025
The BPRD board of directors met on March 4, and approved a purchase and sale agreement for a future neighborhood park site and a contract amendment for the future home of the Park Services division. A video recording is available on the website.
Property purchased
Working with a consultant, EPIC Land Solutions, the district has negotiated the purchase of approximately three acres of land located between Pinebrook Boulevard and Murphy Road in southwest Bend.
The property is owned by the Pinebrook Homeowners Association. The property is approximately 5.38 acres in size and extends into the Pinebrook neighborhood. To purchase approximately three acres that are desired by the district, a partition will be required to split the property into two parcels. The HOA will retain ownership of the remainder of the property.
This acquisition is part of the district’s efforts to acquire property for new parks in accordance with the comprehensive plan policy recommendation to focus on providing access to parks within ½ mile of most homes.
Boyd Acres Park Services Complex
The existing Park Services facilities were built in the 1980s on a sloped site and sized to accommodate support services of the district at that time. The facility is now inadequate to meet today’s needs for space, safety and efficient operations.
The district has executed a purchase and sale agreement (PSA) with the City of Bend for the purchase of their existing utility shop on Boyd Acres Rd. The complex is located on 5.08 acres and is comprised of four buildings that house office, shop and warehouse space.
Staff recommend and the board approved Amendment #1, the Boyd Acres Park Services Complex Professional Design Services contract with Stemach Design + Architecture, with a cost not to exceed $403,300. Staff further recommend the board approve a 10% design contingency of $40,330 for a total design budget not to exceed $443,630.
The PSA allows the city to occupy the facility until their new facility is completed. However, planning and design for tenant improvements are timed accordingly with the anticipated vacancy of the city at the end of 2025, so that work is ready to commence at their departure.
Juniper 50-meter pool cover update
Staff provided the board with an update on the status of the Juniper Swim & Fitness Center 50-meter pool cover. District staff have been researching alternative options for meeting the desire to have a year-round pool that can be transformed into an open-air, outdoor pool environment during the summer months.
At the Jan. 7, 2025, board meeting, staff shared that the existing structure is reaching the end of its lifespan and can no longer function as designed, including the removal of the roof panels for the summer months.
Staff considered user input in a recent survey, initial capital costs, ongoing operational expenses, environmental factors, flexibility of use and building aesthetics when evaluating options. Staff shared a summary of the options considered and a recommendation during the work session. While formal board action is not required at this time, staff asked for board direction on moving forward to the next stage of planning with the recommended structure.
The board provided direction to pursue the recommended retractable structure. As a next step, staff will prepare and issue an request for proposals for a design/build contract this spring with the goal of having a firm selected and under contract this summer.
The earliest that construction would begin is September 2026. If construction cannot begin in September 2026, the project would likely be delayed until September 2027 as a September start has the least impact on pool users while providing a reasonable weather window for the bulk of construction to occur.
System development charges (SDC) ordinance update
As part of mid-term comprehensive plan update, the district is updating its system development charges (SDC) project list, fees and ordinance. As part of this project, the existing ordinance, adopted in 2019, is being reviewed for housekeeping and other necessary legal clarifications or changes.
Staff and the district’s legal counsel are:
- Adding language that gives the district the ability to interpret the best category for residential uses not otherwise clearly defined.
- Updating language to clarify that multiple units on a shared lot, regardless of if they share a wall, will be calculated at the multi-unit rate.
- Defining homelessness, domestic violence and other emergency-type shelters to help administer waivers or exemptions more clearly.
- Clarify uses that are considered overnight visitor accommodations.
Staff also requested the board’s feedback on SDC deferrals. Currently, the district allows multi-unit projects to defer the payment of SDCs to occupancy, but the SDCs are then calculated at the rate in effect at the time of payment. Recent changes to the city’s SDC program allow all residential projects to defer SDCs until occupancy, but the SDC is charged at the rate in effect at the time of permit application.
The updated draft ordinance will be considered at two upcoming meetings this spring.
Strategic plan actions
The 2024-2029 Strategic Plan was adopted by the district’s board of directors in October 2024. Since the plan’s adoption, district staff have been working to develop actions for the current fiscal year for each of the plan’s 20 strategies. During work session, staff shared updates on actions underway, completed or slated for completion before the fiscal year ends on June 30, 2025.
The next board meeting is March 18.
