[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6606882,"mediaKeyId","2957082-a855f71b5818b1e84654e3e734aaf124","parentId",2957082,"title","Bend ECC pushes for climate pollution fee; staff recommends incentive-first approach and deferring regulatory pathways","audioSeconds",3860,"startMs",4110000,"endMs",7970000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2957082-a855f71b5818b1e84654e3e734aaf124&start=4110&end=7970","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2957082-a855f71b5818b1e84654e3e734aaf124/thumbnail_4110000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6606882/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Bend-ECC-pushes-for-climate-pollution-fee-staff-recommends-incentive-first-approach-and-deferring-regulatory-pathways","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606882-da38728c00940497c9750c7e2dcbbe1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770966716&Signature=eymyvbPfpv1RHoxxrwNvRm6dAQVKMdWnonp3bMs5kyR~gccxl6u8NK-BEBdHhRFKYDgIFB5VLeT4W0eOAl9rh69p7dVaQtcp~WQ4Brz9rLsiDmq0bCHutOhgBqc8bKq0D5dzwFpU0Vm1Da6NrNoasSnuxcifut1-yZCHHvHFgF8rLjB91gkx1fNH5Ou78zhApbybULwBScmQSlFVaGFgMJjwgo4hlJAxdxxe--Dsyn4saOw7Z9GTCYcLxzAwaZyXEW~CZ9mZ1mWj1TnJ5OgeGRsRFPImCnWxEkw9V7p2NYGC2jAeAM7wX7npHRnJZX3xYzi7OlSEZJT1EazUOqh2wQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bend, OR","date","2025-04-11T02:35:07.903Z","article","City of Bend staff recommended that next steps on building electrification prioritize outreach and incentive design over immediate regulatory action, citing legal uncertainty about regulatory tools. After discussion, the Environmental Conservation Committee (ECC) voted to prepare a letter to the City Council urging the city to develop a climate pollution fee patterned after Ashland’s and to use fee revenue to incentivize electrification.

Staff recommendation: At an ECC meeting, Cassie, the ECC staff liaison, described a three-step staff workplan that starts with outreach and education, then moves into an incentives-and-disincentives design phase, and keeps regulatory options such as right-of-way restrictions and (NOS) regulations “on the table” for future consideration.

“The Outreach and Education Initiative includes all the work that Megan's been doing to kind of build out our platform,” Cassie said, describing work already underway. She said staff plans to launch an energy navigator program later in the summer or fall and to scope a builder-education effort over the biennium.

For the incentive phase, staff proposed convening a stakeholder group — continuing the joint committee of AHAC, BDAP and ECC — to analyze development data, consider development-code incentives, cash incentives and the possibility of a climate pollution fee as a revenue source and disincentive. Cassie said staff would gather local cost data on electrification to inform what kinds of incentives would be “compelling.”

On regulatory pathways — including right-of-way restrictions and NOS regulations — staff urged a “wait and see” approach, saying legal uncertainty means work now could consume staff time without producing an enforceable policy. Cassie said staff will continue to monitor legal precedent and provide a year-end update on whether the regulatory option is feasible.

Committee debate: ECC members expressed split views about sequencing and speed. Some members — including Neil and others — urged moving faster toward regulatory solutions for new construction to avoid locking in fossil-fuel infrastructure in the near term. Others, including members representing affordable housing and development interests at a joint meeting, had emphasized concerns about cost and affordability and preferred incentive-first approaches.

Cost and grid readiness: Committee members said a central technical question is whether electrification carries a local cost premium. Nick and Ray said the group needs better local cost data to understand whether electrification is more or less expensive across housing types (single-family, multifamily, affordable housing and commercial). Staff said consultants and in-house parametric data are available; staff also said it might hire an outside contractor if necessary to produce locally specific analyses.

The committee discussed grid capacity with staff reporting Pacific Power has regional transmission and local substation upgrades planned over several years; staff said upgrades may take 5–10 years at a regional level but utilities are investing to address local constraints.

Motion and outcome: With about an hour remaining, ECC member Rory moved that the committee write a letter to the City Council for the April 16 meeting recommending the city develop a climate pollution fee similar to Ashland’s, with revenue used to incentivize electrification. The motion was seconded and a recorded voice vote followed. Multiple ECC members said they were not yet ready to vote yes; one member stated an employment-related conflict and abstained. The committee chair declared the motion passed and said Rory and Neil would draft the letter for submission to council.

What the vote does (and does not): The ECC vote directs committee members to draft a letter urging council to begin a process to develop a fee; it does not itself create a city policy or impose a fee. Staff said council endorsement would be required before staff develops a fee design or allocates revenues for incentives.

Next steps: Staff said it will start data collection and analysis to inform the incentive design, plan the energy navigator program and continue public engagement in fall 2025; staff also offered to reconvene the joint advisory group sooner if the committee wants interim feedback on analysis. The council will receive staff’s workplan at its April 16 meeting, and staff said it would return with legal-context updates near year-end if regulatory options shift.

Ending: ECC members agreed to continue advising on incentives and data collection; several members said they would consider individual submissions to council if they wanted to state positions beyond the committee letter that Rory and Neil will draft.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Environment and Climate Committee Meeting - 04/10/25 - 11:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","City staff recommended focusing first on outreach, an energy navigator program and incentives to encourage building electrification while deferring legally uncertain regulatory options; the ECC voted to send council a letter urging development of a climate pollution fee similar to Ashland's, with revenue used for electrification incentives.","taxTitle","Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon","taxId",2850,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6606887,"City of Bend launches yearlong 'Invest Bend' economic-development planning process",1662,1670000,3332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2957082-a855f71b5818b1e84654e3e734aaf124&start=1670&end=3332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2957082-a855f71b5818b1e84654e3e734aaf124/thumbnail_1670000.jpg","/articles/6606887/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/City-of-Bend-launches-yearlong-Invest-Bend-economic-development-planning-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606887-ecc4b3efcf287c363ee30aef692a5f61/orig.mp4?Expires=1770966716&Signature=i8Il4DUMb1nq4h5ww2lXouMauqzhQQeYsHtbgs9gRfjWNESZ1wgFCMjGaYy6OucC0Y-Exurq-7aAWwbguNU~brth1rZKpLT6fVEFtpEwHA1c6MPQBTX8D~f-QltbBMgWfPQ1iG4by1-jl3QBetU7ME7vYHTFng~zRpoT0KY2ecDIWXfYUa80UPdArBExnw~Im-g~RCcYVkChhk7EDyb5tArC9c~yCF4Y8oB4T7EkghCEcahIMt1kSi9MQBmX1C28CTFiclRV-3jyYzyBT9tHI3VqHfEe1YlA~sCatXYNv6MhWk7fyz4XIt~ZT4W~3wszKBkZndzOp6C8qx9-5qogdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Bend staff outlined a yearlong economic development planning process called Invest Bend that will develop a 10-year strategy to “cultivate stable, long-lasting and equitable opportunities for upward economic mobility,” the project team told the Environmental Conservation Committee (ECC).

The plan will expand an earlier “investment strategy” into a broader economic development framework, integrating housing, workforce, climate resilience and other priorities. City staff said they expect to complete data analysis and stakeholder interviews over the summer, hold three focus-group sessions open to public input, and seek formal adoption by the City Council in December 2025.

“Invest Bend…is an economic development strategy for the next 10 years,” said Jonathan, a staff member presenting the plan to the ECC. He said the initiative aims to stabilize and diversify the local tax base, promote entrepreneurial and retail growth, and preserve the city’s historic character while strengthening infrastructure and parks.

Why it matters: City leaders framed Invest Bend as a way to keep housing production, job creation and local services moving during likely economic downturns and to create better paying jobs and more opportunities for local workers. The plan will fold previously adopted work such as the Climate and Community Action Plan (CCAP) into a single strategy so council and staff can better align budgeting and departmental resources.

Staff described a four-phase timeline. Phase 1 (data and foundation work) will include demographic, labor market and housing analyses and updating a housing needs analysis. Between May and June staff will complete stakeholder interviews and data work. The first public focus group is scheduled for June 10, with additional sessions on July 10 and Aug. 28. The project team expects a draft plan to be developed in August and adoption by council in December 2025.

Cyrus, the staff liaison to Bend Development Advisory Panel (BDAP), told the ECC that BDAP will lead focus-group organization and community interviews and will appoint up to 20 community members to participate. The project team also plans a worker survey and a business survey to ground recommendations in local experience.

Project staffing and partners: City staff said the Invest Bend project team will include BDAP leadership and multiple city departments. Jonathan named team members during the ECC presentation: Kate (executive policy officer), Carrie Bell (middle income housing coordinator), Damien (growth management), Carrie Carl (disaster preparedness), Matt Stewart (real estate), and Renee Mitchell (communications). Councilor Bridal and mayor pro tem Perkins were identified as council champions on the project team.

Committee engagement: ECC members expressed interest in crosscutting coordination between Invest Bend and the CCAP and other advisory bodies. Councilor Bridal and several ECC members suggested using advisory-body summits or targeted sessions to provide detailed feedback rather than only two-minute public comments at separate meetings. Staff said they will share upcoming BDAP agenda items with Cassie (the ECC staff liaison) so advisory bodies can decide whether to participate.

Next steps and public input: Staff will begin interviews and analysis immediately and run the three public focus-group sessions this summer. The ECC was asked for advice about how it wishes to participate; staff said ECC members can be engaged via the project team, BDAP focus groups or joint sessions with other advisory bodies.

The Invest Bend initiative will incorporate CCAP priorities and previously adopted plans, and staff said the process will honor past work by advisory bodies rather than replace it.

Ending: Staff asked the ECC for suggestions on how to be involved and said they will return with opportunities for crosswalk exercises comparing Invest Bend outputs and CCAP strategies. The project remains on a path for council consideration and possible adoption in December 2025.","City staff outlined 'Invest Bend,' a yearlong economic development strategy to guide Bend's growth, workforce development, housing and resilience work and aim for council adoption in December 2025.","actionData","errors"]

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Bend ECC pushes for climate pollution fee; staff recommends incentive-first approach and deferring regulatory pathways

City of Bend launches yearlong 'Invest Bend' economic-development planning process