BDAB agrees to place neighborhood commercial code proposal on Sept. 8 agenda after Land Watch request

Central Oregon Land Watch asked Bend's Business Development Advisory Board on Tuesday to advance a package of proposed changes to the city's neighborhood-commercial rules, and the board voted to place a fuller presentation on its Sept. 8 agenda.

Kristen Bridal, associate program manager for the Cities and Towns Program at Central Oregon Land Watch, told the advisory board the organization and local partners seek "more flexibility for neighborhood commercial development to occur in Bend." Bridal said existing neighborhood-commercial allowances are narrow, rarely used and that the city has seen no neighborhood-commercial projects in nearly 20 years.

Bridal said the proposed amendments would broaden siting standards and permitted and conditional uses, and add building types such as live-work units and accessory commercial units. "We're also interested in the possibility of creating incentives or pilot programs to encourage the use of the code," she said in prepared public comment. Bridal cited examples of existing small-scale businesses in Bend, including Active Culture, Jackson's Corner and Britney's Market, as models of neighborhood-scale commercial activity.

Board members discussed the request briefly and agreed that a formal agenda item should be scheduled so the group and staff can review a fuller proposal. A board member made a motion to place Bridal's presentation on the Sept. 8 BDAB agenda; the motion was seconded and approved by the board.

The request asks staff and the board to consider a code review with the explicit goals of (1) broadening where neighborhood commercial may be sited, (2) allowing additional uses and building types, and (3) exploring incentives or pilot programs to encourage uptake. Bridal noted small businesses account for a large share of local establishments and argued neighborhood commercial could support small-business incubation amid higher operating costs and a tight commercial real-estate market.

The board did not take further policy action at the meeting; instead members directed that the topic be prepared as a full agenda item for the Sept. 8 meeting so members can consider staff analysis and a draft code amendment package. No dates for subsequent council consideration were announced at the meeting.

Kristen Bridal closed her remarks by formally requesting time at the Sept. 8 meeting: "We would like to request the opportunity to present this topic more thoroughly at the September 8 BDAB meeting. Thank you for your time and consideration." The board granted the request.

Officials and staff who spoke about this item said they expect the Sept. 8 agenda item to provide the board and public with a fuller staff analysis and recommended next steps, including potential outreach and potential incentives or pilots.