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Bend planners present target-sector analysis to guide economic development, flag housing, infrastructure and climate risks
Summary
City planners and the business advocate summarized an Econ Northwest study recommending four broad target-sector categories for Bend, discussed incentives and infrastructure constraints, and asked the Planning Commission for feedback ahead of expected BDAB and City Council consideration.
City of Bend planners presented an informational briefing on Jan. 27, 2025, outlining recommended target economic sectors and related land-use and incentive tools that the city will use to update its comprehensive plan and economic development strategy.
The presentation, led by Senior Planner Damien Cernick and Business Advocate Cyrus Mooney, summarized a draft report by consulting firm Econ Northwest and asked the Planning Commission for feedback before the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board (BDAB) and City Council review. “This is a project we’ve been working on for several months now to kind of get a head start on some of the work we’re going to be doing to update our comprehensive plan later this year,” Cernick said.
Why it matters: the city’s target-sector decisions will shape where the comprehensive plan allocates employment lands, how incentives such as tax increment financing (TIF) and enterprise-zone tools are deployed, and which industries the city prioritizes for infrastructure and workforce strategies. Commissioners and stakeholders raised questions about housing and workforce availability, transportation limits for large-scale manufacturing, wildfire and smoke risks for tourism, and the need for clearer emergency-service planning.
Econ Northwest’s analysis and staff summary
City staff said Econ Northwest analyzed employment trends in Bend from about 2007 through 2022 and regional projections, and combined quantitative data with stakeholder interviews (including OSU Cascades, Visit Bend, EDCO and the Small Business Development Center). Staff said Bend added just under 15,000 jobs in that period (about 14,494 jobs, presented by staff) and averaged roughly 2% annual growth during the window the consultant examined. The consultant’s regional projection covered Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties for the next decade.
Econ Northwest recommended four broader categories of target sectors; staff highlighted examples rather than specific ordinance language.…
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