Future development will have to consider irrigation canals

     A vital part of Bend’s past – irrigation canals – will also have to be considered in Bend’s future development, a land-use hearing before the Bend City Council Wednesday showed. During the hearing, which concerned a condominium project planned in southeast Bend, the manager of the Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID), Steve Johnson, told the council because of federal clean water regulations, COID will not approve any new project that allows a road to go over a COID open irrigation canal. Johnson added that during irrigation season, COID’s main canal through Bend diverts fully one-third of the water from the Deschutes River, and any breach in canal banks, parts of which are 100 years old and fragile, would result in a catastrophic flood because sections of the canal are higher in elevation than Third Street and Reed Market Road. Johnson suggested the canal be piped and buried between the Third Street bridge just north of Fred Meyer east to the railroad tracks crossing Reed Market Road. Such a massive project would cost approximately $5.5 million, but piping that stretch also would save a significant amount of water that otherwise would seep into the ground. No one expects a single developer to bear the cost of piping, though. This issue is sure to be raised more and more in the future as Bend continues to grow.

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Former mayor calls for public vote on Juniper Ridge

     Former Bend Mayor Allan Bruckner, who has been an outspoken critic of the city’s plans for Juniper Ridge, asked at Wednesday’s council meeting that an article he wrote on Juniper Ridge for the new Bend Business Review be entered into the record. Among his comments, Brucker said, “It appears the council and staff completely overlooked the impact, and complications caused, by choosing to do a 1,500-acre project. And it now appears that promoters of the project have vested so much of themselves in it, they cannot objectively consider any other points of view.” Citing controversial issues such as the Bend Parkway and the Bill Healy Memorial Bridge across the Deschutes River, Bruckner asked the council to hold a public vote on Juniper Ridge. None of the councilors commented on the request.

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Redmond airport growing; Bend airport hours temporarily reduced

     A “Who’s Who” of dignitaries, including Oregon Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden and Rep. Greg Walden, showed up at the Redmond Airport on Wednesday for a ground-breaking ceremony for the airport’s terminal expansion, scheduled to begin in January 2008 and be completed by August 2009. The $38 million project will greatly increase the terminal space, to more than 130,000 square feet, with improvements such as a covered walkway to planes, a second baggage carousel and more bathrooms. Redmond now offers year-round service to Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, with seasonal service to Denver. The airport served a record 215,163 passengers last year, and is expected to surpass that number this year. The news isn’t so good for the Bend Airport, however: City officials announced Wednesday in order to complete a runway expansion project on time, the airport will be only be open between 6 a.m. and noon weekdays for at least three weeks. Business owners and other interested parties were scheduled to meet with city officials this morning to discuss the matter.

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Has parking improved downtown? Survey respondents don’t think so

     Last week’s survey question was, “Do you think the on-street parking situation in Bend has improved with the parking garage in service?” While a couple of respondents think it has, most don’t share that view. Some comments:
     “The only parking ‘problem’ right now in Bend is merchants taking the spaces of customers. The parking garage is never even half full. On-street parking is available, just maybe not right in front of the store where you are headed. Downtown Bend is great for walking. Let’s keep making improvements for pedestrians, rather than encouraging more employees and close-in neighbors to drive.”
     “The on-street parking situation is ridiculous. Many business owners and their employees park on the street. They know the system and which days any given street will be patrolled, so they can park all day. It is frustrating when many of us purchase parking passes for our employees and insist that no one park on the street, and then have fellow business owners parking in front of our shops. …”
     “Yes, when I am not walking, I use the parking garage and find it so much more convenient.”

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This week’s survey question 

    Should Bend hold a city-wide vote on the development plans for Juniper Ridge? Please e-mail your responses to: jeff@bendchamber.org.