COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
PLANNING DIVISION
 
FRIENDLY, FAST, FAIR & FLEXIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!

PLANNING COUNTER HOURS:  7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

(541) 388-5580

PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING IS NOW LOCATED WITH THE PLANNING DIVISION SO WE CAN SERVE YOU BETTER!

The Planning Division consists of two divisions, a Current Planning Division and a Long Range Planning Division.  Colin Stephens is the manager of the Current Planning Division. Current Planning has 19 professional staff members which include Colin Stephens, Current Planning Manager, three Senior Planners, nine Associate Planners, two Assistant Planners and five Planning Technicians.  Brian Shetterly is the Long Range Planning Manager.  Long Range Planning has 8 professional staff members which include four Senior Planners, the BMPO Manager, a Transportation Planner and two Associate Planners.

The Long Range Planning Division of the Community Development Department works with citizens, the Planning Commission, and the City Council to plan for and manage Bend's long-term growth.  Long Range Planning staff is responsible for maintaining the Bend Area General Plan, which serves as the overall guide to growth management for the Bend urban area.  The General Plan designates the city's Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), and identifies areas for future housing, commercial, employment, and public uses.  The General Plan also includes a Transportation System Plan which is integrated with land use plans to ensure that adequate roads, streets, and trails will be available to accommodate all transportation modes.  The policies of the General Plan also form the basis for land use and development regulations such as the Zoning Ordinance and the Land Division Ordinance.  A sampling of current and upcoming Long Range Planning projects are listed here.

The Current Planning Division is responsible for implementation of the land use codes that regulate development projects within the UGB.  The primary function of the Current Planning Division is the review of land use applications and facilitating citizen participation in the land use process.  Typical functions include:

1) Conducting pre-application meetings with potential applicants;

2) Providing notice and information to surrounding property owners and affected agencies;

3) Coordinating and resolving conflicting requirements and comments on projects;

4) Completing a thorough review of proposed development and writing detailed legal findings;

5) Making presentations at public hearings. 

The goal of the Current Planning Division is to conduct thorough, accurate, balanced, expeditious and consistent reviews of land use applications to benefit the livability for the present and future citizens of the City of Bend.