Minutes

Wednesday, November 16, 2022 on Zoom 5:30pm

Meeting Minutes

Board Attendees: Michelle Abbey, Ken Atwell, Jim Christo, Susi Gaylord and Sara Moss (all board members present)

Action Items

  • Sara to migrate old website to new website before the end of the year so Ken can can cancel Weebly/old site before the first of the year (new)

  • Susi will work on iterations to the new SEBNA logo (new)

  • Michelle to reach out to Ken and connect on Active Transportation Connectivity in SE Bend and next steps

  • Michelle will sign up for alerts via the City website and let us know if something hot comes up for City Council and/or Planning Commission

  • Susi to facilitate Board agreed to submit a written comment about our united front about the Home Energy Score in advance of 12/7 hearing - Susi will work with Jim/Ken

  • Ken continuing to reach out to neighbors on SEBNA borders to gauge interest in joining SEBNA (Oct)

  • Jim/Susi - items for future Board meeting - Opportunity Zone (Murphy & 15th),

Minutes

  • Welcome

  • Public Comments

    • Not applicable

  • Action Item Updates from 10/21/22 Meeting

    • Sara to meet with Makayla Oliver re: ideas for the website, letterhead / board positions, confirm expenses form, survey tool - complete 10/28

    • Sara to provide link for Library feedback e.g. request for book van services to The Pines, p/up d/off location at B&M - online form here - complete 10/24

    • Sara to send Board meeting invites for Nov and Dec meetings using Sara's Zoom - complete 10/23

    • Sara to work on getting a newsletter set-up and drafted (Mailchimp) - ready to go, prepared to send out first newsletter, ideally have logo and new website in place

    • Ken has started reaching out to neighbors on SEBNA borders to gauge interest in joining SEBNA

  • Board Membership & Roles

    • Noted interest in adding additional Board members

  • Land Use - Ken

    • Lamont Apartments (15th & Knott) - Neighborhood Meeting held Nov 7th

      • No update since last month

        • High density apartments are planned - 200 units (just east of Caldera)

        • Ken has reviewed the plans and is not seeing any concerns at this time

    • No Gas Station - See Public Comments - Hearing date set for 11/18 at 9:30am at 711 NW Wall

      • Public comment period is now

    • Brosterhous Railroad Pedestrian Underpass - Under Construction

      • In progress; slated to go to mid-December

      • Not clear if it will be a one-lane road going forward; Ken emailed the City Engineer and has received no response

    • Parrell & 97 - Under Construction

      • 2 lots are subdividing into 13 lots; Ken is following-up on Calvin Way crosswalk request (long-time safety request) - Ken received no response

    • Opportunity Zone (15th & Murphy)

      • Ken noted that 'anything' could end up at this location because of the unique zoning

      • Seems to be a staging area for local developers at the moment

      • Density, commercial is expected - could end up being a climate-friendly zone (this time next year the city will have to have decided where these areas will be 25-40 housing units/acre - vertical building expected; no zoning designation

      • Board to discuss in future meeting

    • Short-term Rentals continue to come up - Golf Course, Timber Ridge and Mountain High are the only green zones on the online map meaning virtually all short-term permits have been taken

  • Community Engagement

    • Neighborhood Leadership Alliance (NLA) - Jim

      • See notes sent to Board by Jim a few days back

      • Home Energy Score was a focus

        • Ken suggested it is important that Home Energy Score assessment should be the assessors sole business (and not a lead gen business for new windows, etc.) - much like a certified home inspector

        • Ken's concern is that affordable houses in Bend will be most impacted which will result in those homes being demolished and replaced with unaffordable housing

        • Susi noted it could be decided that homes older than (year TBD) would not be required to have a Home Energy Score

        • State-driven and part of climate-friendly goals per Ken, we just need to try and help minimize negative impact to our more affordable homes

        • December 7th Hearing in front of City Council, NLA will meet beforehand and determine what they will do to prepare, everyone who wants to speak are welcome; Susi would like to participate if she is available and may send in a

        • Board agreed to submit a written comment about our unite front about the Home Energy Score - Susi will work with Jim/Ken

    • Neighborhood Association Round Table (NART) - Susi

      • No meeting since last SEBNA meeting

      • Next meeting planned for Nov 29th

    • OFDNA/SEBNA Joint Board Meeting - Jim

      • Old Farm indicated they are interested in meeting again going forward; Old Farm cancelled their meeting in December

    • City Council Working Sessions & Meetings

      • Ken suggested that we consider tracking what the City Council is working on during their Working Sessions (Oct)

      • As an example, he noted that the decision was made to push sewer hook-up costs to homeowners (had been the City)

      • Meeting tonight 11/17 regarding camping code

      • Council agenda set for the week prior - not far in advance - need to monitor the email box and let everyone know if a hot agenda item comes up

      • Ken will continue to keep us updated; Michelle will sign up for alerts via the City website and let us know if something hot comes up for City Council and/or Planning Commission

    • Planning Commission

      • See above, Michelle to monitor agendas

  • Hot Topics & SEBNA Board Positions

    • 2021-2023 SEBNA Goals. Will discuss goals submitted in 2020 in a future SEBNA Board meeting.

    • 2023-2025 City Council Goal Setting. Jim noted that SEBNA will be asked to provide input to the City. Jim noted last round SEBNA recommend an case management and tracking tool be implemented to support NAs so that when a question/comment is submitted by the NA it can be timestamped and tracked to ensure timely follow-up. Lack of follow-up/-through has been an issue. Board was amendable to this suggestion. - Reviewed 11/16 - no updates

    • Active Transportation Connectivity through and throughout SE Bend - Michelle

      • Ken noted that code states there will be 100% sidewalks on public and private lands

      • Talked about working with Bend Bikes to understand current, planned and wish list routes

      • Ken encouraged us to brainstorm solutions for paying for plans at the same time we identify connectivity opportunities

      • Ken noted that Parks & Rec is very interested in opportunities

      • Country Club to The Bridges Pedestrian Zone. Ken suggested that the Board could dive into what it would take to create great bike/pedestrian connectivity throughout SE Bend.

      • Arnold Irrigation Moving Underground

        • Arnold will be finished by ~2026

        • Ken noted syphoning under Knott and China Hat is expected to be a variable - Ken will research

        • We discussed that covering the canal is a federally-driven project

        • Will become a paved bike/pedestrian path

  • Communications

    • Mailing List - Sara: 177 subscribers

    • Newsletter - Sara

      • Sara to get the newsletter up and running

    • Website - Sara

      • Will continue to build out and share with Makayla for additional ideas

    • Social Media - Susi

      • Susi will blast out the newsletter and our website will include links to social

      • Suggestion was made to post on Reddit under r/Bend and use SE Bend in the subject

    • Survey - If we need to run a survey reach out to Makayla and she will pull the trigger on the new tool she has selected

  • Other Business

    • SEBNA Boundaries - Current boundaries don't seem to be intuitive. We are a new Board and a growing NA. Will revisit in Jan 2023.

    • Ideas for 2023 Annual Meeting - Water conservation

    • Potential Meeting Locations - Barnes & Noble, East Bend Library (free, reserveable online), Fire Station Community Room (tbd), Trinity Lutheran (Knott & Brosterhous tbd - friendly but busy), and The Pines Community Room (free, open to , Back 9 Club House (Ken can ask Jody), Country Club ($150/use, Timber Ridge HOA meets there)

  • Next Board Meetings

    • Tue 12/13/22 6:30pm - will occur via Zoom due to Board member schedules, community welcome to attend (moved from 5:30 to 6:30)

    • Tue 1/17/23 5:30pm - will occur via Zoom