Below is an email that was sent out to our district regarding the proposed parking district program.
Hi Neighbors of Old Bend,
We write to tell you about a proposed Parking Benefit District pilot program that the Old Bend Neighborhood Association and the City of Bend Parking Services Division Manager, Tobias Marx, have been working on for the past few months. You may have recently received a postcard regarding this pilot program.
The proposed parking district is in response to numerous complaints regarding unsafe, congested streets due to visitors at nearby businesses and parks, RVs camping on our roads, and many downtown employees parking within residential areas. With Bend’s continuing growth and increasing tourism, these issues will become ever more problematic in our neighborhood in the future.
Why a parking district?
At its most basic level, the parking district is intended to make almost all streets in front of homes in Old Bend become resident parking only. In areas of mixed residences and businesses there will be mixed-use parking.
Highlights include:
- virtual resident and visitor permits,
- minimal signage to preserve neighborhood aesthetics,
- special permits for service/construction vehicles, in district employees, and short term rentals,
- and special event parking management.
During the proposed yearlong pilot, there will be a focus on flexibility to allow for quick changes if certain aspects of the pilot are not working and need adjustments.
The proposed Old Bend Parking District will be a parking benefit district. This means that the district’s intent is to wholly benefit the Old Bend neighborhood and not be an additional revenue stream for the city. Revenues generated in the parking district from parking permits, fees and parking citations, will be used to fund operating costs of the district, and the remaining proceeds will be reinvested into the district through safety and livability projects. A parking committee composed of Old Bend residents and business owners will govern and evaluate the parking district.
Residential parking permits will be $30/year ($15/year for seniors). Short term visitor permits will be free to residents.
Full details are provided at bendoregon.gov/parking-district. Please visit the site to learn more about the proposed parking district. There is also a detailed map showing how the parking district will apply to every street within the Old Bend Neighborhood.
When you’re finished, please visit this link –> Resident Survey to give feedback on the proposed parking district and most importantly, vote! Your vote will determine the future of the parking pilot program.
The OBNA board supports this Parking Benefit District, and we hope that you will too. After reviewing the informational links, please feel free to send questions to tmarx@bendoregon.gov or board@oldbend.org.
Thank you for your time,
The Old Bend Neighborhood Association Board