LARKSPUR NEIGHBORHOOD
NEWS & EVENTS
News and events regarding Larkspur Neighborhood priorities, current and on-going projects.
Midtown Crossings Open House
You are invited to an informational, online open house at bendoregon.gov/midtowncrossings available now through Jan. 7 to view the selected design for Franklin Avenue between Harriman and Fifth streets, including intersection, bike lane and undercrossing improvements.
This online open house provides the last public review before the City’s project team finalizes the designs and initiates construction next year.
In August, the City of Bend collected community input on how to make walking, biking and rolling safer and more comfortable along Franklin Avenue between Harriman and Fifth streets. Considering the community input and other factors such as maintenance, safety and emergency service needs, the City is moving forward with a preferred design. This design will add more separation between lanes of travel and includes new landscaping areas in the public right of way.
Improving the transportation system by focusing on safety is a City Council goal. Creating safer connections between neighborhoods, places of work, schools, parks and businesses, for people who ride bikes, walk or roll, is a City priority. The City is designing a variety of safer and more accessible bike and pedestrian routes throughout the community, including the Midtown Crossings project, aimed at linking the Central District to Downtown Bend.
Midtown Crossings Project includes improvements to four key connectors in the area for people who ride bikes, walk and roll:
Greenwood Avenue: Corridor and undercrossing quick-build improvements and long-term planning.
Franklin Avenue: Corridor and under-crossing improvements.
Second Street: Streetscape improvements, stormwater and water lines.
Hawthorne Overcrossing: Preliminary design for a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
The December open house is focused on the final design of Franklin Avenue. Learn more at bendoregon.gov/midtowncrossings.
Bikeway Open House
Online Open House Dec 16 - Jan 2
The community is invited to an informational online open house at bendoregon.gov/bendbikeway from Dec. 16 through Jan. 2 to view the final designs for the Bend Bikeway Project.
This online open house provides the last public review before the City’s project team wraps up the design phase and initiates construction in 2025.
Improving the transportation system by focusing on safety is a City Council goal. Creating safer connections between neighborhoods, places of work, schools, parks and businesses, for people who ride bikes, walk or roll is a City priority. The City is designing a variety of safer and more accessible bike and pedestrian routes throughout the community, including the Bend Bikeway Project that will make the most of the existing system to build one connected and protected North-South and one East-West key route.
NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY
Take our neighborhood survey and let us know:
What’s most important to you?
What goals should the city set?
What do you love about Larkspur?
What would you like to see us provide?
Scan the QR Code below with your phone’s camera or visit the link directly: https://s.surveyplanet.com/oa38g1kz
11/8 Greenwood Cemetery hearing cancelled
The public hearing scheduled for November 8th regarding rezoning 6.54 acres of Greenwood Cemetery has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for a future date.
Information about this project can be found in the Online Permit Center Portal: PLCPMA20240334.
1/8 - WILSON AVE CLOSURE
A full closure of Wilson Avenue from Third Street to Fourth Street begins Monday, Jan. 8 through June 2024.
For more information, see https://bendoregon.gov/wilson
Traffic SHIFT on 3rd Ave
As part of the Wilson Avenue Corridor project, traffic on Third Street has shifted to one lane between SE Railroad Street and SE Taft Avenue. Please note, blue cones are directing business access. This traffic change is expected to remain through December 22.
Wilson Ave Closures - 11/6
Beginning Monday, November 6th, Wilson Ave will be closed to westbound traffic between Ninth St and Hill St.
Traffic will detour to Reed Market Road as seen below:
This closure will extend to June 2024. Local and emergency access will be maintained.
For more information, see https://bendoregon.gov/wilson
NSSP Project Survey
The City is asking each neighborhood district to provide up to two transportation issues that they would like to resolve with their Neighborhood Street Safety Program (NSSP). The City will work with the board to create a Project Prospectus sheet for each of the identified issues. We are asking YOU to help identify these problem areas. Please fill out the survey below and help us gather data. This is YOUR CHANCE to make your voice heard about street safety issues.
Take our survey HERE.
Board meeting - October
October 16th, 2023 @ 6pm
Larkspur Community Center - Classroom A
Our board meetings are always open to the public.
Our agenda will include:
Updates from board members
Land Use Update
NSSP
General Meeting Plan
Click HERE to join our meeting via ZOOM
Central Oregon Villages - Update
Central Oregon Villages provided the Larkspur Neighborhood Association with updated information from the July 14th Open House & Round Table Discussion at the recent August board meeting.
They created a document which listed and responded to all questions and comments from those events.
The proposed site of the Central Oregon Villages Shelter and the 500’ buffer zone where the ‘No Camping’ code will be enforced.
To learn more, stay up to date, or get involved,
visit Central Oregon Villages and the City of Bend
Central oregon Villages - update
On June 20, the Executive Director and members of the board of directors for Central Oregon Villages (COV) were invited to attend the Larkspur Board meeting to discuss the homeless village that is proposed for two acres of the Desert Streams Church property at the northeast corner of 27th and Bear Creek Road.
We had a two hour discussion in which neighbors were given the opportunity to express their concerns and get their questions answered - without the three minute time limit that people are given in a City Council setting. It was a good discussion and many relevant issues were brought up by neighbors.
In attendance were Nicky Merrit, Executive director of COV; and James Cook, Chuck Hemingway and Jim Porter, who are all on the Board of Directors for COV. Jim Porter recently retired as Chief of Police for the City of Bend. Mike Krantz, the current Chief of Police was also in attendance and also answered questions.
A link to the video recording of the meeting is here.
Many of the questions and concerns raised in the meeting are addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions page on the COV website (Here is a link to that) and they have been updating the FAQs as new questions come in. During the week of July 5 COV expects to post a link to the Program Handbook that will be the agreement between COV and the residents of the Village; residents must agree to abide by these terms in order to remain residents of the Village.
What are the next steps?
On July 14, COV will be sponsoring an open house and roundtable discussion about the proposed village; this will take place at the Desert Streams Church. COV will be going door-to-door in the adjacent neighborhoods to make sure that people are aware of the open house. The Larkspur NA will also be reaching out to neighbors through social media concerning this event.
Ways to Participate July 14th:
12:00 - 4:00 PM: Drop-in with COV staff and board. This portion of the outreach is on a walk-in basis, pre-registration requested but not required. There will be information about the management of the village, security, the Good Neighbor agreement with nearby neighbors, and the proposed layout and plan for maintenance of the property, and plenty of chance to provide feedback on what is proposed.
6:00 - 7:30 PM: Round-Table Discussion. Seating at the Desert Streams Church for the Round Table Discussion is limited; those wishing to attend this portion of the event should RSVP to nicky@covillages.org with name, contact information and personal or business address within the Larkspur Neighborhood. (Preference will be to the residents/businesses of the Larkspur neighborhood).
If you are not able to participate on July 14, you are welcome to contact Nicky by phone, email or in person to get the details of what is proposed and provide feedback.
At the open house there will be an opportunity to provide input on the draft of the Good Neighbor Agreement. The Bend City Code that was recently passed makes it the responsibility of the service provider (COV in this case) to work with neighbors to develop this agreement so that there’s a clear understanding of how we should communicate and come to resolution of any issues that might arise associated with this village. The current draft is very preliminary and we hope that neighbors will help us come up with a document that will provide a good working framework for ongoing communication.
COV has also proposed that we create an advisory board that includes neighbors; this group would meet on some regular schedule to review progress of the Village and address issues. Details of this remain to be worked out.
What is the timeline for what will happen at the site?
COV will need to complete their neighbor outreach and report back to City Council before any authorization is given to begin groundwork for the Village. They are expecting to report back to Council in early August. If all goes as they expect, the first structures will be in place and the Village will go into operation this fall.
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What is the position of the Larkspur NA Board on all of this?
We don’t view ourselves as in a position of support or opposition as a Neighborhood Association so much as the group who is ensuring that neighbors be given the opportunity to express their concerns and get answers from City staff and Central Oregon Villages in open discussion. We want to make sure that neighbors’ concerns are taken seriously. Two of our board members live within two blocks of the proposed site so we understand that many neighbors have concerns about this proposal.
We are not taking an adversarial approach to this. It is in the early stages of discussion, and COV has not yet made a full proposal as to what they are planning to do. We are in communication with them to understand exactly what they are proposing, help get the word out about their community outreach efforts to make sure they hear neighbors’ concerns, and see if we can push for solutions to any issues that are raised.
With recent code changes and changes in Oregon law, a shelter of the type that is proposed is now permitted for property zoned as the Desert Streams Church property is zoned. We think pouring our efforts into trying to stop it would be unproductive. Our time is better spent making sure that what is put in will have no negative consequences for neighbors. We feel like this is not an unrealistic goal.
I urge you to participate in any outreach efforts that COV makes. Nicky Merritt has offered to meet one-on-one with anyone who wants to discuss their concerns with the proposed village. You can contact her at nicky@covillages.org or through the contact info on the Central Oregon Villages webpage: https://covillages.org.
2022 Speed Radar Program
Every year the City and Neighborhood Associations work together to encourage drivers to follow the speed limit through the Speed Radar Program.
Radar signs provide feedback to drivers by showing the speed they are driving as they approach the sign. The signs notify speeders to slow down and affirm attentive drivers are obeying the speed limit. In addition the radars collect volume and speed data.
The City has six moveable speed radars to distribute throughout the Neighborhood Associations this year. Due to the high demand for placement in the neighborhoods, we ask community members to contact their NA with requests so that they can prioritize and submit three locations to the City.
We suggest the street locations you select should be more than three blocks long, connect other streets in the neighborhood, and have multiple speeding complaints. Signs can only go where there is an existing speed sign post or space in the shoulder.
The radars operate from May through October each year and are typically left up for three weeks. Requests should be sent to Ty Combs starting Friday, April 15 through Monday, May 16 to get your NA on the schedule. First come, first schedule!
Neighborhood Cleanup, April 10th
Join your Larkspur neighbors for a neighborhood "spring cleaning" to welcome the warmer weather. Volunteers will meet at Kiwanis Park on Sunday, April 10th to pick up trash in the surrounding area. Bags and trash grabbers will be provided. Bring a hat, water, gloves, and a bucket if you have one. This is a community led event with the support of the Bend Beautification Program.
Join your Larkspur neighbors for a neighborhood "spring cleaning" to welcome the warmer weather. Volunteers will meet at Kiwanis Park on Sunday, April 10th to pick up trash in the surrounding area. Bags and trash grabbers will be provided. Bring a hat, water, gloves, and a bucket if you have one. This is a community led event with the support of the Bend Beautification Program. If interested in joining, please register here.
What: Neighborhood cleanup
When: Sunday, April 10th, 11am-1pm
Where: Kiwanis Park
Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1NMCGIz4ioSADQ3Y0mPmGIWl38wlp3DHQg9hAGXq0tWw/edit?usp=drivesdk
Want to host a cleanup effort on your block?
The Bend Beautification Program has everything you need to host, including trash grabbers and bags. They will also pick up the trash when you are done.
More information here: https://www.bendoregon.gov/community/volunteer-program/bend-beautification-program
Traffic Report
The City of Bend will be releasing a weekly road and traffic report each Friday during peak construction season to help members of our community plan the safest and most reliable routes to their destinations. The weekly report is intended to provide information about various projects within City limits that impact public roadways.
Weekly Road and Traffic Report Begins for 2022
The City of Bend will be releasing a weekly road and traffic report each Friday during peak construction season to help members of our community plan the safest and most reliable routes to their destinations. The weekly report is intended to provide information about various projects within City limits that impact public roadways.
After this announcement about the launch of the report, the City will distribute the report via a subscriber-only email notification system. To receive the weekly report for the rest of the season, individuals must subscribe to “Weekly Road and Traffic Reports,” found under “News” at bendoregon.gov/enews.
Travelers can also check our interactive, online map at bendoregon.gov/traffic. It will be regularly updated to show the current and upcoming projects that may create lane or road closures.
It will be another busy season, with road maintenance and construction, private development projects, and other possible events that could require lane or road closures.
Here is your Weekly Road and Traffic Report for the Week of March 25-April 3:
Brosterhous Road between Murphy Road and Knott Road for infrastructure installation, northbound lane closure with detour. Estimated through late spring 2022. This is part of the Brosterhous Accessibility Improvements Project.
NW Davenport Avenue between NW 13th Street and NW 14th Street for a water service replacement, full road closure 3/28.
NE 3rd Street between Olney Avenue and NE Butler Market Road for roadway improvements, single lane closure of slow lanes. Completion expected summer 2023.
NE Norton Avenue between NE 3rd Street and NE 4th Street for street improvements, full street closure.
Capella Place between SE 27th Street and SE Vega Street for infrastructure installation, Eastbound Lane closure.
NW Shevlin Ranch Road between NW Bordeaux Lane and NW Shevlin Meadow Drive for infrastructure installation, full road closure. Completion scheduled for end of May.
Brinson Boulevard between NE 18th Street and Layton Avenue for infrastructure installation, eastbound lane closure. Completion scheduled for end of April.
NW Silver Buckle Road – As part of the Rimrock Pump Stations Improvement project, full road closure during work hours.
Wilson Corridor Improvements Project – Street improvements on Wilson from 2nd street to 15th street. For more information visit the Wilson Project website. This is a multiphase project with various intersection and road closures along its entirety.
Intersection of SE Wilson Avenue and SE 9th Street for roundabout construction, full intersection closure with detour through May 2022 (weather dependent).
Newport Corridor Improvements Project – Various intersections along Newport Avenue to be closed due to updates in the water main and stormwater facilities. Road closures related to the project listed below. For more information, visit the Newport project website. Various closures through the end of Winter 2022.
Newport Avenue - east of the NW College Way roundabout to NW Juniper Street, Eastbound closure with local westbound access. Businesses within the closure are still open and accessible.
Work schedules are dependent on weather conditions and other factors.
Always exercise increased caution within construction zones.
Drivers should use designated detour routes.
Nearby residential streets are for local traffic only.
Contact: Deedee Fraley, Right of Way & Construction Manager
541-385-6199, dfraley@bendoregon.gov
For Street Preservation related questions: Paul Neiswonger, Streets Supervisor
541-317-3035, pneiswonger@bendoregon.gov
Closures and detours in Bend are updated weekly at: bendoregon.gov/traffic
Find more information about street operations at: bendoregon.gov/streetpreservation
Street Preservation Projects
Bend's 2022 street preservation season is scheduled to begin in late March.
Bend's 2022 street preservation season is scheduled to begin in late March.
The City of Bend is preparing to do about $2.6 million worth of street preservation contract work this summer that will improve around 51 lane miles in Bend. The street preservation contracts this year include grind/inlay and slurry seal treatments.
Learn more about this year’s street preservation work, click here
Roundabout construction closure: Wilson Ave and 9th St
Roundabout construction kicks off the Wilson Avenue Corridor Project
the first project of the Transportation General Obligation (GO) Bond, approved by voters in 2020
As part of the first phase of the Wilson Avenue Corridor Project, the Wilson Avenue and Ninth Street intersection will be closed starting March 7. Improvements include a single-lane roundabout and separated bike lanes.
Construction activity is scheduled to continue through late May. Local and emergency access will be maintained.
The Wilson Avenue Corridor Project is a multi-phase modernization project that will improve safety and east-west connectivity for all users along Wilson Avenue from Second Street to 15th Street.
The City of Bend Transportation Bond Oversight Committee identified the Wilson Avenue Corridor Project as the first project of the Transportation General Obligation (GO) Bond, approved by voters in 2020.
Wilson Avenue traffic will be detoured via Third Street to Reed Market Road to 15th Street.
Ninth Street traffic will be detoured via Reed Market Road to 15th Street to Wilson Avenue to Bridgeford Boulevard to Zeller Lane.
For more information about the project, visit bendoregon.gov/wilson.
Transportation Update!
As many of you know, safety on Pettigrew Road has been a concern in our neighborhood for some time and we have been having conversations with people from the City of Bend regarding how we can improve the walkability, bikeability and safety of our neighborhood.
We have just learned that City Engineer Sinclair Burr will be attending our Larkspur NA Board Meeting Monday evening to address some of these concerns and make some suggestions.
Please plan to attend if you have questions, concerns or would just like to have more information.
Here again is the link for the meeting. See you there!