Deschutes Public Library accuses Bend councilors of politics, drops Central Library site request
‘Dismayed and upset,’ and now a complicated decision: Wait for city to program location, or discover a new location?
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Bend city councilors indicated last week the Deschutes Public Library remaining them trapped among a rock and a tough area, when after split testimony in a public hearing they turned down a ask for to make an exception to metropolis land-use rules and crystal clear the way for a 100,000-square-foot Central Library at Freeway 20 and O.B. Riley Highway.
And the library system returned the “favor” on Thursday, stating the metropolis council experienced left them trapped among a comparable rock and a difficult area.
As a result, they said, they are now left with no very good choices to make transpire what they have promised voters. So they withdrew their ask for just before the city this 7 days, declaring councilors’ refusal to do as they questioned for now most likely suggests both a decades-very long delay ahead of the new library can be created, or obtaining a further web site devoid of this sort of a hurdle to apparent.
This is the library system’s information release, in comprehensive:
Deschutes General public Library Withdraws Textual content and Map Amendment Filings
from the Town of Bend
March 24, 2022 (Bend, Oregon) — The Deschutes Community Library (DPL) withdrew its textual content amendment and map filings with the Town of Bend efficient Tuesday, March 22, 2022. The textual content amendment was the initial phase in annexing the land to make it possible for design of the Central Library, the bond measure approved by voters in November 2020.
The library’s selection came immediately after a hearing before the Bend Town Council on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in which the greater part of council members opposed the library’s ask for which would have authorized the library to develop house near Robal Lane and Highway 20 working with the text modification course of action.
“From our viewpoint, this was a fair ask for centered on quite a few discussions with town employees (courting from just before the property was procured), the Town Planning Commission’s approval to move forward, and strong community aid for the challenge,” explained Library Director Todd Dunkelberg. “We considered this ask for experienced both merit and precedent because the Metropolis of Bend has just utilised this system to allow annexation and building of North Star Elementary Faculty just a stone throw away.”
The library submitted the textual content amendment as an different to the City’s recent code provisions that outline two techniques land progress in city expansion growth locations:
- The City of Bend initiates and completes an Location Planning effort and hard work for the OB Riley spot. City workers confirmed that this Region Program is not on the city’s work approach for the foreseeable potential.
- A Grasp Strategy application encompassing at minimum 40 acres is developed, submitted, and approved by the metropolis. Given that DPL owns just 12.75 acres and with only 1 home in the OB Riley location adjoining its house, the library’s selections are confined to a person specific home operator who is not able to commence with a master plan. DPL has had intensive conversations with this household over the last two a long time and respects the suitable of its neighbor’s position.
With the Region Strategy and Learn Approach choices exhausted, the library’s remaining route forward was to progress with the proposed text amendment, an choice process made use of to permit elementary school siting on less than 20 acres. The library argued that the process recognized the unique troubles public companies confront in buying land and making tasks for the general public excellent. The amendment would have authorized this system to be applied by schools and libraries in the remaining UGB expansion areas with no an location or grasp system. An accompanying map modification would have transferred household zoning from the library and North Star school homes to privately held land in the OB Riley area, preserving it for long term progress.
The Metropolis Arranging Fee recommended acceptance of the library’s textual content and map amendments to the Metropolis Council, but the vast majority of council users said their unwillingness to make it possible for the library to commence without having a master approach or location strategy.
“We assumed that our proposal would be decided centered on its deserves, not on the perceived politics and misinformation of the minute,” Dunkelberg claimed. “We are dissatisfied by the City Council’s absence of support but seem forward to a new course to supply necessary library providers for the Bend neighborhood and during Deschutes County.”
For much more information, remember to get hold of Library Director Todd Dunkelberg at [email protected] or (541) 312-1021.
Dunkelberg informed NewsChannel 21 afterwards Thursday that they possibly have to wait for the city to plan out the place, which is “not on their timeline, or move on to one more property.” Requested about declare the town council built a determination based on politics or misinformation from opponents, he mentioned, “I’m not absolutely sure what is actually swaying them.”
The choice on how to move forward now will be up to the library board in coming weeks, he said.
The working day just after the council hearing, Dunkelberg experienced told NewsChannel 21 he was hopeful of however relocating “ahead to convey this area into the city, employing another course of action.”
But he explained Thursday the pending software was withdrawn this week “primarily based on guidance from our attorney, and after talking with city staff. We didn’t want to make them go on operating on this when it’s rather a lot a dead offer.”
“It is frustrating for us,” Dunkelberg claimed. “We feel this is a really community benefit for our neighborhood, and it really is irritating we are not equipped to transfer ahead.”
In the withdrawal letter to councilors and metropolis Senior Planner Karen Swenson, Dunkelberg claimed the effect of the council’s conclusion has ramifications “significantly beyond the library,” together with other library enhancements contingent on the new facility and impacts on Highway 20 corridor improvements and other region street extensions and advancements.
“We are unable to see a remaining path ahead for DPL to progress with the Central Library on this site,” he wrote.
Here is the withdrawal letter sent to the metropolis on Tuesday:
