If there is a way to increase the density of housing in Bend without losing all of the appealing openness that the city offered, a development proposed for west of NorthWest Crossing might be a prototype.
A 245-acre area east of the Tree Farm subdivision was sold recently to the developers of NorthWest Crossing. The developers’ plan is to concentrate higher-density housing in the eastern portion of the parcel and reduce the density moving west.
According to The Bulletin, the property requires a minimum of 650 housing units, consisting of single-family, multifamily and duplex/triplex housing.
“This expansion of 650 units will decrease in density as it moves to the west,” Brooks Resources president Kirk Schueler told The Bulletin. “As you get to the western edge, the last 50 acres will have 50 lots on it.”
The preservation of open space was among the attributes of Bend’s urban growth boundary plan that drew praise from the state Department of Land Conservation and Development when it approved Bend’s proposal in November. Developments such as what’s envisioned for this piece of property — which is part of the enlarged urban growth boundary — retains a non-urban character while being faithful to the state’s dictate for Bend to build up as well as out.
“Our family considers this a legacy piece of property,” Charley Miller, co-manager of Miller Tree Farm, said, according to the Cascade Business News. “After the first UGB proposal in 2009, we decided we didn’t want to see a hard line of urban development right up against the forest. We felt that a less intensive pattern would be more appropriate.”
A master planning process, expected to last as long as eight months, will be required before development can begin.
I have lived in NorthWest Crossing for more than a dozen years. My firsthand experience in this neighborhood and my broader knowledge of the Bend market give me the background necessary to make sure you get the optimal outcome in your real estate transaction. Whether you’re looking to buy or considering selling your home, I can help. You can contact me at (541) 383-1426, or visit Bend Property Search to connect with me through my website.