Help Bring the Corner Store Back to Bend’s Neighborhoods
In many Bend neighborhoods, grabbing a coffee or a few groceries means getting in the car. Zoning restrictions have made it nearly impossible for small businesses—cafés, corner markets, barbershops—to exist outside of major commercial areas. The result is more car trips, fewer opportunities for local entrepreneurs, and neighborhoods that feel more like isolated islands than complete communities.
Central Oregon LandWatch is advocating for updates to Bend's development code to allow more small-scale commercial uses in our neighborhoods. On June 22, the Bend Planning Commission and neighborhood district leaders will hold a roundtable on exactly this topic.
For more neighborhood commercial opportunities to take root across town, the city needs to hear from people like you who live and work here.
Jackson’s Corner is a great example of beloved local neighborhood commercial business.
Email the Planning Commission
Share your thoughts on what kinds of small businesses you’d like to see in your neighborhood to cityplanningcommissionall@bendoregon.gov before the June 22 roundtable.
Sign the petition
Add your name to the community petition to re-legalize neighborhood commercial in Bend.
Contact your neighborhood district board
You can find your district and their contact information on the City of Bend website.
The Upshot
As we grow, we have an opportunity to shape neighborhoods that are not only complete, but distinctive places with a stronger sense of identity, culture, and belonging—more than just housing, but walkable areas with gathering spaces, local character, and connections that bring people together.