ODOT w Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative Page 1Case Study: NorthWest Crossing

NORTHWEST CROSSINGCreating a Healthy and Livable Community

OREGON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVE

Oregon Greenhouse Gas Reduction Toolkit :

Case Study

Featured CategoryHealthy Livable Communities

CREATE A HEALTHY ANDLIVABLE COMMUNITY

LocationBend, Oregon

What's There Now» Two schools » Three parks » Trails» About 700

occupiedhomes

» Some commercialretail

» Approx. 100 acres ofresidential land still to be developed

Applicable GHG Reduction Strategies1

» Development Types (Compact, Mixed-Use)» Schools» Pedestrian Environment» Bicycle Facilities» Roundabouts» Plan and Code Amendments This case study is an illustration of strategies from

the Transportation and Land Use Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Toolkit, and is intended to help local jurisdictions explore actions and programs that can reduce GHG emissions from transportation.

Located about 1.5 miles west of downtownBend, NorthWest Crossing is a master

planned neighborhood that exemplifies the concept of a healthy and livable community. In just under 500 acres, NorthWest Crossing contains a variety of housing types, a mix of architectural styles, complete streets, community-scaled businesses, two schools, and an employment area intended to provide jobs within the community. Amenities are provided throughout the neighborhood, including 32 acres of public parks. A community garden, built by the developer and managed by the Oregon State University Extension Service, provides public gathering and gardening space for over 50 families each year. Areas of preserved open space, mature trees and scenic views are connected by a network of paved trails. Thoughtful planning and design, and preservation of natural features, lends to the feel of an older and well-established neighborhood that appeals to a broad demographic.

Planned Livability

1 Transportation and Land Use Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Toolkit Database, ODOT, 2011.

ODOT w Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative Page 2Case Study: NorthWest Crossing

Background & Land Use Planning

NorthWest Crossing2 was once a tree farm belonging to Brooks-Scanlon, Inc., an Oregon timber company in the early to mid 1900s.

When the last of the company’s mills closed in 1994, Brooks-Scanlon was still in possession of roughly 500 acres of land at the western edge of Bend. To explore development opportunities on this land, Brooks-Scanlon created the West Bend Property Company. From the start, West Bend PC emphasized high-quality development that was innovative and environmentally responsive. That stance has been integral to the success of NorthWest Crossing.The land use approvals for NorthWest Crossing involved amendments to the city’s Comprehensive Plan and Development Code to adopt a new NorthWest Crossing Overlay Zone (Chapter 2.7.300) and change the previous base zone to Standard Density Residential (RS). The process also involved a master plan approval. In addition, prototype handbooks were created that provide detailed development and design standards for new residential and commercial development within the overlay.During the planning process, West Bend PC worked closely with city departments to ensure that plans for NorthWest Crossing were consistent with previously adopted master plans already in place for schools, parks, water and sewer. Negotiations between the various parties resulted in a number of agreements:» West Bend PC agreed to build four parks within NorthWest crossing

that they would then donate to the Bend Parks & Recreation District(BPRD). The approach was mutually beneficial; BPRD received newpublic parks at no upfront cost and the developer created a communityamenity that would help boost home sales.

» West Bend PC donated land to the Bend-La Pine School District forconstruction of two schools: High Lakes Elementary and SummitHigh. In turn, the school district paid for infrastructure improvementsneeded to serve the schools, such as sewer service. This madeinfrastructure available to a large portion of the area, thus loweringcosts for the developer.

» The master plan for NorthWest Crossing incorporated significantinfrastructure improvements, including an arterial road that runsnorth-south through the development. Major sewer and waterinfrastructure improvements were also constructed and paid forupfront by the developer. As compensation, the city agreed toprovide reimbursements to West Bend PC for each new home that isconstructed. The city collects system development charges (SDCs) fromnew homes as they are built and a portion of those SDCs are givenback to the developer.

Unique AttributesFour key elements make NorthWest Crossing distinctive and have contributed to its success as a desirable community.» Public ownership. By design, there is no homeowners association

for NorthWest Crossing. All common areas within the development,including parks and right-of-way, are public spaces that have beendedicated to the city. This approach avoids homeowner’s dues and anadditional layer of governance.

»

2

Architectural review. NorthWest Crossing has its own architectural review committee (ARC) comprised of three voting members. With Website for NorthWest Crossing: https://www.northwestcrossing.com/

ChallengesThe master plan for NorthWest Crossing included an objective of providing affordable housing within the development. However, efforts to deliver on that goal have been challenging due to the relatively high property values within the community. To address this issue, West Bend PC works with Housing Works, a non-profit housing authority that strives to provide affordable housing in Central Oregon counties. To date, West Bend PC has donated over six lots to the Housing Works land trust; in turn, Housing Works finds a qualified buyer to build on the lot and live in the home. If the homeowner sells, the land remains in the land trust and any appreciated value of the home is shared between Housing Works and the homeowner. This allows the homeowner to realize some return on their investment while also providing needed funding for Housing Works to continue their mission. West Bend PC plans to donate additional lots to Housing Works in the future.

Attracting and maintaining commercial business within NorthWest Crossing has also proven difficult, particularly during the recession. West Bend PC has made efforts to promote the neighborhood and provides incentives (discounted land costs) when possible. However, these efforts have limited impact when the market simply does not support new commercial development. The community has recently seen some improvements in the commercial center and more improvements are anticipated as the economy continues to recover. West Bend PC is especially interested in attracting a grocery store to the neighborhood within the next two to four years.

ODOT w Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative Page 3Case Study: NorthWest Crossing

help from an architect consultant, the ARC reviews proposed plans for all new homes and commercial development for consistency with the design standards established in the prototype handbooks. The ARC has the authority to approve or deny a proposal based on their review.

» Ongoing involvement. West Bend PC remains highly involved in theday-to-day affairs of the community. The company sends out a monthlye-newsletter to residents and offers classified ads twice per week. WestBend PC has also surveyed community members regarding the typesof services and amenities that are most desired within the community.In response to that survey, they are currently trying to attract a grocerystore into the neighborhood. When all lots have sold and West Bend'srole is relinquished, residents will vote on whether or not to elect aboard and replace the ARC.

» Natural features. Much of the land within NorthWest Crossingcontained mature and healthy trees and scenic mountain views. The developer recognized these assets and, throughout the process, has emphasized retention of trees and other natural features as a priority. In working with home builders, West Bend PC encourages creative ways to preserve trees on lots where ever possible. As a result, many mature trees are located throughout the community.

Strategies UsedSpecific greenhouse gas reduction strategies that have been integrated into NorthWest Crossing are described below.» Development types (compact and mixed-use). NorthWest Crossing

was master planned to include areas of compact, mixed-usedevelopment, along with areas of commercial and employment usessurrounded by higher density residential. Allowable densities withinthe development range from 7.2 units per acre to 19 units per acre,depending on the intended character of the particular sub-area. Thisapproach will ultimately provide more opportunities for residents tolive, shop, access services and work inside the community.

» Schools. The inclusion of an elementary and high school withinNorthWest Crossing was an important piece of the planning process.The Bend-La Pine School District worked with West Bend PC tostrategically locate the schools to maximize opportunities for studentsto walk or bike to school and for residents to use the school fields afterhours. The well-connected network of narrow streets and separatedsidewalks and trails provide safe and convenient access to the schoolsfor pedestrians and cyclists.

» Pedestrian environment. NorthWest Crossing was designed to bepedestrian friendly. The street network is a well-connected grid with adistinctive radial pattern. Streets are narrow (9 to 10-foot travel laneson most local streets) and are built with sidewalks, curb extensions andlandscape buffers between the street and sidewalk. The narrow widths,on-street parking bays and roundabouts help slow vehicle speeds andincrease pedestrian comfort. The off-street multi-use trails throughoutthe development provide an additional network of pedestrianconnectivity.

» Bicycle facilities. Many of the elements that contribute to a pleasantpedestrian environment also encourage bicycle use. All arterial andcollector streets within NorthWest Crossing are required to includea six-foot bike lane in both travel directions. The multi-use trails arepaved and designed to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians withoutconflict. Multifamily developments, schools, neighborhood commercialuses and employment uses are all required to provide sheltered bicycleparking.

Key Successes

The combination of amenities offered in NorthWest Crossing has made it a desirable neighborhood, as evidenced by the high property values and building rates, even during the recent economic recession. Since development first began in 2001, the eastern two-thirds of the residential lots have been built. Plans are in place to begin development on the remaining approximately 100 acres of land to the west, which will include a combination of residential and commercial.

Other notable successes in NorthWest Crossing include:

� West Bend PC maintains a strongworking relationship with a guild ofabout 25 builders who are invited -through a lottery process - to designand sell homes in NorthWest Crossing.Through the use of the prototypehandbooks and careful selectionand review process, they are able toprioritize quality home building interms of materials, aesthetic designand sustainable practices. This practicehas also resulted in a high diversity ofarchitectural styles; no two homes in theneighborhood are exactly the same.

� NorthWest Crossing’s success has alsoevidenced by its recognition in severalpublications, including articles in Whereto Retire Magazine, Terrain.org2 and arecently published book titled Unsprawl:Remixing Spaces as Places3. In addition,NorthWest Crossing has received anumber of awards and accolades fromvarious local and national organizations.

2

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NorthWest Crossing, UnSprawl Case Study by Ken Pirie. Website: https://www.terrain.org/unsprawl/18/ UnSprawl: Remixing Spaces as Places, Simmons B. Buntin and Ken Pirie, Planetizen Press, 2013. Website: https://www.planetizen.com/store/unsprawl

ODOT w Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative Page 4Case Study: NorthWest Crossing

» Roundabouts. The street network in NorthWestCrossing includes a series of roundabouts on thetwo arterial roads serving the community. Use ofthe roundabouts reduces the amount of idling andsupports a parkway-like street aesthetic. Roundaboutsalso provide traffic calming effects and were designedto emphasize pedestrian and bicycle safety.

» Plan and code amendments. To regulate developmentwithin NorthWest Crossing, Bend adopted theNorthwest Crossing Overlay Zone (Chapter 2.7.300)that contains development and design standards forvarious sub-districts within the overlay. The standardsin the overlay zone apply in addition to the standards inthe base RS zone. The overlay zone contains provisionsthat promote compact development and contribute togreenhouse gas reductions, including:

� Density targets in some sub-districts that are higher thanthe base zone densities

� Minimum lot sizes of 2,500 square feet with increased (orno) lot coverage maximums

� Provisions to allow for a broad mix of housing types, includingtownhomes, multifamily and mixed-use developments

� Provisions to allow cluster housing and cottage developments � Shared parking allowances and standards to reduce minimum parkingrequirements under certain circumstances. Community commercialuses may not have more than five off-street vehicle parking spaces.

� Required bicycle parking (including covered parking) for communitycommercial uses

� Special street standards that require a well-connected grid patternand allow for narrow street widths with on-street bike lanes

Development in NorthWest Crossing is also subject to the bicycle and pedestrian connectivity standards contained in a separate section (Chapter 3.1.300) of the Bend Development Code.

Conclusions

Although NorthWest Crossing is somewhat unusual in that itwas a large tract of developable land within close proximity to

an existing downtown, some of the successful planning strategies used there are applicable in other communities, regardless of size and location. For example, thoughtful negotiations between the developer and the city found mutually beneficial ways to deliver high-quality public amenities such as schools, parks and trails. Though the developer absorbed much of the upfront costs to provide some of these amenities, they are now publically owned and maintained by the city and continue to serve as strong selling points, drawing people into the community and increasing property values.Additionally, the use of an overlay zone and design prototype handbook provides several “layers” of regulation that help ensure quality development and offer flexibility for a variety of housing types and architectural styles. The avoidance of “cookie cutter” housing is a relatively unique attribute for a newer development and lends to the feel of a more established neighborhood. The pedestrian-oriented approach to designing the development has also helped create a very livable community. Schools, parks and commercial-employment areas are connected by a gridded street pattern with landscaped sidewalks, bike lanes and off-street trails, all of which reduces the need for vehicle use within the community.

The Toolkit is a component of the Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative

(OSTI), which was formed to address the requirements of Senate Bill 1059 (2010).

For more information, please visit:

https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Planning/Pages/GHG-Toolkit.aspx

Quantifying GHG Reduction

The Transportation and Land Use Greenhouse Gas Reduction Toolkit3 estimates reduction ranges for several of the strategies mentioned in this case study. Those strategies with quantified reduction ranges are:

� Development types (compactdevelopment only): 0.2 – 1.8%, can behigher depending on how dense

� Schools: 0.2 – 2.1% for school placementstrategy. None established for safe routesto schools program

� Pedestrian environment: 0.10 – 0.31%

� Bicycle facilities: 0.09 – 0.28%

� Roundabouts: 0.1%

� Plan and code amendments: 0.2 – 2.1%

While strategies are often combined to maximize effectiveness, the reduction ranges are not necessarily additive.

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Available Custom Home Lots

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Industrial Employment Overlay

Legend

NorthWest Crossing Sales CenterThe Garner Group

2762 NW Crossing Drive, Suite 100Bend, OR 97701 • (541) 383-4360

www.thegarnergroup.comwww.northwestcrossing.com

Note: This is not a survey of the land.

Map indicates lots listed by The Garner Group Real Estate LLCincluding those owned by West Bend Property Co.

614

This map is solely distributed by The Garner Group Real Estate LLC and West Bend Property Co. © 2012

Revised 3/13/13

Real Estate LLC

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