During two separate meetings Wednesday, designers cited transportation as a key element in an expanded vision for the development of Juniper Ridge. Designers also presented to the Bend City Council and residents possible elements of a master plan.

Recommendations for the development included an east-west connection between U.S. Highway 97 and Deschutes Market Road, which could run through the southern region of the triangle-shaped Juniper Ridge. The recommended master plan also included rough estimates for the usage of land.

A 510-acre portion on the eastern side of Juniper Ridge would be devoted to residential use. A large strip of commercial land would act to muffle traffic noise from Highway 97 – part of 475 acres devoted to commercial use.

Designers also proposed a 200-acre university campus at the south-central region of a development, and 175 acres would be dedicated to parks and open space throughout the development.

Streets would account for the last 140 acres.

During two meetings held at City Hall and the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend, a representative from New York-based architectural firm Cooper Robertson and Partners presented recommendations for development of the city-owned, 1,500-acre parcel of land located on the northern side of town. Partner Paul Milana unveiled to councilors and the public the design firm’s recommendations for using specific parts of Juniper Ridge.

The next updates for the City Council and Bend residents are scheduled for May 2.

After the council meeting, Milana noted a finalized master plan was set for completion by the end of May. Designers could likely make adjustments to the renderings he showed councilors, he added.

”We’re about two-thirds of the way to a proposed master plan,” said Milana, who worked for master developer Ray Kuratek.

Les Schwab

Mitchell said that construction on the corporate headquarters of Les Schwab Tire Centers – the first project at Juniper Ridge – would likely begin this fall. The 120,000-square-foot Les Schwab headquarters is expected to sit on 12 acres. On Wednesday, councilors voted to rezone the Les Schwab site to accommodate light industrial use.

Designers recommended the first phase of development include improvements to roads near Les Schwab, followed by the arrival of commercial development and the construction of a sales office to market land at Juniper Ridge. Milana recommended to the City Council a flexible approach to future development.

”We really have no idea how market conditions will change,” he said. ”It’s better to incrementally develop and diversify. Your risks in market shifts are lessened.”

Councilor Bill Friedman told designers the city needed to take steps to create roads for all Juniper Ridge traffic, not just motorists coming from Les Schwab.

As they negotiated with Les Schwab, city leaders drew heavy criticism from the community for their use of secret meetings and for their failure to announce publicly they had entered into negotiations with the Prineville-based tire company. The deal-points that raised objections among councilors and residents included the discounted sale price of the land to Les Schwab, a cap on the total price of development fees, the sprawling layout of the headquarters and the tire company’s demand for secrecy during negotiations.

Residential use

Milana said the midpoint of the long-term plan for Juniper Ridge would be marked by residential development. Construction could also include either one or two town centers, which would sit near the educational campus in the south-central region of Juniper Ridge. Town centers could include a central plaza, waterfall, pond, library and athletic field and could also be the site of the Central Oregon Performing Arts Center, Milana told the council.

”There’s a point where the community will really take off and you’ll see larger chunks of development,” he said.

Higher education

The final phases of construction could include development of a higher-education campus at Juniper Ridge, Milana told the City Council. However, Mayor Bruce Abernethy noted that in later stages of development, there might not be room for employment attracted by the university.

”It seemed to me that by the time the university was constructed, employment sites would have filled up,” Abernethy said. ”It would seem to me we’d want the ability to attract businesses after the university arrives.”

City leaders have long expressed hope that Juniper Ridge will someday be the site of a college campus, and in mid-February hired an educational recruiter to find a higher-education consultant to explore possibilities for a campus at Juniper Ridge.

Bend residents react

After speaking to the City Council, Milana addressed about 100 people at the Tower Theatre. He presented the results of a survey conducted at the last open house on Jan. 17 that drew 110 attendees, Milana said. More than 70 percent of people surveyed lived and worked near Juniper Ridge. Among respondents’ concerns were safety in neighborhoods, traffic noise and the availability of hiking and biking trails, Milana said.

Tony Aceti, 49, said he owns Aceti’s Hay Depot, which sits near Juniper Ridge at Highway 97 and Tumalo Road. Aceti said the proposed master plan didn’t address Bend residents who lived and worked outside the development.

”I don’t see where it takes on other private-property owners’ concerns,” he said. ”Hopefully, they’ll have a way to address other property owners and include them in this windfall.”

Phil Backman, a 48-year-old telecommunications worker from Bend, said it seemed the city had an effective partnership with the developer.

”I’m really excited the city is working with the research-and-development aspect,” he said.

Jamie McCright, a 27-year-old Bend construction worker, said it seemed designers had effectively addressed transportation issues.

”I’m stoked about it,” he said. ”It looks like they have a really good connection to 97.”

Katie Anderson, a 23-year-old Bend property manager, said it looked like the city was working to address in an open manner all the issues that could someday confront Juniper Ridge.

”It’s interesting to see they’re pretty balanced in the development of this plan,” she said. ”I think they’re headed in the right direction.”