BEND, OR -- Those trying to block the westside expansion of Oregon State University’s Bend campus will have to wait even longer for a decision from the Land Use Board of Appeals. The opposition group Truth in Site appealed to LUBA, saying the location is too congested and not the best fit for a four-year university.
Former Bend City Councilor Bruce Abernethy tells KBND that the city made the right call. "When I look at it, what are the eligible uses for that property?" Abernethy says. "There are a lot of uses that are way more impactful than OSU-Cascades."
And although Abernethy agrees there will be an impact in the surrounding area, he is less concerned about negative results. "When I was on the city council, people said ‘Oh, no, no, no, the sky is falling – the Bend parkway, the Bill Healy Bridge!’" But Abernethy says, "The city can make it work. There’s going to be change, no question about that. But I actually think OSU-Cascades is a good example of smart infill, smart growth, that takes advantage of the infrastructure that’s already in place. "