SW Bend neighbors voice concerns over proposed Tetherow-area subdivision, city hearings officer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Several neighbors and Tetherow residents voiced their concerns with a proposed subdivision in southwest Bend -- and the hearings officer presiding over the matter -- at a hearing Thursday at City Hall.

City Hearings Officer Greg Frank told those at the hearing, "My employment is to reside over land use hearings and ultimately make land use decisions in those cases."

The project off Century Drive is called as Bachelor View Road 3. The proposal involves is 8.24 acres of land zoned for standard-density residential use. It is a four-phase, 44-lot proposal first introduced by property owner Charlie Potatoes LLC last September.

Dave Husk, a neighbor of the proposed project on Bachelor View Road, testified that he's concerned the hearings officer Frank has been too supportive of the developer.

"Our concerns, Mr. Frank, relate to the fact that the city (planning staff), in all three of these (proposals), have come out forcefully against the development," Husk said.

Opponents of the subdivision proposal noted that the two previous attempts at developing land on Bachelor View Road ended up in the hands of the Oregon Land Use of Board Appeals (LUBA). Those developments were later remanded to the city by the state.

Frank was accused of going against the city council's wishes in the past two attempts and the current proposal by neighbor Mark Hinkle.

Hinkle asked Frank during a contentious moment Thursday, "Why do you seem to ignore the city planning staff, who in every single one of these developments including this one, has recommended that you deny each and every one of these applications in BVR 1 (Bachelor View Road) BVR 2, and BVR 3?"

Hinkle also pointed out the road leading into the proposed subdivision has been a private road for 30 years, and claimed that building a new subdivision will pollute the neighborhood with noise and traffic because the road is too narrow.

Frank, participating in the hearing on video, denied having a bias for or against anyone involved in the applications.

At the close of Thursday's hearing, the hearings officer said that due to modification of the initial application, the hearing would be continued until March 1 at 10 a.m.

You can watch a recording of the hearing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7hxxU9cMu0