Open space and natural features are an integral part of the Bend Urban Area plan. A wide range of types and sizes of open space and natural features within the urban area should provide: diverse plant and animal habitat, visual and spatial breaks from urban uses, places for recreation and sports activities, facilities for community events, trails for pedestrian and bicycle transportation and recreation, and many other uses. As defined in the plan, open space and natural features may be in the form of: parks, public school grounds, trails, natural areas and areas of special interest, river and stream corridors, open space easements and right-of-way, and lands excluded from development. The preservation and enhancement of open space and natural features, and their incorporation into the infrastructure of the Bend Urban Area is a function of the plan and related ordinances.

Bend is in the center of some of Central Oregon’s most exquisite natural resources. The Deschutes National Forest to the west offers easy access for multiple recreational activities, and provides the backdrop of mountain peaks captured in thousands of photos of Bend. To the east of the urban area, there are thousands of acres of juniper and sagebrush lands. These lands form the edge of the Great Basin, and offer a different type of open space.

The interaction of land, water, plants, and wildlife through the millennia created a place that attracted—and still attracts— people because of its beauty and natural features. Bend is a community that values the area’s natural features and has tried to incorporate natural features in the design of the built environment. Volcanic rock has been incorporated into hundreds of retaining walls, foundations, porches, steps, chimneys, and even in the main walls of homes and businesses. Public parks and trails follow the river through town. Mature pine and juniper trees have been preserved in developments, in parks, and in the design of sidewalks and streets.

Maintaining the natural features and open space in an urban area is a difficult task, and one that becomes more complex during periods of rapid population growth. However, providing open space in the urban area for the benefit of existing and future residents is important. To help ensure Bend’s livability, the following additional goals should be implemented to provide long-term protection of open space and natural features:

The Bend Comprehensive Plan and implementing codes support management practices to preserve, maintain, and create natural features, open space, and Areas of Special Interest. The Preamble, the goal statements, and several Plan policies in this chapter speak to the importance of preserving and managing natural features. The city and county zoning codes also regulate development within the Deschutes River Corridor to protect the riparian areas and river rimrocks. Site plan reviews provide the opportunity to preserve natural areas through building setbacks, conservation easements, and other measures.