Building a Better Bend

First Interstate Bank Building a Better Bend's 2023 Lecture Series, Celebrating 50 Years of Oregon's Land Use Laws

Part 1: How did Oregon Get So Unique? The Last 50 Years, presented by the City of Bend.

Ever wonder what keeps Oregon wild, our farmland working, and our cities pulsing with life? Oregon regulates growth very differently and has for 50 years. In other states, farms and forests get chewed up by endless subdivisions and sprawl that goes on for miles—but Oregon is different and special. Why?  50 years ago, Oregon leaders looked around and saw sprawl threatening our beautiful state and enacted a series of bold new laws. Come hear the bruising (and sometimes hilarious) battles that got us to today, ongoing challenges with implementing a revolutionary planning system, and how our state is gearing up to tackle a fresh new set of challenges.

Join political journalist veteran Jeff Mapes who recently launched a six-part podcast exploring the history of Oregon's land use policies, and attorney Robert Liberty who has more than four decades of experience with the implementation, improvement, enforcement and politics of Oregon's land use planning program.

ADMISSION IS FREE BUT SPACE IS LIMITED. DOORS OPEN AT 6:30PM, PROGRAM STARTS AT 7PM. NO-HOST BAR AVAILABLE