Bend, OR
Proposed build-out: Supercenter
Current Status: The city of Bend denied Wal-Marts application. Wal-Mart filed an appeal with the OR Land Use Board of Appeals
Principal Contact: Michael Funke --
Primary Website: http://www.notanotherwalmart.org/
The community of Bend, OR recently won a major victory against Wal-Mart.
On February 15, the Bend City Council unanimously voted not to hear Wal-Mart's appeal of a land use hearing officer's denial of their application for a Supercenter at the intersection of U.S. 97 and Cooley Road in Bend. Wal-Mart has appealed the decision to the State Land Use Board so the fight is not over yet. The victory can be attributed to the hard work of Our Community First, a diverse group of citizens representing business, labor, neighbors, environmentalists, and land use & transportation activists.
Our Community First has been actively fighting this site for over a year. They are concerned about the increased traffic the store will create as well as the negative effects of sprawl. In addition, many of its members feel that Wal-Mart's business practices are not in line with the values of Central Oregon. The group has worked to educate the citizens of Bend about Wal-Mart and has used the financial support its received from the community to hire a land use attorney and conduct a traffic study. Both these things have been vital to their success.
