Welcome!
Welcome to the Awbrey Butte Neighborhood Association website.
This is a community site designed to share things happening in the neighborhood including Neighborhood Association meetings, points of interest, and upcoming events in Bend. Should you have questions about what's going on in the neighborhood or something you'd like to share, please visit the comments section at the bottom of the page.
We look forward to your input and your contributions to the site.
NO RANCOR will be published on this site.
July 12th, 2011
The COCC Campus is congested with traffic; navigating it on foot or by bike can be dangerous. The thought of adding more traffic movement by creating a new road doesn’t make sense – especially in a time when we are promoting energy independence. Encouraging foot traffic or alternatives to moving about campus, promoting physical activity and healthy exercise and, possibly, adding people moving options (e.g., electric trollies/ buses, etc. – powered by an array of solar panels) would be cost effective over the long-term…; there might even be incentives to lessen the economic impact.
On its current trajectory living near COCC is becoming more like living next to a factory everyday (i.e., lights on throughout the night, HVAC units humming 24/7 and thousands of motorized vehicles moving about during the week). It seems only a matter of time before the entire campus is covered by structures and asphalt…
We live in such a beautiful and active community; you’d think board members and administrators could come up with a state-of-the-art master plan focusing on long-term 21 century solutions to moving its students.
July 10th, 2011
Without a formal discussion of all the details of this proposed road, we do not support another road that would bring more traffic and noise into this beautiful and mostly quiet neighboorhood. We get quite enough of that from Mt. Washington as it is.
Thanks,
July 9th, 2011
Re the proposed COCC road changes.
As an Awbrey Butte resident, I support a reasonable and rational review of the proposed changes that I hope would include:
- a determination that the changes are truly needed.
- that the proposed solution offers the lowest cost for the entire tax base supporting COCC, not just Awbrey Butte.
- that COCC would be open to community proposals that might result in a higher cost alternative that would satisfy their (COCC) needs and those making the alternative proposal. Any higher costs resulting from that new proposal should be paid for by those making the proposal, not spread across the entire tax base supporting COCC. If any individual(s) or a particular subdivision wants to support such a change, then I would hope COCC would listen. A subdivision proposal would have to receive internal subdivision discussion to support raising HOA fees to support that road funding alternative.
I assume most folks know the President of COCC is an Awbrey Butte resident (not an acquaintance of mine). I doubt he is interested in driving down property values and he is a neighbor. Talk to a neighbor(?) -I know it’s a rarity on the Butte.
Pat Melton
July 9th, 2011
July 9 2011
Dear Awbrey Butte Owners
On June 30 2011 three members of our Association and one appointed representative attended a Public Meeting arranged by the COCC Office of Construction to discuss the rerouting and reconnection of the Loop Road on the COCC campus. The sole reason given for this proposed project was to improve the degree of safety, particularly in winter conditions, on Loop Road near the driveway into Ochoco Hall by lessening its steep grade and widening the very sharp turn into that driveway and Metolius Street. While accomplishing this, COCC wants also to extend Loop Road from Ochoco Hall to link up with the Loop Road spur on the north side of campus. Total project cost is estimated at $250,000 and the road grade will be approximately 10 feet above current grade for a good portion of its length.
I and some others object to this project for several reasons. The proposed 24 foot wide road will pass no less than 100 feet from my property line and with it will come 3 one-way shuttle bus trips per hour, approximately 30 per day, causing both air- and noise-pollution. It appears that the bus with be fueled by gasoline as opposed to a more environmentally friendly fuel. Additionally and even more alarming is the fact that an unknown number of vehicles belonging to staff and students of COCC will be utilizing this new road, further exacerbating the levels of both types of pollution. The new road will also result in the removal of at least three 40 foot plus junipers that otherwise might be saved to continue to partially hide the nearby parking lot.
There are currently about 1600 parking spots on campus and we were told parking is very tight. Using a conservative estimate of 3200 non-bus vehicle trips per weekday for entering and leaving the campus and assuming 20% of these trips will result in traffic on the new road, 640 trips per day will be taken on the new portion of Loop Road or 64 vehicles per hour for 10 hours, about one per minute. These trips will also result in significant impacts on our quality of environment as most of our winds come from the west, affecting both noise- and air- pollution levels.
Continued growth in enrollment is expected by COCC which will only exacerbate this issue over the years-to-come. Increased fire danger is also a valid concern as numerous smokers who are departing from a largely non-smoking campus as they enter their vehicles for the drive off campus will light-up.
It is believed that COCC should have a traffic study completed and analyzed before commencing this project. To first spend $250,000 of taxpayers’ funds without having a pretty good idea of expected incremental vehicle traffic on the Loop Road project does not seem logical. The adverse environmental impacts on our Awbrey Butte neighborhood should also be taken into consideration in evaluating this endeavor. It seems a much greater effort should be undertaken to attempt to get the drivers out of their cars in order to reduce the impact on our environment.
Your support is sought. Please consider attending the COCC Board Meeting on July 13 at the Boyle Education Center on the COCC campus at 6PM. Consider supplementing this message board topic. And please also give thought to writing and/or emailing us, indicating that you are also concerned and support the efforts to cause COCC to re-think their project to extend the Loop Road as proposed.
July 9th, 2011
Dear Mr. Black,
ABNA has posted 2 maps on this website. If you have a question as to where the road will go please ask here or to Matt McCoy, VP of administration, who made a presentation about the road. His number is: 383-7201.
July 8th, 2011
I received the mailing regarding the new road that COCC is planning. The description is incomplete because it doesn’t include a site map. Please post a map on this web site.
September 23rd, 2010
At the top of 9th Street and Summit we have 3 trees on our left sidewalk which block the view of on coming cars. Is there any idea for removing them ? Colette Gilroy
August 9th, 2010
ThanksLiz for starting this “Blog”.
As we deal with the many issues as HOA`s we are finding it much easier to do it via computer.
Thanks again
Steve
President Awbrey Village HOA phases 1&2
August 2nd, 2010
Hello. We are newcomers to Bend and ABNA, having moved to Bend about the first of April. While we enjoy being neighbors with COCC, the advent of warmer weather and open windows has caused us to become aware of noise being generated by machinery located on campus. The noise seems to be coming primarily but not soley from the air conditioning units located next to Cascades Hall. I have corresponded with Joe Viola of COCC who has written he will investigate the noise and attempt to ameliorate it. It was suggested that the units could be turned off fairly late at night and the energy savings could be used to defray the costs of installing some sort of baffling system.
We wonder if any of the other members of ABNA are concerned about this noise pollution. If so, perhaps a good time to mention such concerns would be at the upcoming August 4th meeting.
August 1st, 2010
Hello everyone, I am pleased to see movement in this direction with this “Blog” as it can be a great tool to find out what everyone is thinking about and what their issues are and how to improve the neighborhood.
Thank you Liz for getting it started.