As construction proceeds on the first phase of the
OSU-Cascades 4-Year campus the university has notched another victory against
opponents with a decision by the Oregon Court of Appeals.
University officials announced Sept. 15 that the state’s
second highest court upheld the land use process that resulted in selection of
a site on Bend’s west side. This follows earlier favorable decisions by the
City of Bend, a hearings officer and the state Land Use Board of Appeals.
The group Truth in Site has appealed the university’s
selection of a 10-acre site on the west side of NW Chandler Avenue and NW
Century Drive. Among other objections the group argues that locating the
college there will create significant traffic problems and that an alternative
site such as the city-owned Juniper Ridge north of town would be preferable.
Truth in Site has also maintained the city was required
to develop a master plan for a potentially larger campus that could include
either a 46 or 76 acre site near the current 10-acre campus under construction,
even though the university has yet to acquire those properties.
The Court of Appeals and earlier decisions have all
established that the university was not required to develop a master plan for
property that it was considering but had not purchased.
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| An illustration of the first OSU-Cascades 4-Year campus building |
Also underway is site preparaton for a 113,000 square
foot student residence and dining hall.
The first freshman class of up to 100 students is
enrolling for the OSU-Cascades 4-year program this Fall. Previously students at
the school have completed their freshman and sophomore years at Central Oregon
Community College before finishing junior and senior years at the college’s
7,000 square foot Cascades Hall located within the COCC campus on the south
side of Awbrey Butte.
Beginning this Fall there are approximately 1,000 students
now enrolled who will take classes at Cascades Hall and have the option for
dining and living facilities of COCC while the new campus is under
construction. University officials have said the long term forecast is to cap
enrollment at 5,000 students.
The university expects total enrollment to increase to more
than 1,500 students in the 2015-2016 academic year and to reach slightly more
than 3,700 by the 2025-26 year, according to a published report.
The 10-acre campus will need to be expanded by 2020 to
accommodate that growth, the university estimates.
In announcing the favorable Court of Appeals decision,
OSU-Cascades president Becky Johnson expressed thanks, “for the support form so
many who have helped us get to this significant milestone. We are also set to
launch the next phase of public engagement, that will be as comprehensive as
possible, as part of our assessment of the adjacent 46-acre pumice mine and
76-acre demolition landfill for potential campus expansion.”
