This is definitely one of those specialized, somewhat-esoteric types of things to get excited about, but if you’re into it, the Bend City Code has a new and improved online presence. It’s vastly more usable than the old version (which was basically plain text files online), with a relatively easy-to-use expanding table of contents (easy to see and go straight to the section you want) and a search feature to zero in on exactly what you’d like to find.

From the press release:

The Bend City Code, Development Code and City Charter are now available online in new, optimized versions for both computers and mobile devices. New functionality includes advanced search features, bookmarking and printing options.

A Municipal Code is a compilation of all legislative ordinances of a city in one document. The Development Code is a comprehensive land use and development code that governs all of the land within the incorporated city limits of Bend. The titles of the code are used together to review land use applications.

In just a few minutes of browsing I found these gems:

5.35.000 Diving and Ice Skating on Deschutes River, item D: “No person shall place, leave or abandon a duck or goose along the banks of the Deschutes River or in any park along the Deschutes River.”

5.20.025 Animal at Large: “No animal other than a domestic cat shall run at large. The owner or keeper of an animal is responsible for an animal at large.”  (No animal other than a cat? Interesting how cats have the exemption.)

5.55.005 Park Violations, item A 14: “No person shall wash clothing or materials or clean fish in streams or pools.”  (Probably a throwback to the early days of Bend.)

Sadly I can’t find the “Possession of a Throwing Star” provision that I blogged about a few years ago: I guess it has since been removed?