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Residents press county on biomass and urban growth boundary; commissioners point to city and state review
Summary
Residents told Crook County commissioners they were concerned about a proposed biomass facility and a potential Urban Growth Boundary expansion that would convert EFU farmland to industrial use; county staff said the city of Pineville is leading the UGB process and that state agencies (DEQ, Dogami) handle technical testing and permits.
Multiple residents used public comment at the Crook County Board meeting to press county elected officials about a proposed biomass plant and a related expansion of the urban growth boundary (UGB). Commenters raised worries about water impacts, compliance with conditional-use permits (CUPs), and the potential conversion of agricultural land to heavy industrial uses.
Adam Mikulski opened public comment about EDCO but pivoted later in the meeting to UGB and biomass concerns. Local residents Ken Smith and Julie Thompson said they live adjacent to the site under consideration and asked why farmland would be removed from Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) designation and converted into mine or industrial zoning. Thompson said the site currently operates under a CUP on EFU land and that a change to heavy industrial zoning would alter reclamation and permit requirements.
Commissioner Barney and community development director John Isler told speakers the City of Pineville is currently considering the UGB expansion and that public comment is most influential when the issue reaches county land-use review. “The city is the one that is spearheading this project,” Isler said; he and other county staff urged residents to attend city hearings and noted a state-level review process would follow if the city approves a UGB change.
Residents pressed whether the county could notify more than the state-required 750-foot mailing radius for land-use notices; community development staff said state rules require 750 feet but the county is working to provide a current-events web page and will follow statutory notice requirements. Julie Thompson and others also said prior operations at a nearby gravel or mining site had not complied with CUP conditions and asked whether the county could pull or enforce CUP conditions; county staff and commissioners said enforcement depends on findings by state agencies (Dogami and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ) and on the specific legal record for each permit.
County staff confirmed a DEQ update and the initial monitoring results will be discussed at a special board meeting on April 23 at 5:30 p.m., and urged residents to attend that session. County staff also said that if the city approves a UGB amendment, it will then come to the county for review and formal public comment will be accepted at that time.
Ending: Residents were advised to provide public comment to the City of Pineville while the city considers the UGB; county staff encouraged continued public engagement and confirmed a DEQ briefing on April 23 will present initial sampling results.
