Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Comprehensive Plan Amendments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners set March 31 deadline for 2026 comprehensive-plan amendment submissions
Summary
The Wallowa County Commission adopted a resolution setting March 31, 2025 as the deadline for applications to amend the county comprehensive plan and development regulations for the 2026 periodic update.
The Wallowa County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 10 adopted a resolution establishing March 31, 2025 as the deadline for submitting applications for amendments to the county comprehensive plan and development regulations to be considered as part of the 2026 periodic update.
Lauren (Community Development) told the board the deadline is the county’s typical cut-off and that the county will accept all types of applications, including urban growth area amendments. She said the 2026 update is mandatory under state law and will include an urban growth area boundary review that the county typically conducts only once every five to 10 years.
Commissioner Kimball expressed concern that the window is short and asked how pending 2024 docket applications would be handled if their outcomes remain unresolved before March 31. Lauren said there are three 2024 applications; she noted a code restriction may bar immediate reapplication after denial but she said staff can consult applicants and accept placeholder applications if the code allows. Lauren also said minor or technical development-regulation corrections could, depending on workload, be pulled out for 2025 consideration, but most items will likely be carried through to the 2026 process.
Commissioner Clayton said the comprehensive-plan update is the county’s most important project this year and emphasized workload concerns. Lauren said preliminary docket review would begin in April and the final docket review would continue through June 2026, and that the county must consider cumulative impacts and state timelines in scheduling.
The motion "to approve establishing the application deadline and review schedule for applications for amendments to the Walla Walla County comprehensive plan and development regulations for consideration with the 2026 periodic update" passed 3-0.
Staff will publish public notice, notify an existing email list of interested parties and begin preliminary docket review in April with hearings scheduled through the coming year.
