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Morrow County adopts land‑use code amendments (AZ‑154‑24); authorizes staff to correct scrivener errors
Summary
After a second reading, the Board of Commissioners adopted the final changes to County Land Use Application AZ‑154‑24 and approved Ordinance 2025‑01, authorizing staff to make non‑substantive scrivener corrections to cross references and formatting.
The Morrow County Board of Commissioners completed a second reading and adopted final amendments to the county land‑use code, approving Ordinance 2025‑01 (land use application AZ‑154‑24) and authorizing staff to correct typographical and cross‑reference errors post‑adoption.
The code package had been reviewed previously by the planning commission and county planning staff. County land‑use counsel Daniel Kearns told the board that authorizing staff to fix “scrivener’s errors” after adoption is a common and practical step for comprehensive code updates because internal cross‑references and formatting can require post‑adoption correction. Kearns advised that typographical errors, incorrect cross‑references and similar non‑substantive items can be corrected administratively; the board granted that explicit authority.
What changed: staff and counsel said the set of amendments includes clarifying language to align definitions with state agencies, consolidated agritourism hours for consistency, and explicit language to confirm that ordinary farming is an outright, permit‑exempt use except where buildings or other specific permits are required. Staff also added references naming the Oregon Department of Agriculture for confined animal feeding operation definitions where appropriate.
Process and vote: the adoption was the second reading and final adoption of the ordinance. The board approved the motion to read the ordinance a second time and adopt it, and separately authorized staff to make non‑substantive corrections. The planning commission had previously approved the changes unanimously, and staff said some redline/formatted edits remained to be polished prior to public posting.
Why it matters: the amendments aim to reduce ambiguity in the county’s land‑use code, especially for agricultural uses and agritourism, and to align certain definitions with state standards. Commissioners and staff said they will continue to conduct technical reviews and workshops to avoid future formatting problems and to ensure clarity before public posting.
Next steps: staff will post the finalized, corrected code language and proceed with administrative clean‑up authorized by the board. Any substantive changes beyond the non‑substantive corrections would be returned to the board for public consideration.
