Curry County commissioners continue hearing on appeal of proposed Waterburn Loop RV park; record left open

The Curry County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 24 continued a public hearing on Appeal AP-2502, an appeal of the planning commission’s decision upholding a planning director approval of a conditional-use proposal for an RV park on Waterburn Loop at the mouth of the Rogue River. The board set a continuation date of Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. and said the record will remain open for additional comment.

The hearing brought testimony from the applicant’s attorney and project lead, multiple tribal citizens and tribal advocates, environmental groups and county residents. Garrett West, attorney for the applicant, told commissioners he “agree[s] with staff’s findings on everything” and described the proposal as “pretty cut and dry” under the Curry County zoning ordinance. Sherry McGrath, who identified herself as the project lead from Parametrics, said the proposal includes more than 13,000 square feet of new vegetation in the currently graveled area and that “no vegetation is being removed whatsoever,” adding the applicants would remove concrete debris and address homeless encampments in the riparian area.

Opponents argued the RV park is not an allowable water-dependent use in the shoreland overlay and raised cultural-resource, procedural and infrastructure concerns. Mandy Watson, coastal conservation manager for Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, said, “An RV park is not water dependent…