Board approves Cascades Academy plan amendment and zone change after deliberations; board asks for final decision drafting

The Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners after deliberations voted Aug. 27 to approve a plan amendment and zone change application for roughly 22.5 acres west of Highway 20 at the Cascades Academy site, while instructing staff to draft final decision documents for board adoption.

Senior planner Nicole Mardell and community development director Peter Gutowski summarized the file history: the property consists of seven tax lots totaling about 22.5 acres, including portions previously zoned surface mine and other portions zoned EFU (Exclusive Farm Use). A hearings officer had recommended denial on goal‑5 (scenic and natural resource) grounds, citing insufficient findings. The applicant subsequently supplemented the administrative record with a site‑specific Order 1 soil survey and a follow‑up economic, social, environmental and energy (EC) analysis. Staff and the hearings officer reviewed the supplemental materials and recommended approval contingent on required findings.

Key technical points discussed during deliberations included soil capability and irrigation potential. Peter Gutowski cited the applicant’s soils report and summarized the parcel‑level findings: most of the subject acreage was classified as capability classes 7 and 8 (poor for irrigated crop agriculture), with a small portion classified as class 6 non‑irrigated (class 3 if irrigated). Gutowski read the record breakdown showing roughly 15.5 acres characterized mostly as class 7/8 soils and about 6.97 acres not in that category.

The board also considered whether the proposed MUA‑10 zoning would cause urbanization requiring a Goal 14 exception; the hearings officer and applicant supplied a Curry‑factor analysis and staff said the proposal was consistent with county practice of applying rural residential exception‑area designations to non‑resource lands. Commissioners debated enforcement, scenic‑corridor protections, wetlands mapping and whether the site is suitable for farm use. Staff noted the site contains mapped wetlands and landscape‑management overlay constraints near the Deschutes River and Highway 20.

After discussion, the board voted to approve the plan amendment and zone change application (file numbers as in the record: plan amendment and zone change materials on file). The recorded vote was Commissioner Dyer: yes; Commissioner Chang: no; Chair DeBone: yes. The board directed staff to work with the applicant to prepare final written findings and an order for the board to sign at a future meeting. Staff will return with the final decision language and any required conditions.

Ending

Staff will prepare the final decision and bring it back to the board for signature. The board’s tentative approval is contingent on finalized findings and standard ministerial steps; appeals and LUBA timelines were noted as applicable next steps.