Board keeps written record open for week on 2040 comprehensive plan reconsideration after Land Watch appeal

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners continued a public hearing on May 21 to consider a petition for reconsideration of the county’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The hearing focused on a petition from Central Oregon Land Watch (Land Watch) that challenges plan policies under Statewide Planning Goal 14, which governs urbanization and requires that growth be directed inside urban growth boundaries (UGBs) where practicable.

Land Watch attorney Rory Isbell told commissioners the plan’s policies permit rezoning of farm and forest lands for residential, industrial and commercial uses and that the county has rezoned roughly 3,000 acres of resource lands over the past 12 years. Land Watch argued the cumulative conversions could violate Goal 14 and asked the county to add policies limiting conversion of rural resource lands or require a legislative “Big Look” process before additional conversions.

Other commenters, including land use attorneys and property owners, urged the board to preserve the existing map amendment/zone change process that lets landowners petition to rezone properties the applicant believes were misdesignated decades ago. They noted prior court rulings that have upheld similar rezones and argued eliminating the map-amendment path would unfairly remove a property owner’s administrative remedy.

The board did not close the entire record. After hearing roughly an hour of public testimony and receiving dozens of written comments, the board closed the oral portion of the hearing and left the written record open for one week (closing at 4 p.m. next Wednesday) so interested parties can submit additional materials. Staff said the board must complete reconsideration work by Sept. 8, 2025 and will schedule deliberations after the written record closes.

Commissioners and participants discussed possible policy options, including a legislative ‘big look’ process, cumulative‑impact policies for rezones and tighter standards for rezoning resource land. The board did not make a final policy change on May 21 and will take up deliberations after the record closes.