Deschutes County moves to limit camping on county land and imposes temporary no-parking zones near China Hat and Horse Butte

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners took multiple procedural steps May 7 to curb unauthorized overnight camping and roadside parking on county-owned parcels and at popular forest access points.

Immediate actions and direction:

- Rickert Road and county parcels: County staff and law enforcement reported that recent encampments at Rickert Road had shrunk to a single occupied trailer. The board asked staff to post day-use-only signage immediately at Rickert Road and directed county staff to prepare a list of county-owned properties to be limited to day use only (signage and enforcement only where no existing encampments are present). County staff said the code and state law require signage and a process to provide alternative locations before closing a property where people are currently living; signage was available and staff committed to post the first signs the same day.

- No-parking zones for fire-risk access: The board approved a temporary no-parking order to prohibit parking in specified road rights-of-way through the end of the year. The board order authorizes no-parking signs and enforcement on China Hat Road, Horse Butte Road and Knott Road; the county’s road official and road department will determine exact segments to be posted based on access and safety concerns. The action is meant to preserve emergency access and reduce parked vehicle congestion near forest trailheads during fire-season risks.

Legal and operational points:

- Where people already occupy county parcels overnight, state law and county policy require the county to identify and, where possible, offer alternative locations before clearing occupants. County staff said that for vacant county parcels the county may sign and restrict overnight use and then enforce the restriction.

- The county administrator has statutory authority to close or restrict county property, but the board provided direction and requested a return with a list of properties targeted for signage and closure to coordinate outreach with neighbors.

- Commissioners discussed balancing enforcement with available shelter and housing options; staff noted ongoing regional work, including the city of Bend’s homeless services and the managed camp work group, to provide alternative options.

What to expect next:

Staff will post initial signage at Rickert Road and coordinate with law enforcement on enforcement. The county will return a list of county-owned parcels proposed for day-use-only signage and explain enforcement steps and community outreach. County roads will fabricate and post no-parking signs on the designated routes as soon as feasible.

Neighbors asked for advance notification; county staff said they will prepare a brief update to residents near Rickert Road describing the action and next steps. Commissioners indicated they want a prioritized list of county parcels and a phased approach to signing, starting with the parcels judged most vulnerable to overnight occupation.