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County officials, landowners alarmed by revised ODFW/DLCD sage‑grouse maps; court to follow up
Summary
Harney County received state notices about revised greater sage‑grouse habitat maps adopted in Dec. 2023; commissioners and public said the mapping and late mailings could affect development rights and asked county counsel and planning staff to research implications and coordinate public outreach before a Jan. 23 hearing.
County staff told the Harney County Court on Dec. 18 that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife revised important habitat maps for greater sage‑grouse in December 2023 and that the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) sent a formal notice requiring counties to notify affected landowners at least 45 days before a public hearing. Commissioners and members of the public said they received copies late, expressed alarm at expanded 'core' and other designations shown on the new maps, and asked for legal and technical briefings.
Several speakers said mapping changes appeared to include new areas of Harney County as core habitat or overlap with properties that local owners rely on for agricultural use; one commenter described spending decades advocating on sagebrush issues and warned of regulatory creep affecting property development rights. Staff said they had forwarded the DLCD letter to planning and would obtain color copies and maps for the court and public. County counsel said the county has limited land‑use authority over state agency mapping decisions but agreed to research notification obligations, the timeline for hearings (Jan. 23 mentioned), and communication steps with DLCD and ODFW.
The court asked planning staff to prepare public notices and copies of the maps, contact the DLCD representative (John Jennings was referenced in the discussion), and consider legal briefing on takings, definition of core habitat, and the effect of the maps on local landowners. Commissioners requested the county be prepared to attend state public information meetings and to provide clear guidance to affected property owners. No formal county action was decided on Dec. 18 beyond directing staff to gather documents and follow up.
