Umatilla County board approves rezone to allow ClickIT RV to consolidate Milton‑Freewater operations

The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners voted Nov. 26 to adopt Ordinance No. 2024-10, changing the comprehensive plan designation and zoning for a property at 84722 Highway 11 to allow ClickIT RV to consolidate its Milton‑Freewater sales, service and storage onto a single site.

Bob Walder, the county’s community development director, told the board the application from HAC Holdings (the parent company of ClickIT RV) stems from code‑enforcement warnings issued June 15, 2022, and July 12, 2023 for unpermitted business operations in an RR‑4 zone. The applicant submitted a plan and zoning map amendment on June 12 of this year, Walder said, and the planning commission recommended approval 8–0 at its Oct. 24 evidentiary hearing.

Garrett Stevenson, an attorney representing the applicant, said the property had been split‑zoned and that rezoning was intended to correct what he called “an honest mistake, not an intention to evade the county’s zoning code.” He presented maps and a transportation planning rule (TPR) traffic analysis included in the record, and said consolidating the operations would reduce the number of access points to Highway 11 and cut the need to move large RVs on and off the highway between sites.

Stevenson described the consolidation plan as relying on Crockett Road for primary access while retaining the property’s existing right(s) of access; he said redevelopment would require an ODOT highway approach permit that would likely require consolidation of driveway approaches. Kevin Smith, identified as the facility manager, was present for questions.

Several commissioners and members of the public noted safety concerns at a nearby intersection and the proximity of Milton State Line School; one commissioner said further mitigation of that intersection would be desirable. The record includes a crash analysis with data through 2022, and commissioners asked whether the traffic‑comparison locations chosen for the analysis were the best matches.

With no opponents appearing at the hearing and the applicant waiving final written argument, a commissioner moved to adopt Ordinance No. 2024-10. The motion passed by voice vote. After the vote, the applicant’s attorney thanked the board for the county’s handling of the enforcement matter.

Why it matters: rezoning allows ClickIT RV to consolidate operations in a way the county and applicant say should reduce vehicle movements onto Highway 11 and bring existing uses into conformance with county code. The change grew out of code‑enforcement actions and included a traffic study and ODOT permitting considerations.

Next steps: the ordinance was adopted and the land‑use record closed; any statutory timelines for appeals were not stated on the record.