Bonanza asks county to surrender southern half of River Street after annexation; commissioners express support

Town of Bonanza representatives asked the Klamath County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 4 to surrender the county’s jurisdiction over the southern half of River Street so the town can annex and control that right-of-way.

A Bonanza representative said the southern portion is effectively not a usable public road: "At this point, it is not a street... it is just air, and there are buildings built in the street," and asked the county to prepare to surrender its portion after the town completes state-required annexation steps.

County staff told the board that, if the town proceeds, the county would prepare a formal board order to transfer jurisdiction and hold a posted public meeting to receive any objections. Staff said the timeline depends on how long the state takes to approve the annexation.

Commissioners signaled early support for the request; one commissioner described the transfer as "a no brainer," and Public Works said it had no objections. Commissioners asked Bonanza to notify the county when the annexation application is submitted so the county can prepare the required order and notice.

Bonanza representatives also mentioned an additional parcel that contains the town’s sewage ponds and said they may request annexation of that parcel as well. County staff clarified that annexation requires landowner consent and that once annexation is complete, some county permissions may no longer be necessary.

The county did not take formal action at the work session. Commissioners said they would prepare the surrender order and schedule any required public hearing once the town certifies the annexation process with the state.