Deschutes County approves code change to allow RV parks as conditional use in Tumalo Commercial District

Deschutes County commissioners on Feb. 11 approved a text amendment to chapter 18.67 of county code to make recreational vehicle parks a conditional use in the Tumalo Commercial District, a move proponents said clarifies long-standing county practice and opponents said risks neighborhood impacts.

The vote followed a continued legislative hearing on file 247-25-000105-TA (also referenced in staff materials as 247-25-000106-TA), during which county staff, the applicant and residents debated whether the change would effectively allow an RV park on a specific Tumalo parcel or merely permit RV parks in limited circumstances. Audrey Stewart, associate planner with the Deschutes County Planning Division, told the board the amendment would only make RV parks a potentially eligible use in the zone; any actual RV park would still require a property-specific conditional use permit and site plan…