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County conditionally approves Lava Terrace winery application with modified conditions
Summary
Deschutes County commissioners reviewed and directed approval, with edits, of the Lava Terrace Cellars conditional‑use application for a tasting room and small‑scale production (up to 1,500 cases). Board adopted staff‑recommended modifications on parking, landscaping, right‑of‑way timing, and other conditions and directed staff to return with a draft decision.
The Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners completed deliberations and directed staff to draft a decision approving the Lava Terrace Cellars application to operate a winery and tasting room at 20520 Bowery Lane.
Nathan Miller, associate planner, summarized the modified application and staff review. The proposal would convert accessory buildings to a tasting room, office space and a small production facility limited to up to 1,500 cases annually, with tasting events and wine‑related gatherings. The review included an extended public record, comments in support and opposition, and a hearings officer decision the board reviewed on appeal.
Key determinations and modifications the board accepted: - Parking: applicant requested reducing required parking from 21 to 14 spaces (12 for events plus two employee spaces); staff concurred and the board supported the modification (conditions L and Q adjusted accordingly). - Landscaping per parking space adjusted from the hearings officer’s figure to 350 sq. ft. as recorded in the staff matrix. - Clear vision area and service drive widths: applicant provided revised site plans showing compliance; staff and the board concurred. - Environmental and safety review: the applicant submitted an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality determination showing production is below DEQ permitting thresholds, and Bend Fire & Rescue confirmed acceptance of the site plan; staff recommended including hearings officer safety conditions. - Transportation/right‑of‑way: the applicant requested a phased removal of vines and private property from the Bowery Lane right‑of‑way to protect agricultural production; staff proposed a single condition (EE) with a firm completion date of April 30, 2027, which the board supported. - Setback/variance: the applicant withdrew a variance request and agreed to modify the winery building to meet the 20‑foot front yard setback; the board required confirmation by survey and appropriate building permits.
After discussing the ten issue areas in the staff’s decision matrix and hearing appellant arguments on compatibility and record completeness, commissioners directed staff to incorporate the board’s modifications and return with a draft decision for formal adoption on a date to be determined.
The board’s direction means the hearings officer’s decision, as modified by the board, will form the basis of the county’s draft written findings. Staff told the board the applicant, as the prevailing party, would have the opportunity to draft the initial decision document; staff expects to return to the board in the coming weeks with a prepared draft.
The board did not record a detailed roll‑call tally in the transcript excerpt for the final, formal adoption vote; the action recorded was the motion to approve and direction to staff to prepare the draft decision.
