Board reopens record on remanded Last Ranch plan amendment; discussion centers on scope and utilities

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to reopen the record on a remanded plan amendment and zone change for the Last Ranch property, allowing the applicant to submit new evidence on two specific remand issues identified by the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).

Senior planner Caroline House told the board the remand concerns relate to how the county handled environmental constraints (EC) analysis for a request that changed the property’s designation from agricultural to rural industrial. House said the procedural ordinance limits the board’s review to the remand issues and that reopening the record would not permit a de novo reconsideration of settled matters from the earlier review.

Commissioners asked whether reopening would allow only targeted evidence and whether the applicant’s new material would likely address EC analysis. "The applicant bears the burden, and so they have requested to reopen the record because they have evidence that they want a new evidence they wanna submit that that's not currently in the record," House said.

Board discussion also touched on whether certain industrial uses — notably data centers — could occur under rural industrial zoning. House said such uses typically require urban‑scale utility infrastructure, including sewer and water, which the county generally prohibits extending into rural lands, making large data centers unlikely on county rural industrial parcels.

A motion to approve Order 2026‑021 reopening the record was moved, seconded and passed by roll call. Staff said a public hearing on the remand could be scheduled for July 8 if the board executes the order and coordinates signatures.

Next steps: If the board’s order is executed, staff will set a remand public hearing and accept the applicant’s new evidence limited to the remand topics.