247-23-000644-PA Deschutes County 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Hearing Page

Proposal Summary

Deschutes County has initiated an update to its Comprehensive Plan. This update, Deschutes County 2040, will provide overarching policy guidance on land use and planning related issues for the years 2020-2040. The document applies to areas under County planning jurisdiction, excluding cities and federally owned land. Topics covered include housing, recreation, jobs, natural hazards, community engagement, farm and forest lands, historic and cultural resources, and natural resources. The update does not include any changes to community plans, the transportation system plan, or the County's Goal 5 natural resource inventories.

Click Here for the Adopted Deschutes County 2040 Comprehensive Plan

Background

Staff has conducted extensive community outreach, beginning in summer of 2022. Resources and information were previously uploaded to the project process page found below. Now that the project has entered the hearing phase, new information will be uploaded to this page starting on August 30, 2023, to ensure it is captured in the official hearing record. Please continue to visit this page as the official hearing record.

Project Status

A draft of the updated Comprehensive Plan was released for public review on August 30, 2023. The Planning Commission held public hearings on this matter on October 26, November 9, and December 14 and ultimately voted to approve the plan with revisions on February 22, 2024. The revisions and updated draft can be found under the "BOCC Hearing - Applicant Submittals" tab below.

The Board of County Commissioners held public hearings in the following locations:

• Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 9:20 am, Barnes and Sawyer Room, 1300 NW Wall Street, Bend. 
• Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 3 pm, Sunriver SHARC - Dillon Room, 57250 Overlook Rd, Sunriver.
• Tuesday, April 30, 2024, 3 pm, Sisters City Hall, 520 E Cascade Ave, Sisters.
• Wednesday, May 8, 2024 5:30 pm, Barnes and Sawyer Room, 1300 NW Wall Street, Bend. 

The written record closed on May 30, 2024. The Board held five deliberations meetings to provide revisions to the draft document.

• July 22: Chapter 3, Farm and Forest Resources
• July 24: Chapter 5, Natural Resources
• July 29: Chapter 7, Natural Hazards
• August 5: Chapter 11, Unincorporated Communities and Destination Resorts.
• August 19: Review of Entire Document

On September 16, 2024 the Board voted to approve the September 6, 2024 version of the Comprehensive Plan and conducted first reading of Ordinance 2024-007 to formally adopt the document. The Board held second reading on Wednesday, October 2 to complete the adoption process. 

The signed Ordinance 2024-007 is found under the "Decisions, Memos, Orders, & Staff Reports" tab. Notice of the Decision was sent on Monday, October 7, 2024 and a Notice of Intent to Appeal was filed with the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) by Central Oregon Landwatch. This decision will remain pending until a decision is issued by LUBA.

Staff Contact

Nicole Mardell, AICP, Senior Planner
Email: nicole.mardell@deschutes.org
Phone: 541-317-3157