In a potentially precedent-setting case, LandWatch has succeeded in opposing a landowner's attempt to get recognition of a parcel of land as a "lot of record" (which means that a parcel is a legal lot which may be potentially developed) without having to comply with County Code requirements for the legal creation of such parcels. The parcel at issue was part of the Forest Service-Crown Pacific Land Exchange in 1999 covering forest lands located between Bend and Sisters, and sits directly to the North of the 33,000-acre parcel owned by Fidelity.

It's official, Central Oregon LandWatch has opened its first ever office! Located alongside McKay Park at the Colorado Street crossing, it's a cozy little place and gets us out of the house(s) a bit more often.

For those who need to know, we're at 147 SW Shevlin Hixon Drive #206 in Bend, OR 97702.

For the first time, we also have an office phone (and fax number) that doesn't double as a personal line. If you'd like to reach us in the office by phone, we're at (541) 647-1567 and you can send faxes to us at (541) 647-1568.

LandWatch and Friends of the Metolius (FOM) filed their opening brief to the Oregon Court of Appeals on March 24, arguing that the approval of destination resort zones around the Metolius is improper.

Though the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) in a February 11, 2008 decision acknowledged that destination resorts proposed for the Metolius area could have the impact of small cities and ruled that Jefferson County needed to reassess impacts to wildlife, LUBA failed to recognize the need for protection of other natural resources of the Metolius, including its heart, the Headwaters of the Metolius.

On Monday, March 3, Central Oregon LandWatch along with Friends of the Metolius appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals the LUBA determinations that:

At its most recent meeting, Central Oregon LandWatch's Board of Directors voted firmly to support Measure 49, making LandWatch the most recent in a long-list of organizations supporting this effort to reform Measure 37 and prevent irreperable harm from coming to Oregon's rural landscape and natural environment.

On Wednesday September 12, 2007, Central Oregon LandWatch launched a brand new website. Why? Because land use in Central Oregon is always a hot topic and we want to help the community get more involved.

We believe that the best planning occurs when people understand the issues at stake and stand up for what they believe in. So we decided to create a site that does more than simply provide a little information about LandWatch and what we're up to, and focuses instead on creating a true community resource for people interested in following land use issues in Central Oregon.

What can our new website do for you? In short, it can help you track land use, planning, and environmental issues affecting Central Oregon communities, help you learn more about those that are of interest to you, and provide information to help you get involved.

Listed below are a few examples of the resources this site provides.