Thornburgh's Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan before Deschutes County—again
Location of the proposed Thornburgh Resort near Cline Buttes.
As staunch proponents for sustainable and equitable rural land use in our region, Central Oregon LandWatch has continually defended our area’s rivers and streams, and native fish and wildlife. Our longest running case is against the proposed Thornburgh Resort, where we are gravely concerned with the enormous amount of water that the resort would use.
Situated on a nearly 2,000-acre parcel on Cline Buttes, the current plans for the Thornburgh Resort would include 950 single-family homes, private lakes, a luxury hotel and a golf course.
On May 7, 2025, Thornburgh’s troubled attempt to revise its Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan will come before the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners again.
The County’s prior approval of the plan was remanded back to the County by the Oregon Court of Appeals and the Land Use Board of Appeals.
In affirming LUBA’s remand decision on the proposed Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan, the Court of Appeals stated that “remand will allow an opportunity for the Tribe to present evidence of indigenous expertise and knowledge for the board’s consideration that the Tribe asserts it did not have adequate time to present due to its late involvement in the proceedings.”
However, during an April 17, 2025 meeting, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners decided in a split-vote, at the request of Thornburgh, to not accept any input on the Tribes’ Treaty rights during the upcoming remand hearing. The Tribes have called out the County’s decision as part of a “pattern of dismissing Warm Springs Treaty-reserved rights.”
Deschutes Services Building, 1300 NW Wall St
Join Us in a Show of Solidarity with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
LandWatch encourages those concerned about this issue to show up at the remand hearing, not to speak, but, through your presence, to demonstrate the strong community opposition to this resort proposal and to show solidarity with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs.
When: May 7, 9:00 am. Thornburgh remand hearing agenda item scheduled for 10:00 am.
Where: Deschutes Services Building, 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend
When available, the meeting agenda and virtual log in information can be found at www.deschutes.org/meetings.
Note: Deschutes County is limiting testimony at the hearing to only those people who testified on this issue back in 2022, before the County’s approval decision was remanded by LUBA. If you commented previously, you will have been notified by the county.
For further background and to catch up on where the Thornburgh Resort proposal stands now, read OPB’s recent reporting.
April 8, 2025
Thornburgh resort site in Central Oregon hits another water rights roadblock
Oregon has spent $733,000 on water fights for — and against — the resort over the last three years.
April 17, 2025
Deschutes County snubs Warm Springs Tribes in Thornburgh resort appeal
Tribal officials say the county’s latest move is part of a “pattern of dismissing Warm Springs treaty-reserved rights.”
