A win at the Land Use Board of Appeals!
Stopping the conversion of Deschutes County farmland to industrial uses
When traveling along Highway 97 between Bend and Redmond, you can easily catch a glimpse of the snow-crowned Three Sisters, Black Butte, and Broken Top. You’re sure to see a red-tail hawk or golden eagle along this breathtaking panorama. In this scenic corridor, much of the landscape remains undeveloped land, protected for farming, open space, and historic rural residential development.
Google earth view: Highway 97, looking south from Redmond towards Bend.
However, this stretch is undergoing visible changes, with a recent surge in applications to convert farmland along this corridor to allow for industrial development. At LandWatch, we are concerned as Deschutes County continues to approve of scattershot industrial activity across cherished rural landscapes.
In January 2023, we appealed a Deschutes County decision to convert 20 acres of land zoned Exclusive Farm Use to Rural Industrial Use to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). We took up this case knowing that if the County’s decision stands, it would set a precedent for further conversion of farmland and open space to industrial uses along this corridor.
As a watchdog organization, we work to ensure industrial uses are directed inside urban growth boundaries where their environmental impacts can be effectively managed without impacting rural farms, residents, wildlife habitat, and scenic views. Additionally, industrial land is readily available for industrial use in Bend, La Pine, Sisters, Redmond, Prineville, and Madras. Given these options, there is no reason to convert any remaining farmland into industrial zones.
On April 24th, the Land Use Board of Appeals issued a decision in our favor. LUBA agreed with us that the rezone conflicts with inventoried scenic views resources along Highway 97, our argument made under Statewide Planning Goal 5.
This decision is a legal milestone that helps prevent unnecessary industrial sprawl between Bend and Redmond and elsewhere in the rural county. Looking ahead, we are hopeful that Deschutes County will prioritize the protection of rural lands for agricultural economies and open space.
We are grateful to our supporters and members who have helped us achieve this win to preserve Oregon's rural landscapes.
Wasim Muklashy
Protecting Farms and Forests
As a watchdog for Central Oregon, we continue to monitor land use actions across Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties, challenging and defending against inappropriate development on rural lands. We support our agricultural communities and open space by stopping sprawl from encroaching on farm and forest land, and preserving open landscapes, clean water, and fresh air.