Remand Hearing Update on Thornburgh Resort
Cline Buttes near Redmond, Oregon
The appeals continue over a proposed destination resort at Cline Buttes near Redmond. Thornburgh Resort is again in the news.
This past August, there was widespread public concern voiced over the resort’s source of mitigation water during the remand hearing. The public showed up and let Deschutes County know there was worry over how our region’s water is to be used.
254 people wrote in and submitted public comments, not including legal representation. For a local land use hearing, this was a huge turnout!
The main themes that emerged from people’s comments were concerns over water use and ongoing drought, fish and wildlife habitat, and local farmers. Every single commenter wrote in opposition to the resort’s proposal.
At LandWatch, we know this is important. Not a single person, except for individuals affiliated with the resort, spoke in favor of the proposed development.
The public has voiced its concern over water use in the high desert. A destination resort authorized to use up to 6 million gallons of water a day is not part of that picture. We need our elected officials to represent the public and stand up for responsible water use.
Where does the appeal stand?
Unfortunately, despite the outpouring of public concern in the remand hearing, a hearings officer approved the resort's current development application on October 4.
This doesn’t mean the approval is final. There are multiple levels for possible appeals under Oregon’s land use system.
First, a development application is reviewed by the Deschutes County planning department.
The planning department’s decision may be appealed by a member of the public to a hearings officer who then issues a decision.
Any member of the public that appears before the hearings officer may appeal the hearings officer’s decision to the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners.
The County Commissioners decide whether to hear the appeal.
If they decline to hear the appeal, the hearings officer’s decision stands, and may be appealed directly to the Land Use Board of Appeals.
If the County Board of Commissioners does accept review, any member of the public that appears before the County Board of Commissioners may appeal the County’s decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.
Decisions of the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals are subject to appellate review.
Here’s how the story is playing out with Thornburgh Resort
On October 4th, a hearings officer approved the resort’s current application.
On October 15th, the hearings officer’s decision was appealed to the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners.
On October 27th, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners declined to hear the appeal.
It didn’t have to be this way. We had high hopes our elected county commissioners would recognize the degree of public interest and concern in this matter, and hear the appeal.
Now, a neighbor of the planned resort is preparing to file an appeal of the hearings officer’s decision with the Land Use Board of Appeals.
One of the issues before the Land Use Board of Appeals will be whether the planned resort must show that it actually has the water it promised for mitigation of its effects on fish and wildlife in order to obtain its original approval, before it may move forward.
Stay up to date
At LandWatch, we serve as a watchdog organization and continually monitor land use development across Central Oregon. When we see something that clearly violates Oregon’s land use or environmental laws, we sound the alarm. We continue to advocate for public input when possible and use legal backing when absolutely necessary.
If you haven’t subscribed to our email updates and action alerts, consider doing so to stay up to speed on Thornburgh and related land use issues across Central Oregon.