A 710-acre rezone? We’re standing with the ranchers
View of the northeastern edge of the property overlooking neighboring farm and rangeland: Central Oregon LandWatch
We’re standing with Central Oregon’s farmers and ranchers
Deschutes County is currently considering a request from Eden Central Properties LLC to rezone a 710-acre property away from agricultural land to allow for rural residential development.
As a watchdog organization, we monitor applications for development on rural lands across Central Oregon to protect the region’s agricultural land and open space for generations to come. Unfortunately, in tandem with our region’s rapid growth, we see these requests for rezones to allow for development with increasing frequency.
But a rezone request of this size? It’s alarming.
This zone change would remove farmland protections across hundreds of acres, permanently shifting the use away from agriculture to allow for rural residential development.
A number of neighboring farmers and ranchers have expressed concern. From worry over water use and added stressors to the farming community to the disruption of important wildlife habitat, the application has drawn widespread criticism.
“Because the surrounding lands are being actively ranched, we stand with the farmers and ranchers in that community trying to make a livelihood. We see this suburban development as a very incompatible use.”
The heart of the Lower Bridge farming community
Aerial view of the 710-acre area, from the Notice of Appeal
In the Lower Bridge Valley, farms and ranches produce a wide array of local food and products, from award-winning wines to locally-sourced beef. Nearby farms grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, and grains and provide surrounding communities with fresh produce.
This 710-acre property spans the Lower Bridge Valley, west of Terrebonne between Lower Bridge Way and Highway 126 between Redmond and Sisters.
Here, you can witness the vast, open landscapes separated only by the rolling hillsides that set this peaceful farming community apart.
We can't stand to lose this agricultural valley to sprawling development.
This area is protected for exclusive farm use, meaning that Deschutes County identified this area as part of the limited supply of Oregon’s remaining agricultural land. Oregon’s land use laws are designed to protect agricultural land, to keep it intact with limited allowances for residential development that isn’t in line with farming needs.
Our choices today will determine Oregon’s farming future
The applicant claims that this land hasn’t been historically farmed, but that is not what Oregon’s land use laws were meant to determine. They were designed to protect a farming future.
Goal 3 of Oregon’s land use system was put in place to protect farmland from rural sprawl, reduce conflicts between farm and urban activities, keep farmland priced for farming, and provide open space and wildlife habitat around Oregon cities and towns. As a watchdog for the land use system, LandWatch is here to make sure Goal 3 is upheld in Deschutes County.
You can find more details about this application from Deschutes County’s Notice of Public Hearing or Proposal Summary.
Take action
The public has been asked to weigh in before and during an initial public hearing next Tuesday, April 19, at 6 p.m.
Here are a few ways to add your comment to the record.
1. Send in a written comment. You can submit a comment to the public record by emailing Haleigh King, Associate Planner, at haleigh.king@deschutes.org. The deadline to submit a written comment is April 19 before 6:00 p.m. Make sure to include the land use file numbers: 247-21-001042-PA and 247-21-001044-ZC
2. Attend the hearing on April 19 at 6:00 p.m. This virtual hearing is open to all individuals (registration not required) and will be held on Zoom. If you’d like to speak and provide oral testimony during the hearing, email Haleigh King at haleigh.king@deschutes.org by 4:00 p.m. Monday, April 18, to be added to the list.
You can also call in to the hearing at 1-253-215-8782 and enter the Webinar ID: 812-9681-4184
What should I submit?
Here are some talking points to consider.
Agricultural land value: If this application is approved, these 710-acres will allow for remote sprawling development, fracturing an intact landscape and permanently removing farmland protections for future generations. The applicant claims that this land hasn’t been historically farmed, but that is not what Oregon’s land use laws were meant to determine. They were designed to protect a farming future and the availability of agricultural land, not reflect the choices of a particular landowner.
Neighboring farms and ranches: This property is surrounded by working farms and ranches in Deschutes County. Unplanned rural sprawl brings additional stressors to farming communities. Learn more from this short video.
Wildlife and open space: This area is vital winter range for local mule deer herds. The latest wildlife studies show this property as an essential migration corridor that should remain intact and with minimal disturbance for healthy wildlife populations.
View of the southeastern edge of the property overlooking neighboring farm and rangeland: Central Oregon LandWatch
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