Crook County Board of Commissioners - Remand Hearing - West Prineville Solar - May 21 @ 2:00 PM

NOTICE OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the Crook County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 to consider the following:

Application 217-20-000375-PLNG (Modification Conditional Use) and 217-20-000546-PLNG (Appeal) – Bryan Sproat (Owner), West Prineville Solar Farm LLC, Jacob Stephens, (Applicant), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (Appellants) - The Application is being heard pursuant to a remand by the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) concerning  the Board of Commissioners’ approval of a modification of an existing conditional use permit (217-19-000029-PLNG) for a commercial photovoltaic solar facility in the County’s EFU-3 zone. The remand involves compliance with ORS 215.446 (2019 House Bill 2329) and Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 635, Division 415, which implements ORS 496.012 and the applicant’s wildlife habitat mitigation plan. The subject property is identified as a 654-acre site located at Township 15S, Range 15E WM, Tax Lots 2900 and 3000, Crook County, Oregon. The property is zoned Exclusive Farm Use, EFU-3.

The hearing is being held pursuant to Crook County Code Title 18, Section 18.172.130.  The hearing before the Board of Commissioners shall be limited solely to issues remanded in the final decision by LUBA, unless the Board of Commissioners expand the issues on remand upon their own motion, as more specifically set forth in Crook County Code Section 18.172.130(2)(c).  A notice of public hearing and location maps are being mailed to all parties at least 10 days prior to the Board of County Commissioners hearing.

The remand hearing shall be limited to staff, the applicant and appellants from the prior LUBA appeal, unless expanded by motion of the Board of Commissioners. Written testimony or comments may be submitted to the Crook County Community Development Department by email at plan@crookcountyor.gov and may also be submitted in person or by mail to 300 NE 3rd St, Room 12, Prineville, OR 97754.

A copy of the application, all documents, and evidence relied upon by the County along with the applicable criteria are available for inspection at no cost and copies can be provided in accordance with the County’s fee schedule. Please contact the Planning Division at (541)447-3211, ext. 1 or plan@crookcountyor.gov to schedule a time to inspect or to request copies. Documents are also available on the County’s website,  https://co.crook.or.us/meetings.

A copy of the staff report and meeting materials will be available at https://co.crook.or.us/meetings at least seven days prior to the hearing at no cost.