For the first time since 1979, Deschutes County has drafted a new Comprehensive Plan, the document prepared by a city or county in Oregon to provide a general overview of existing and future land use. Part of a statewide planning initiative instituted by Senate Bill 100 in 1973, the Comprehensive Plan was designed to provide direction on land use issues for the next 20 years.

Well, 30 years have come and gone, so it's high time the plan was overhauled. Although it has been amended and updated over the years -- and a review of the plan that began in 1988 was completed in 2003 -- the current plan still contains outdated information and doesn't necessarily reflect current thinking.

In an effort to involve the public in the new plan, the Deschutes County Community Development Department has organized a series of public meetings during the next three months to hear feedback on the new plan it has drafted, called "Comprehensive Plan 2030." Between now and Jan. 7, 2010, the CDD will be accepting informal comments and suggestions on the draft plan. It will then be revised based on comments received, and a formal adoption process will begin next February.

Here's a schedule of the upcoming meetings:

Oct. 19 at 6 pm:  Plan Overview/Open House. Terrebonne Grange Hall. 
Oct. 20 at 6 pm:  Plan Overview/Open House. Tumalo Community School.
Oct. 22 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting on Natural Resources, other sections. Deschutes Services Center, Bend.
Oct. 27 at 6 pm: Plan Overview/Open House. Brothers School.
Oct. 28 at 6 pm: Plan Overview/Open House. Redmond Fire Station.
Oct. 29 at 6 pm: Plan Overview/Open House. Three Sisters 7th Day Adventist School, Bend.
Nov. 05 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting on Resource Lands (Farms and Forests). Deschutes Services Center, Bend.
Nov. 10 at 6 pm: Plan Overview/Open House. Mid-State Electric Building, La Pine.
Nov. 12 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting on Rural Development, Housing, Economy. Deschutes Services Center, Bend.
Nov. 19 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting on Destination Resorts. Deschutes Services Center, Bend.
Nov. 30 at 6 pm: Plan Overview/Open House. Three Rivers School, Sunriver.
Dec. 1 at 6 pm: Community Plan/Open House. Terrebonne Grange Hall.
Dec. 2 at 5:30: Planning Commission Meeting. Deschutes Services Center, 1300 NW Wall Street, Bend.
Dec. 7 at 6 pm: Plan Overview/Open House. Deschutes Services Center, Bend.
Dec. 9 at 6 pm:  Plan Overview/Open House. Sisters Library.
Dec. 10 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting on Urbanization & Unincorporated Communities. Redmond Council Chambers.
Dec. 14 at 6 pm: Community Plan/Open House. Tumalo Community Church.
Dec. 15 at 6 pm: Community Plan/Open House. Three Sisters 7th Day Adventist School, Bend.
Dec. 17 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting on Appendices. Deschutes Services Center, Bend.
Jan. 7 at 5:30 pm: Planning Commission Meeting Wrap-up.
Deschutes Services Center, Bend.

For more information about the Comprehensive Plan meetings, visit the Deschutes County website.

About the Author:
Lisa Broadwater is a Central Oregon-based real estate professional who specializes in listing and selling homes, especially in Sisters, Tumalo, Redmond and Bend. If you'd like to learn more about Central Oregon, please visit www.CentralOregonHome4You.com.