The County Commissioners have given the go-ahead for a modified conditional use application for a proposed campground in Tierra Del Mar following a public hearing held on March 16.
As per a report, the project had previously faced concerns over the potential impact on wetlands and geological issues, which prompted the developer, Oregon Treehouse Partners, to address these concerns and make slight adjustments to the proposal.
The campground, set to be built on an 18-acre parcel of a 58-acre property off Floyd Avenue, will feature 19 campsites, including 15 geodesic dome tents and four accessory cabins.
Additionally, it will be equipped with a bathhouse, picnic area, and a support cabin boasting a viewing platform for visitors to enjoy the natural surroundings. The campsite will rely on well water, with plans to drill a well on-site and establish an emergency supply shed.
Initially approved by the planning commission and county commissioners, the project faced an appeal to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA), citing concerns over the impact on wetlands and geological issues. In response, Oregon Treehouse Partners voluntarily remanded the application to the county commissioners and commissioned a geotechnical survey and wetlands report to address the concerns raised in the LUBA appeal.
Kevin Gindlesperger, a representative from Oregon Treehouse Partners, presented the updated project and newly gathered evidence to the commissioners during the hearing. He reported that the wetlands study identified four wetlands on the property, while the geotechnical report confirmed the site was geologically sound. As a result, the project’s designers adjusted the layout of the proposed campsite, moving a support building out of a wetlands zone and narrowing roads based on the geotechnical report’s recommendations.
To approve the remanded application, the commissioners were required to determine that the changes to the proposal were minor and reaffirm that it met the conditional use criteria. The lawyer representing Tree House Partners argued that the changes were minor, as they only involved slight modifications to the layout of the same proposed structures and additional evidence. The commissioners agreed with this assessment and unanimously reapproved the application after voting down a motion to continue the hearing.
The commissioners also expressed gratitude to Gindlesperger and his firm for their efforts to be good neighbors by communicating with the community and addressing their concerns. The Tierra Del Mar campground project is now set to move forward, incorporating environmental considerations and bringing new recreational opportunities to the area.