The Harney County Planning Department invites the public to participate in a unique land-use planning process created by the Oregon legislature.

In 2019, the legislature passed SB-2, which allowed eight Eastern Oregon counties to participate in a special process to find additional employment lands outside standard land-use processes. Employment lands are those zoned with commercial or industrial uses allowed, unlike those zoned for resource use, such as agriculture or timber.  A listed county (Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur, Sherman, Union, Wallowa, or Wheeler) that has adopted an economic opportunity analysis as part of its comprehensive plan may amend its comprehensive plan, land use regulations, and zoning map to designate not more than 10 sites outside an urban growth boundary that cumulatively total not more than 50 acres of land if the sites were identified in any economic opportunity analysis (EOA). The goal is to help counties create economic opportunities through this process.

Planning Director Brandon McMullen announced that the county will be holding informal socially distanced listening sessions throughout the county next week. McMullen and Stan Foster of PARC Resources, the consulting group preparing this Economic Opportunity Analysis, will be conducting these listening sessions in different locations and times listed below:

• Monday, Sept. 21 — 9 a.m. to noon at the Frenchglen Hotel, Drop-in

• Monday, Sept. 21 — 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Burns Community Center, Drop-in

• Tuesday, Sept. 22 — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Drewsey, near the post office, Drop-in

• Tuesday, Sept. 22 — 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Crane Union High School gym, Drop-in

Citizens are invited to stop by and share their views on the need for new commercial and/or industrial properties in the county. Special interest is in lands that possess special characteristics that are unique and offer employment opportunities due to these special features.

These meetings will be held in the locations and times listed above. Please feel free to drop in and share your views.

If you have ideas to help envision beneficial zoning changes to lands that could be better utilized as commercial and/or industrial lands in your area, this is your chance to let your voice be heard. These field listening sessions are to ensure that any proposed changes reflect the wishes and desires of the citizens of our community. Listening sessions will adhere to social distancing guidelines and provide information to all interested parties. No final decisions will be made at these sessions. Final decisions will be made by locally appointed officials and the Harney County Court in public meetings later in spring of 2021.

You can make a difference for the future of your community and county!

Note: The Burns Community Center Meeting on Sept. 21 will also be available as a virtual meeting at: https://www.co.harney.or.us/index.php/doing-business/planning-development-services