State land panel delays vote on youth camps
Published 8:04 pm Monday, September 29, 2014
The state land use panel scheduled to possibly vote on a rule for new youth camps on Eastern Oregon farmland postponed its decision on Friday.
A law passed last year directed the Land Conservation and Development Commission to create the rules that will govern development of a high-end, nondenominational Christian camp at the Young Life Washington Family Ranch near Antelope in Wasco County.
Young Life already has two camps at the 64,000-acre site. After avoiding a lengthy land use exception process by asking the Legislature for a law, Young Life’s project has been waiting for the commission to approve a rule before it can break ground.
At a meeting in Eugene, commissioners said too many issues remain, and they want a rulemaking group to address them before a final vote in November.
The commission wants the rulemaking group to address questions over a proposed go-kart track at the new camp. It also wants to resolve whether the camp can connect to an existing sewer system.
The commission left public comment on the issue open until its Nov. 13 meeting in Salem, when it may vote.