The pool at Caldera Springs. The Oregon Court of Appeals has halted expansion plans at the destination resort near Sunriver. (Bulletin file photo)

Caldera Springs destination resort was granted approval this week to expand onto 614 acres and potentially develop up to 395 additional single-family homes and 95 overnight units.

The resort is adjacent to Sunriver Resort and the Crosswater Club golf course.

A Deschutes County hearings officer approved a conditional use permit Friday that allows for the expansion.

Additional land use approvals will be needed for plans to subdivide the land, create roads and install utilities.

The expansion project was opposed by some during the public comment period for not adequately addressing traffic congestion. Other concerns included impacts to migrating mule deer and potential risks from wildfire.

The hearings officer’s decision can be appealed up until April 27, which is 12 days from when the decision was mailed. Deschutes County commissioners would have the opportunity to consider an appeal. If the County Commission declines to hear the appeal, potential appellants would have to take their case to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

The permit application was filed by Pine Forest Development LLC last year. The company is part of Sunriver Resort Limited Partnership, which owns Sunriver Resort.

The property approved for the expansion is east of the current resort and north of Vandevert Road.

Letters and emails were sent to the county in opposition to the project. Most of the concerns focused on increased traffic from the expanded resort and congestion on South Century Drive and Vandevert Road.

Kenneth Helm, the county hearings officer, concluded that any traffic increases from the expansion would not conflict with county standards.

“Even with the increased traffic there will still be sufficient gaps in northbound and southbound traffic on South Century Drive for pedestrians, bicyclists and golf carts to cross the roadway,” Helm wrote in his decision.

The expansion project will include creating an entrance to the 614-acre property on Vandevert Road. The access point would initially only be allowed for traffic related to construction and development. It would then be a gated entry and used only for emergency access until a roundabout is completed to the north at South Century Drive and Spring River Road.

Central Oregon LandWatch expressed concerns about the resort having adequate habitat for deer that cross the property during migration season.

The developer proposed in the approved application to set aside 125 acres for deer to travel east-west through the resort property, which would have native plants and existing habitat.

State law requires resorts have a specific ratio of single-family homes to overnight units. The developers sought to modify the ratio as part of their application. The new increased ratio for single-family homes will be 2.5 per every overnight lodging unit. It previously was 2 homes per overnight unit.

One of the conditions attached to the approval by Helm will require the developers to document and submit information on the number of homes and overnight units. The overnight units can be cabins, for example, or homes made available by owners for overnight stays.

The current resort property has not yet built to its allowable capacity of 320 homes and 160 overnight units. Combined with the new property, the resort could potentially expand to 715 single-family homes and 286 overnight units.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, tshorack@bendbulletin.com