Regional Large Lot Industrial Program

The Large Lot Industrial program is a tool to allow for the identification and designation of properties for large-scale industrial development in Central Oregon. COIC’s role is to determine if properties that are the subject of applications meet the regional program criteria. Without the LLI program, there is essentially no way to set aside large parcels for potential development.

Background

In 2008, Central Oregon leaders recognized the economic advantages of an inventory of large lot industrial sites in order to recruit large, traded-sector industrial firms to the region. The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) funded Deschutes County to do an Analysis to determine the extent of the regional large lot land need in Central Oregon. The Analysis was performed by Johnson-Reid LLC and overseen by representatives from Central Oregon cities, counties, Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO), COIC, 1000 Friends of Oregon, Central Oregon Realtors Association, DLCD, Division of State Lands, and Business Oregon.

Analysis Results

The Analysis identified a short-term need (within 10 years) for a regional inventory of industrial sites:

Three 50-100-acre sites,
Two 100-200-acre sites, and
One 200+ acre site located in the geographic center of the region – the north side of Bend or the south side of Redmond.

The Analysis also noted that current state land use statutes make it difficult to examine land needs at the regional scale – communities assess land needs on an individual basis – but that Central Oregon is in reality an integrated regional market for industrial recruitment. The Analysis called for a regional process to identify suitable sites while safeguarding resource lands. COIC, as the region’s Council of Governments, is uniquely suited to coordinate this process.

For further information, please contact:
Scott Aycock, Community and Economic Development Manager
541-548-9523 | Email

Submission Process

COIC will receive site proposals on a quarterly basis, according to the schedule below. The final process and submission guidelines can be found here: Application and Timeline_2-27-23 update_FINAL

Table of Documents

All linked project documents:

Quarterly Due Date

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 3

COIC Board Review Date

First Thursday in May
First Thursday in August
First Thursday in November
First Thursday in February

Program Development

(A more in-depth overview of the project can be found here.)
The following steps were taken to implement a Central Oregon Large Lot Industrial Program:

Deschutes County led the way by adopting comprehensive plan policies implementing the Analysis. Crook and Jefferson Counties later passed similar ordinances. Links:
Deschutes County’s adoption was challenged by 1000 Friends of Oregon; the challenge was negotiated and settled without appeal.
- The DLCD agreed to amend, through rule-making, Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 660-024(sections -0040(1) and -0045) to limit the applicability of the program to Central Oregon jurisdictions which have entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to allocate the parcels as indicated by the Analysis.
Through another grant from the DLCD:
- COIC developed a Regional IGA for use by participating cities;
- Deschutes County prepared a template Regional Large Lot Industrial Plan and Zone Amendments for use by participating cities;
- The City of Redmond prepared a Redmond Preliminary Large Lot Industrial Buildable Lands Inventory to determine if existing parcels within the UGB could be used to satisfy the regional demand for the 200+ acre site and a Reconnaissance Level Infrastructure Analysis to evaluate two sites immediately outside the UGB;
- Deschutes County prepared a Lessons Learned Report, highlighting the process to date.
COIC is now responsible for administering the Large Lot Industrial Program, including a site submission and review process. COIC’s role is not to make a land use decision, but rather to a) ensure that candidate sites meet basic criteria identified in the OARs, b) ensure a regional distribution/allocation of sites; and c) review the effectiveness and need for the Large Lot Industrial Land Program over time.

Approved Parcels

To date there have been two successful LLI parcel designations in Central Oregon:

April 2016 – the City of Madras submitted a proposal for the Daimler Heavy Truck Testing Facility to be considered one of the 100-200 acre large lot industrial sites. The application was approved by Resolution by the COIC Board on May 5, 2016.
April 2015 – the City of Redmond submitted a proposal for the “South Redmond Tract” to be considered for the 200+ acre large lot industrial site. The application was approved by Resolution by the COIC Board on May 5, 2016.