Fred and Shelly Steen of Crow Creek Road became the third set of Wallowa County landowners to avail themselves of HB 3326 which was recently passed into law by the Oregon Legislature. The bill ennables landowners in this county to parcel off small segments of land for use as a non farm dwelling provided the land in question meets certain criteria and the original piece remains at least 160 acres in size. The size of the parent parcel can vary in other counties.

The Steens, with the approval of the Wallowa County Planning Commission at their Oct. 28 meeting, parceled off 16 1/2 acres and left 304 acres on their original parcel.

The decision is not binding until findings of fact are approved at the planning commission’s November meeting, but no one spoke in opposition to the application and it is assumed the findings of fact will be a mere formality.

Commission member Rick Hanson sounded an alarm that many more applications may be in the making. “It is my personal opinion that you will see all kinds of non farm dwellings going up in the Crow Creek Road area,” he said. “This is merely a subdivision on a grander scale. I hope I am wrong.”

The two previously approved HB 3326 parcels, also on Crow Creek Road, belong to Jess Fitzhugh and David and Darlene Turner.

Commissioner Jennifer Ballard did not agree with Hanson’s assessment of the situation. She felt that limited scenic view in the area would preclude the expansion Hanson had alluded to.

Fred Steen, who is Wallowa County’s Sheriff as well as a landowner, spoke briefly at the public hearing, noting that the land on which the non farm dwelling would be placed was good for “seasonal grazing at best.”

Most of the two hour meeting preceeded Steen’s hearing, but focused on how Wallowa County plans to handle non farm dwelling applications.

At the direction of the planning commission, Planning Director Bill Oliver presented the commission with two set of criteria by which applications could be judged. One set of six criteria would be shared with applicants and need to be followed in the application process. The second list of 15 criteria was more of a checklist for the commission to refer to when in the process of making case-by-case decisions. After much discussion it was determined to share both lists with the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners which oversees planning commission decisions.

The binding six criteria are: 1) to subordinate residential claims to farm, forest and mining practices; 2) meet specific access road criteria; 3) supply and record an approved partition plat map; 4) substantial changes to original proposals and site plans must be approved by the planning director or the commission; 5) must provide evidence that the parcel has been disqualified for special assessment; 6) and fire standards.

The more general 15 criteria range from structural height to visual subordination.

“If we approve the applications in the right places there will be no impact on farming operations,” said Commissioner Tim Nitz.