DLCD officials tour the county

Published 4:00 pm Wednesday, November 6, 2002

Paul Curcio and Gary Harris of the Oregon Deparment of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) were in Wallowa County last Tuesday and Wednesday to become better acquainted with land use problems in Eastern Oregon. Curcio became the director of the DLCD in February while Harris, of Madras, is a commissioner of the state agency.

Neither had been in Wallowa County previously.

The Wallowa County Board of Commissioners and the Wallowa County Planning Commission combined efforts to make maximum use of their time.

Upon their arrival Tuesday afternoon the board of commissioners and County Planning Director Bill Oliver took the visitors to Wallowa Lake and discussed, among other things, the possibility of incorporating the south end of the lake.

On Tuesday evening the DLCD executives met at The Outlaw Restaurant in Joseph with both the local board of commissioners and the local planning commission. Oliver said that subjects of discussion at that dinner meeting included the nature of periodic review, grant support from the state commission, the future possiblities of land development in Oregon and the agency’s beginning trend toward more development and less conservation. A power point presentation made by extension agent John Williams was also given on the Wallowa County/Nez Perce Tribe Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan.

Wednesday morning the two dignitaries visited the airports in Enterprise and Joseph and some possible industrial sites in the county. Neither Curcio nor Harris was much impressed with the two airports as potential sites for future industry. Harris suggested that the residential district was quite close to the Enterprise airport and that the Joseph airport is too close to Enterprise’e primary water source. A residential air park for the Enterprise airport was one suggestion made.

Before leaving on Wednesday afternoon the two met with Target Wallowa County, a group headed by Wallowa County Commissioner Ben Boswell which has been formed to attract business opportunities to the county. Curcio stressed the need to create a vision for desired growth.

On that subject Harris said to the Target Wallowa County group, “You find the projects that are going to improve your community and by damn we ought to get our department to get it done.”

Though his agency, like other agencies in Oregon, have been hit hard by budget constraints, Curcio said that the DLCD still has $2.5 million in grants to give out.

Oliver, a constant companion of Curcio and Harris during their visit, said that there is no buildable industrially zoned land in Wallowa County. He said that existing sites are not buildable because they are not for sale, have a high water table, are in wetlands or are near rivers.

“Though no decisions were made,” said Oliver, “We had some very useful meetings.”