The Crook County Board opened the first of two required public hearings on Ordinance 352 on June 18, a proposed zoning map amendment for a property in the Pal Butte area that dates to an early-2000s Powell Butte study.

John Isler, Crook County community development director, introduced the ordinance and passed the presentation to Katie McDonald, senior planner. McDonald said the subject property is nearly 20 acres off Reef Road and that the parcel had been included in the earlier study, an exception process was completed in February and the current ordinance finalizes the second step to change the map. "Some properties had their zoning changed then; some did not," McDonald said, describing a patchwork of outcomes from the earlier process.

McDonald showed maps in the packet identifying study areas and parcels that still require formal map amendments; she said the planning commission held a public hearing and issued a decision that is included in the ordinance materials. Commissioners asked whether other properties in the study area may come forward; McDonald confirmed more parcels are potentially eligible and outlined how property owners should contact the community development department.

County staff opened and then closed the public hearing. Because this was the first of two hearings required for an ordinance, the board made no decision at the June 18 meeting and will return for a second hearing at least 14 days later.