Published 10:00 am Saturday, April 25, 2026 Deschutes County’s new comprehensive plan conflicts with state law and was improperly adopted, according to a recent ruling from Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). LUBA’s April 13 decision marks significant progress in Central Oregon LandWatch’s long-running advocacy to ensure the landscapes, farmlands, water, and natural places that define Deschutes County are managed responsibly for those who live here today and future generations who will call this place home. In 2022, Deschutes County embarked on an update of its comprehensive plan — the guiding policy document for how the county manages land use, transportation, and natural resources across its rural lands. After years of rampant conversion of farm and forest land to luxury sprawl, which drains our groundwater and increases fire risks, LandWatch was optimistic that this Plan update could be the County’s chance to turn over a new leaf. The county had other plans.…