Local couple wins Measure 37 claim

Deschutes County Commissioners voted on Friday, June 10, to give E.J. and Gertrude Leason the option of developing their 318-acre farm property on Goodrich Road in the Cloverdale area. The decision was in response to a $4.5 million claim by the Leasons seeking either compensation for property values lost as a result of actions taken by the county in changing land use ordinances or approval to develop their land into homesites and a golf course.

Commissioners Mike Daly and Tom DeWolf approved the waiver while Commissioner Dennis Luke voted against the action.

The Leasons and their Pine Ridge Ranch Company filed a claim in January stating that they had lost the ability to subdivide the property into small parcels. In their statement, they said that they acquired this property in 1971. Deschutes County later enacted regulations zoning the property as exclusive farm use. The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development required land use zoning.

The issue was made more complicated because in 1995 the Leasons had created a corporation to assume ownership of the property where they made their home. This action was taken to assist in estate planning by the owners.

The Leasons could not be reached for comment on their immediate plans for the Cloverdale property.

Deschutes County has received 43 claims totaling more than $121.6 million since Measure 37 was approved by voters last fall. Eleven of these claims are in the Sisters area and total more than $67 million.

Oregon counties have 180 days from the date of filing to respond to any Measure 37 claims. For many claims, that deadline is fast approaching.