Cyrus family wins round in resort fight

The Cyrus family of Sisters won a round last week in the ongoing battle over their plans to convert Aspen Lakes into a destination resort.

During the contentious debates in 2010 over Deschutes County's mapping of destination resorts, the county commissioners made an exception to allow the Cyrus family cluster subdivision and lands at Aspen Lakes to be mapped as a potential destination resort.

Central Oregon LandWatch appealed that decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). Last week, LUBA upheld the county decision, clearing the way for the mapping of the Aspen Lakes property on the county map.

There are two steps required to build such a resort. First, the property must be mapped. Only then can the developer go through the county and state planning process for a destination resort before building can begin.

The state destination resort requirements have been under review and are expected to undergo some significant change during this legislative session. It has been expected that the county would modify their requirements based on the change in state regulation.

Earlier this month, Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver introduced HB 3372, which would create an exception to the state resort law that would allow Cyrus Heritage Farms to build 495 homes. The terms of HB 3372 would exempt the Cyrus development from any city or county land use regulations.

Paul Dewey, attorney for Central Oregon LandWatch, filed the appeal. Opposition to the appeal was led by Liz Fancher on behalf of Belveron Real Estate Partners, LLC.; Sunriver Resort Limited Partnership and Ball Janik LLP; and Tia M. Lewis on behalf of Matthew Cyrus.

A significant part of the Central Oregon LandWatch argument centered around the current state destination resort requirement that 50 units of overnight lodging be built before the first individual lot is sold. This is one of the provisions of the state law that is expected to be modified.