BEND, OR -- A motocross training facility proposed for north of Eagle Crest will get another public hearing. X Games competitor Justin Homan’s initial land use application was approved in August with around 30 conditions. Senior County Planner Caroline House told Deschutes County Commissioners this week Homan has appealed a handful of those, "They’re all related to motorcycle noise, the hours of operation, the number of visitors allowed on the site, as well as required new restroom facilities that were conditioned in the decision."
She says Commissioners may not be able to accommodate all of Homan's requests. The noise restriction would take a code change, "So, the county’s noise ordinance - and this is where it’s going to be difficult, potentially, for the applicant to establish their use - is that, if anyone can hear motorcycles, essentially, on their property from their house, that’s a violation of the county’s noise ordinance." House also told Commissioners, "Additionally, staff believes that the visitor limitation is a reasonable condition, to mitigate impacts to the surrounding properties. And on one of the other conditions, they’re asking to be modified, related to the restroom facilities. That comes directly from DEQ and our on-site wastewater division’s responsibilities. So the board would not be given deference on that decision."
Planning Manager William Groves says the initial hearing over the summer drew a lot of public interest, "This is an important family activity, and the director of this is a beloved community member. And for people who are next to it, of course, I think we’d all have some reticence about living next to a motocross course." The county logged more than 120 public comments. Commissioner Patti Adair said, "Actually, I got emails on this months ago, about neighbors above it. And they were horrified that this was going to go in. And of course, we’ve received a lot of emails recently about supporting it."
Homan wants the facility to include four motocross courses, in an area zoned Rural Residential. A date for the appeals hearing has not been set.
