News

Thornburgh in my Side

A proposed resort’s application to buy state-owned land reignites a decades-long battle between the developer and environmental groups

By Jack Harvel

Thornburgh Resort Company, which since 2005 has sought to build a resort community southwest of Redmond, applied to buy 400 adjacent acres from Oregon’s Department of State Lands. The land contributes to the Common School Fund, which distributes money made from leasing or selling land to Oregon schools on a per-pupil basis. The potential sale set off alarm bells for local activist group Central Oregon LandWatch, which has opposed Thornburgh in courts for years, aiming to block the resort based on concerns about water and environmental impacts.

The Common School Fund is valued at $2.2 billion and revenues from land leases and sales are expected to send over $64 million to Oregon Schools in 2022. Thornburgh leased the parcel for several years, and in the fall applied to buy it. ODSL is reviewing the sale to see if it meets the standards necessary to sell.

“There are a couple of things that we look at,” said Liane O’Neill, a communications officer with the Oregon Department of State Lands. “The first is the appraised value of the land. We also look at whether the land has the ability to generate revenue for the Common School Fund, if it was used for other purposes other than the sale. So, for example, in this case, we might look at access to the property. This property is pretty much locked in all around by private property, so it’d be pretty difficult for a new owner to access the property.”

Additionally, the state reviews if there are cultural resources associated with native people on the land, if there are mineral or energy resources that could add value to the land and whether there are any endangered, threatened or sensitive plants or animals native to the area. Since leasing the land Thornburgh Resort Company left it relatively undisturbed, and its owner told the Source he plans on keeping it as open space.

“The land is pretty much untouched and hasn’t been improved. They’re not doing any ranching or any cattle grazing on it,” O’Neill said. “They are permitted to build a paved road that basically gives them access from the land that they’re currently leasing and requesting to purchase into the lands that they already own.”

The parcel of land being considered for sale doesn’t have any water rights, but it is the top concern for those seeking to stop the resort from developing. Deschutes County accepted a final master plan for the site in 2008, which consisted of 1970 acres with 950 lots and 425 residential overnight lodging units. The property would be divided into two villages, one called The Tribute at Thronburgh and the other The Pinnacle at Thornburgh. Caroline House, a senior planner with Deschutes County, said the addition of DSL lands would require a modification of approval by the Deschutes County commission to amend the master plan.

The Tribute on the south side of the property is proposed as a golf course residential community, with two golf courses, a golf practice area, a golf clubhouse, community center, 50 golf cottages and 650 luxury-view houses. The Pinnacle on the northern end of the property will also have a golf course, a hotel, a retail area, a man-made lake/boating area, a lake clubhouse and 350 individually owned homes. The resort’s 2013 permit allowed it to use up to 6 million gallons of water a day, and some nearby residents worry they’ll have less well water to use, and environmentalists are concerned the resort’s water mitigation plan could undersupply spring-fed cold water from Deep Canyon Creek.

“That we’re even having this conversation is stupefying to me. I mean, we are in a full-on drought that no one anticipated back in 2008, when their water mitigation plan was discussed with the state. The whole lot has changed,” said Link Olson, a resident near the proposed Thornburgh Resort and a professor of biology at the University of Alaska.

Olson said he hikes on the trail at least twice a week. The area is popular for cyclists and hikers, and Bend Trails, a recreation advocacy group, posted on its social media its concern that the sale could restrict access to trails if made private.

Thornburgh developers dispute that their mitigation plan is lacking and point to litigation that affirmed their plan was lawful and provided a net benefit to fisheries. However, a letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from Jan. 2, argued the conditions have changed since the site’s Final Master Plan was approved in 2008.

“In 2008 what they came up with made sense, but that was also a very long time ago, and conditions in the basin have continued to degrade since then,” said Danette Faucera, water policy coordinator for USFWS. “So, we’re concerned now that things might be actually ramping up and looking like it might move forward. That folks are really looking at the mitigation that was agreed to in 2008, to ensure that that really, today in reality is still going to meet that net benefit, and no net loss criteria.”

The 2013 water permit is in a legal limbo. Permits are granted under the condition that meaningful steps be taken to build out infrastructure to pump it within five years. Thornburgh requested an extension of the permit, which was protested by Annunziata Gould, a longtime opponent of the resort. The Water Resources Department granted the extension, which Gould challenged in court, and ultimately the agency withdrew its final judgement, and an extension will depend on the result of a hearing.

“There’s a lot of complexities in terms of our challenge. We’re basically arguing you didn’t do anything sufficient to make any progress towards putting the water to use,” said Karl Anuta, a lawyer who represents Gould. “We don’t think they’ll ultimately be able to get an extension, they claim they think they will.”

If the extension isn’t renewed, it would go to whoever is next in line to draw from the same aquifer. Thornburgh applied for more water permits in the same aquifer, but as of yet, none have been granted, according to Anuta.

The Department of State Lands will hold a public meeting and hearing via Zoom on March 10 to provide more information about the potential sale and the due diligence process, as well as taking public comment, though public comment will be accepted as late as March 17.

Credit Jack Harvel

The site of the proposed Thornburgh Resort is southeast of the Eagle Crest Resort, with a view of Cline Butte.

“In 2008 what they came up with made sense, but that was also a very long time ago, and conditions in the basin have continued to degrade since then.”

—Danette Faucera

Who’s Running

The May primary elections are coming soon. Here’s a look at who’s thrown their hat in the ring, and where they’re getting their cash

Elections are ahead again: first the May primary that allows people registered with a particular party to vote for their favorite candidates, followed by the general election in November. The filing deadline to run in the May primary was March 8. Here are the candidates local voters may find on their ballots this May (depending on your geographical location), along with the top donors for each campaign from 2021 to 2022, according to the most recent data available from the Oregon Secretary of State.

Deschutes County Commissioner, Position 1

With three Republicans and just one Democrat in this primary race, Democrat Oliver Tatom is all but guaranteed to progress to the general election, while incumbent Tony DeBone will battle it out with two other Republican challengers.

Oliver Tatom, Democrat

Top donors: Rebecca B Boyd - $1,250; John Ertle - $1,000; Philip Chang - $500, Tom H Johnston - $251; Dianna Hansen - $250; Jody Saffert - $250

Tony DeBone, Republican

Top donors: Dan McLean - $1,500, Committee to Elect Mike McLane - $1,000, R-4 Equipment LLC - $1,000, Sandy Schumacher - $500, Rachael Freed - $500, Jake Russel Excavation LLC - $500

Thomas McManus, Republican

Top donors: None listed with the Oregon Secretary of State as of March 8

Scott Stuart, Republican Top donors: None listed with the Oregon Secretary of State as of March 8

Deschutes County Commission Position 3

Local pastor and creator of the Pandemic Partners mutual aid group, Democrat Morgan Schmidt is running for the Democratic ticket in the county commissioner race that will eventually pit her against incumbent Republican Patti Adair. But with only one person running in each primary, both are all but sure to make the ballot in November.

Morgan Schmidt, Democrat

Top donors: Charles L Thiel - $6,000; Peggy Owens - $2,000 +$500 +$1,000; Nancy McElvenny - $1,000 x3 + $2,000; Ashley Testerman, Brian Trottier, David Osgood, Cynthia Serra - $1,000 (each)

Patti Adair, Republican

Top donors: Lauren Babior - $10,000; D.P. Walker Ranch - $1,000; Dahli Brandt - $500 x2, Mike K for Redmond (aka Michael Kusinska) - $341.62, Kathryn DeBone- $150x2

Courtesy Morgan Schmidt

Courtesy Patti Adair

Oregon House District 53

With Redmond Republican Jack Zika opting not to run again, and with Democrat Janet Llerandi Gonzalez announcing last week that she’d withdrawn from the race, the race for House 53 will see two untested candidates running unopposed in their respective primaries. Of her decision in the race, Llerandi Gonzelez cited concerns around “challenges within the local Democratic party.”

“Privilege has caused well-connected politicians to stand in the way of people of color that want to engage civically as a means of survival, rather than mere party identity,” said Llerandi Gonzalez, who identifies as queer and indigenous Mexican. “I can no longer sustain the financial, mental and emotional strain of navigating an institution that was intentionally designed to exclude people with my identities.”

Emerson Levy, Democrat

Top donors: Louis Capozzi - $1,000; Broadman for Bend (aka Anthony Broadman) - $1,000; Susan Ackerman - $500; Elect Ellen Rosenblum for Attorney General - $500; Sean Levy - $500; Amber Keyser, Philip Chang, Stephanie Newton, Emma Hoilman, Erick Peterson, Megan Perkins, Nancy Levy, Roger Sabbadini - $250 (each)

Michael Sipe, Republican

Top donors: Stephen Berhar - $3,000; Robert Bennington - $2,500; Mark Worthington - $1,000; Jean Sipe - $1,000; Brianna Cadwell, Lydia B Dudley, Jim Kirwan - $500 (each)

Oregon House District 54

Incumbent Jason Kropf saw a Republican challenger enter the race close to the filing deadline—but in the primary, each will run unopposed.

Jason Kropf, Democrat

Top donors: Oregon Hospital Political Action Committee - $3,000; Foresight Ophthalmology Political Committee - $1,000 x2; Broadman for Bend, AT&T, AGC Committee for Action, Pfizer Inc., Dentists of Oregon PAC, Anheuser-Busch, Cable Operators Political Action Committee, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Comcast Corporation, Oregon Seafood PAC, Oregon Beverage PAC, Orloggers PAC, Oregon Health Care Association PAC - $1,000 (each)

Courtesy Emerson Levy

Courtesy Michael Sipe

Emmerson Levy (top) is taking a second shot to fill the seat vacated by Jack Zika, and will face Michael Sipe (bottom) in November.

Oregon House District 55

Newly drawn legislative boundaries following the 2020 U.S. Census meant that all of Central Oregon’s House districts are different than they were in past elections. This election, Oregon House 55 folds in more of Central Oregon, including all of Crook County, plus portions of Deschutes, Jackson, Klamath and Lake counties—a massive geographic area. Two Republicans are running against one another in this primary, with zero Democrats entering the race. Not shocking, since a Republican has held the seat since time immemorial.

Vikki Iverson, Republican

Top donors: James Young - $25,000; Larry Keith - $25,000; Orloggers PAC - $7,500; Oregon Beverage PAC - $5,000; Oregon Bankers PAC - $5,000; Natural Gas Political Action Committee - $5,000

E. Werner Reschke, Republican

Top donors: Reynolds - $2,500; PhRMA- $1,500; Alaska Airlines - $1,000; AT&T- $1,000; Weyerhaeuser - $1,000; Rayonier Operating Co. - $1,000

Oregon Senate District 27

Deschutes County saw something of a “blue wave” during the last elections in 2020—but when it comes to the area’s Oregon senate race, apparently no one wants to run against Republican Tim Knopp, who has worked his way up to being Senate Minority Leader in Salem. Republican voters can cast their ballots for Knopp in May; all voters will likely have that option come November. Knopp’s top donors—all political action committees—show the level of interest in the guy now speaking for the peeps who have staged repeated walkouts during a Democratic-supermajority reign in the Oregon legislature in recent years.

Tim Knopp, Republican

Top donors: Orloggers PAC - $7,500; Oregon Bankers PAC - $5,000; Oregon Hospital Political Action Committee - $3,000; Farmers Employee and Agent PAC of Oregon - $2,500; Credit Union Legislative Action Fund - $2,500; AGC Committee for Action - $2,000

Deschutes County District Attorney (non partisan)

With current District Attorney John Hummel not running again, the race is open for a new DA. The race is non partisan, but in the primary, just one brave soul has stepped up. This means local voters will cast their ballots for this guy or no one at all in May.

Steve Gunnels

Top donors: Jamie Sawyer - $1,000; Ros Dargahi - $1,000; Mike Sundberg - $500; Angela Lee-Mandlin - $500; Pattie Apregan - $400; Thomas Spear - $250