On Thursday, October 22, the Deschutes County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on proposed code changes for farm stores in rural areas of the county.
A new Oregon law taking effect in January 2027 will allow qualifying properties in Exclusive Farm Use zones to operate farm stores. Farm stores are a new permitted use. They will allow active farm operators to use up to 10,000 square feet of permanent, enclosed building space to sell farm products, related retail items, and prepared food and drinks. Farm stores may also offer agritourism activities like tours, mazes and tractor rides.
During the hearing, Planning Commission members will consider proposed local regulations for farm stores The proposed regulations are designed to support this new income-generating option for farm operators while mitigating impacts on nearby properties and rural roads. They address:
- Access, egress, and parking
- Traffic management
- Noise
- Hours of operation
- Sanitation and solid waste
The public hearing will take place during the commission’s regular meeting at 5:30pm Thursday, October 22, in the Barnes Sawyer Conference Room at the Deschutes Services Building, 1300 NW Wall St., Bend.
The public is invited to attend and comment in person or participate online. Login information and the meeting agenda are available at deschutescounty.gov/meetings
To comment during the hearing, please contact Nicole Mardell at nicole.mardell@deschutes.org by 4pm on Tuesday, October 20.
deschutescounty.gov/FarmStoreTA
