Neighbors voice objections to marijuana facliity east of Bend

Some residents living east of Bend voiced their concerns Monday over the possibility of a marijuana production facility being built next to them as Deschutes County commissioners heard both sides during a public hearing.

“We have to see if it’s a harmonious thing for the neighborhood. This strikes me as so disharmonious,” one resident said.

Roy Rubio owns about 20 acres off Alfalfa Market Road. He has plans to build a house and use the land for a pot-growing facility that will be around 11,000 square feet.

County officials initially approved the development, but neighbors appealed the staff’s decision, leading to the first such appeal of a Deschutes County marijuana facility.

“As the staff have found, the application submitted meets the applicable criteria that this commission has determined apply to these operation,” Rubio’s lawyer, Lisa Klemp, told commissioners.

Several neighbors spoke at the meeting, raising concerns that included increased traffic, security and trespassing.

“I’ve already had, two times, people come in, trying to get to that property through my property,” a resident said.

Other issues also were raised. from odors and traffic to environmental aspects. Neighbor Susan Altman asked what would happen with the “gray water” runoff from marijuana growing and whether there would be a sperate septic system or any DEQ studies of the impacts on surrounding lands.

Klemp said she believes Rubio’s application already meets the criteria outlined in the county code.

“There are other considerations that the board of commissioners was addressing today, but they aren’t really in the county code. So those would be issues outside of the scope of what they could potentially deny the application on.”.

The commissioners asked for more clarity about some details of Rubio’s plans and gave his counsel two weeks to prepare a written response. They have until May 18th to make a final decision, under the county’s 90-day land use timeframe.