We litigate cases to enforce and uphold the land use planning system. In coordination with local organizations that we serve through our affiliate program and our Cooperating Attorney Program, our staff attorneys also provide pro bono legal resources and representation to Oregonians in land use cases consistent with our mission.
UGB Addition of Sherwood West Area, Metro Ordinance No. 24-1520 (Land Conservation and Development Commission Appeal)
On March 24, 2026, LCDC finalized its written decision approving Metro Ordinance No. 24-1520. The decision approved expanding Metro’s existing regional UGB to incorporate a 1,291-acre parcel of urban reserve known as Sherwood West.
On April 14, 1000 Friends, also representing Tualatin Riverkeepers, filed a petition for judicial review to the Oregon Court of Appeals. We are joined by Housing Land Advocates, Verde, and West of Sherwood Farm Alliance, who also petitioned to the Court of Appeals in an effort to stop this unnecessary, unlawful UGB expansion.
“For Tualatin Riverkeepers, stopping the Sherwood West UGB expansion is about holding Metro accountable. Metro must follow its own procedures and the State Planning Goals when expanding our cities so that our treasured and ecologically important natural areas are protected and prioritized,” said Kelsey Shaw Nakama, Tualatin Riverkeepers Policy and Advocacy Director. “The proposed Sherwood West UGB expansion threatens fragile wetlands and riparian areas in the Tualatin Watershed that the community has invested significant resources to restore.”
Case name: 1000 Friends v. LCDC et al.
Status: Court of Appeals petition for judicial review filed
Counsel: Eve Goldman representing 1000 Friends of Oregon and Tualatin Riverkeepers
1000 Friends of Oregon and Central Oregon LandWatch v. Deschutes County (Land Conservation and Development Commission Enforcement Petition Proceedings)
Oregon’s working lands are protected for agricultural and forest use in order to support these vital pillars of the state’s economy. But, piece by piece, Deschutes County has been converting thousands of acres of working lands to residential subdivisions in violation of the land use system’s protections.
At the same time, Deschutes County has approved hundreds of new houses on working lands that are not affiliated with farm use. These nonfarm dwellings for urban and remote workers convert land designated for farming and ranching to residential use, introducing conflicts that make agricultural use exponentially more difficult. The resulting patchwork of residential and industrial sprawl breaks up the large blocks of agricultural land our farmers and ranchers need to operate.
1000 Friends of Oregon and Central Oregon LandWatch (COLW) have teamed up to push back on this pattern and practice of unlawful conversion of working lands. In 2025, we outlined our concerns to Deschutes County and asked for specific corrective actions to stop this ongoing threat. The County, however, doubled down on its unlawful approvals, so now we are taking the next step. On March 25, 2026, 1000 Friends and COLW petitioned the Land Conservation and Development Commission to issue an enforcement order directing Deschutes County to overhaul the process for reviewing applications for residential rezonings and nonfarm dwelling applications to ensure compliance with state law. If the Commission agrees there is good cause to proceed on the petition, it must schedule a hearing and adopt a final order by July 23, 2026.
Status: Petition for Enforcement Order filed
Counsel: Blair Batson and John Butterfield representing 1000 Friends of Oregon
1000 Friends of Oregon et al. v. City of North Plains (Land Use Board of Appeals)
1000 Friends of Oregon and other smart growth advocates have appealed the City of North Plains’ Housing Needs Analysis, which relies on outdated population-growth estimates. Ensuring cities and counties use accurate, up-to-date forecasts for housing and employment needs ensures that working lands aren’t sacrificed for development that never materializes.
1000 Friends remains committed to ensuring that Oregon’s unique land use planning system is not compromised by short-term expansion goals and will be asking the Land Use Board of Appeals to remand North Plains’ HNA for revisions to reflect sensible population projections for the City going forward.
Case name: City of North Plains HNA
Status: Currently before the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals
Counsel: John Butterfield and Eve Goldman representing 1000 Friends of Oregon