By Greg Holmes
Our one-of-a-kind Land Use Leadership Initiative just graduated another cohort, and we’re thrilled that our state now has more than two dozen new land use leaders who will take the tenets of a strong, protective land use program and apply them in their diverse fields of work.
As graduates of the program, these Oregonians join a network of LULIs across the state who have a better understanding of how the land use planning program impacts issues that they care about, and are more connected to the people in their communities who are working on those issues.
LULI broke new ground with this cohort – the first held in Central Oregon (with a focus on Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties), and the first to cover water as a standalone land use issue. And the participants themselves brought an impressive range of knowledge and interests to the group, adding to the program’s value: Cohort members included people with interest in climate justice, rural community development, healthcare, conservation, social services, and government; a high-school student, retirees, a farmer, a pastor, nonprofit employees, and a sitting county commissioner; and homeowners and renters from cities and rural areas across the region. We heard from participants that they valued learning from each other and gaining a new network of people with similar interests to work with in making their communities better.
The LULI program is one all Oregonians should take. Land use law is a fundamental part of how our state is organized and guides how it can evolve. It’s vital information with daily impacts on all of us. – Jacob Fritz, LULI graduate
A big thank you to speakers Robert “Bobby” Brunoe, Secretary/Treasurer and CEO of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and Kate Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Deschutes River Conservancy – both of whom helped LULI address water as a land use issue, and how it is and is not incorporated into land use planning. In addition to staff from 1000 Friends, other presenters this year included several mayors from the region, representatives from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Conservation and Development, local planners, local transportation advocates, a rancher from Crook County, and staff from partner organizations, including Central Oregon LandWatch and AARP.
LULI continues to be one of our most popular programs. The location and timing of the next LULI cohort will be announced in the fall of this year, and recruiting and signups will begin in the winter. Be the first to know when we launch applications for the next LULI cohort.
Congratulations to the 2023 Central Oregon LULIs! We look forward to continuing to work with you.
