Rural Planning Program

Many rural governments often don’t have much expertise in creating documents such as comprehensive plans and buildable land inventories — key tools for community planning. Out of 59 cities spanning 10 counties in Eastern Oregon, just seven have access to professional planning staff.

The idea for the rural planning program came through conversations between the REV Center and Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development, which had long identified the need for planning resources among Eastern Oregon communities. The goal is to also have participants work on policy analysis and code review — work that could lead to an update of the city’s comprehensive plan.

• Wallowa County Fairgrounds Project