Odell Unincorporated Community Update

Thrive is participating on the Odell Community Plan Advisory Committee. This committee has met two times and will continue to meet in 2025, to consider the Odell area’s urban growth boundary needs. Oregon requires Hood River County to present a plan for Odell to handle population growth, and the county is actively working to develop this plan. The county office has contracted with planning experts and formed an advisory committee to hear various perspectives. Thrive was invited to join the committee to provide perspectives and expertise in protecting farmland, while acknowledging that the area needs more workforce housing.

The Odell Community Planning Advisory Committee includes local farmers, businesspersons, civic planning, and housing development experts. We gained insight into Odell’s available water and sewer resources, which appear sufficient. We are studying the maps and lots, resource aspects, opportunities, and limitations. Thrive’s priority is to protect Odell farmland and guard the Oregon Land Use laws designed to keep our area farming productively and focused on farm, forest, and wildlife protection. Understanding the need and inevitability of housing development, we advocate for multifamily housing and smaller lot sizes so that housing can take a smaller footprint, be more affordable, and meet existing local priorities. The next committee meeting will be at the end of February.

The Odell Unincorporated Community Plan Fact Sheet explains the long history of the current project, the benefits, and potential outcomes.