A Washington County Hearings Officer heard arguments on July 13, on whether the proposed 30-lot Laurelwood Estates subdivision near Bull Mountain can meet county road-access standards. The decision has not yet been issued.
The case has stretched more than three years since Washington County accepted the subdivision application in January 2023. The project, proposed by Tess Properties, would put 30 homes on a rural-zoned property at 13665 SW Academy Way, on the south side of SW Laurelwood Road at its intersection with SW Hartley Road.
What's at stake
The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals sent the case back to the county on November 25, 2025, ruling that the Hearings Officer's original May 2025 approval failed to adequately address one issue: whether the proposed road access meets county standards. LUBA upheld the county's decision on three other challenges.
No party appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals by the December 16, 2025, deadline, so the remand stands.
The July 13 hearing was limited to that single access question. No other aspect of the subdivision is under review.
Who brought the challenge
Marcus Umstead and Jill Pruitt filed the original appeal to LUBA on June 2, 2025, after the Hearings Officer approved the project. Their case was assigned LUBA No. 2025-040.
Where the project stands
The property sits in unincorporated Washington County's AF-5 (Agriculture and Forest) district, within Community Participation Organization 10 (CPO 10). Though outside Tigard city limits, the site borders the Bull Mountain area and would add 30 homes to a rural-zoned stretch of land south of SW Laurelwood Road.
If the Hearings Officer upholds the original approval, the developer must still obtain final approval within five years of the May 2025 preliminary approval.
How to track the decision
Exhibits from the July 13 hearing are posted on the Washington County Civic Web Portal.
According to the county's development-applications page, the Hearings Officer's written decision will be uploaded to the same portal when it becomes available. No deadline for the decision has been announced.
Residents can also submit comments or review documents in person at Washington County Land Use & Transportation, 155 N. First Ave., Suite 350, Hillsboro. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday; the office is closed Fridays. The phone number is 503-846-8761.
