Tia Lewis has over 22 years of experience assisting clients throughout Central Oregon in the areas of real estate, land use, permitting and due ‎diligence. Her practice includes all aspects of ‎development permitting and approval, from conceptual approval through land divisions and project ‎development. A former Deschutes County ‎Hearings Officer, Tia brings a unique decision-maker's perspective to the development approval ‎process.‎

Navigating permits and land use

Tia guides clients through the complex administrative permitting systems of federal and ‎state agencies such as the Oregon Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Forest Service and Department of Fish and Wildlife, as ‎well as city and county governmental bodies. She has substantial experience with urban growth ‎boundary amendments and annexation, both legislative and quasi-judicial. In addition, she helps clients obtain industrial, commercial, and residential entitlements, managing consultants and ‎project team members to promote collaboration and streamline overlapping regulation. Tia has successfully represented clients in land use appeals ‎before the Court of Appeals and the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).‎

Advisor to community associations

Tia possesses a broad knowledge of community associations, having worked with some of ‎Central Oregon's best-known and most complex homeowners' associations. She has been ‎involved in the early stages of community permitting and development, guiding associations ‎through the Real Estate Board. She advises many homeowners’ association boards on design review, permitting in accordance with development plans, and regulatory compliance of ‎condominium and association documents.‎

Experience

• Successfully represented buyer/developer in an 88-acre master planned community which included acquisition of several properties, negotiation and sale to school district, negotiation and sale to park district; master plan, subdivision and site plan approval for the park, community center, 13.5 acre commercial area and 557 residential units including single family and multifamily. The project also included negotiation and agreements within two irrigation districts as well as infrastructure improvement and Systems Development Charges credit agreements with both the Park District and the City. 
• Successfully represented developer in Final Master Plan, golf course, golf clubhouse, overnight ‎lodging, townhome, residential and commercial subdivision approvals for Tetherow Destination ‎Resort. This includes drafting and negotiating Infrastructure Improvement Agreements and ‎bonding with both the City of Bend and Deschutes County.‎
• Obtained Comprehensive Plan and Zone Change approvals for former diatomaceous earth mine ‎from Surface Mine and EFU to Rural Residential (RR-10).‎
• Assisted local nonconforming use/historical market in obtaining conditional use approval to operate food and beverage establishment. 
• Obtained Comprehensive Plan and zoning amendments for non-irrigated EFU acreage from ‎Agriculture to Rural Residential (RR-10).‎
• Obtained a Text Amendment and land use approval for the Points West townhome community ‎between Seventh Mountain Resort and Widgi Creek on the way to Mt. Bachelor.‎
• Obtained land use and subdivision approval for the Mile Post One subdivision also located between the Seventh Mountain Resort and Widgi Creek.
• Obtained land use approvals and final subdivision plats for the following residential subdivisions ‎in the City of Bend: Gardenside, Stonegate, Troon/17th Street, Foxborough, Sky Harbor, ‎Tuscany Pines, Westerly, Promise Lane, Harvest Lane and Crosswinds.‎
• Obtained lot of record verifications for eleven legal lots on a 1,500-acre ranch in Deschutes ‎County.
• Obtained lot of record dwellings for parcels in Steens Mountain Cooperative Area.‎
• Successfully represented Wasco County in LUBA proceeding involving Gorge Act.‎
• Obtained land use approval in City of Bend Water Overlay Zone to locate residential utility ‎facility consisting of a heat exchanger in the Deschutes River.‎
• Obtained an exception to the Statewide Planning Goals, Comprehensive Plan, Zone Change and ‎land use approval for the Narrows RV Park and Campground.‎
• Successfully represented property owners in obtaining lot of record verifications, land division, ‎dwelling and other development permits in Forest and EFU zones in Deschutes, Crook and ‎Jefferson Counties.‎
• Obtained land use approval, after protracted appeals and ultimately a settlement with neighbors, ‎to expand the KIDS Center building at the Rosie Bareis Campus in the City of Bend.‎
• Obtained land use approval for Bend Garbage and Recycling Facility.‎
• Obtained land use approval for McDonalds in Sisters and successfully defended "anti-franchise" ‎ordinance.‎
• Obtained conditional use approval for a private school in the MUA-10 Zone.‎
• Obtained conditional use approval for Cascade Health Services, the administrative services ‎affiliate of St. Charles Medical Center.‎
• Successfully amended Sisters UGB to re-designate Agricultural land to Light Industrial and ‎annex to City of Sisters.‎
• Obtained conditional use approval for a commercial dog kennel in the RR-10 Zone.‎
• Successfully represented several property owners in obtaining inclusion in the City of ‎Redmond's Urban Area Reserve.‎

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Memberships

• Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International, 2016
• Oregon State Bar, RELU Section Member, Education Committee Member, 2013-2016

Awards

• Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year Award, Land Use and Zoning Law (2018, 2020)
• Best Lawyers in America Award, Land Use and Zoning Law (2010-2023)
• Rotarian of the Year Award, Rotary Club of Bend (2014-2016)

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

Publications

Oregon State Bar, Real Estate & Land Use Annual CLE, LUBA Case Review
August 2014-July 2015

Oregon State Bar, Real Estate & Land Use Annual CLE, LUBA Case Review
August 2013-July 2014

Oregon State Bar, Real Estate & Land Use Annual CLE, LUBA Case Review
August 2011-July 2012

Oregon State Bar, Real Estate & Land Use Annual CLE, LUBA Case Review
August 2010 - July 21, 2011

Community Activities

• EDCO, Board Member
• Deschutes Children’s Foundation, past Board Chair, current Board Member since 2006
• Rotary Club of Bend, Board Member

Services