A series of rural land use bills passed this week and will go to the governor for her signature. None of them will change the nature of the Oregon land use system, but all have interesting characteristics worth a brief mention.

  • House Bill 2790 expands the definition of “outdoor mass gathering” to allow gatherings to continue beyond 5 days (120 hours) for the purpose of providing adequate time for ingress and egress at events located far from interstate highways. It also allows counties the option to treat large gatherings (over 3,000 persons) as a land use decision, which may be useful for certain gatherings, particularly in the Willamette Valley where there has been some controversy over large events.
  • House Bill 3024 attempts to clear up confusion related to legislation passed in 2013 by modifying requirements for how a lawfully established dwelling in an exclusive farm use zone may be restored or replaced.
  • House Bill 2225 addresses forest template dwellings and perceived “gaming” of the template dwelling law by defining the “center of the tract,” adding requirements for an allowable forest template dwelling and staggering the implementation date for counties over three biennia.
  • House Bill 2106 creates an extension period for permits to build dwellings on agricultural or forest lands outside of urban growth boundaries. It would allow counties to approve up to five additional one-year extensions for a proposed residential development.

For questions, contact Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Interim Executive Director, Mike Eliason.

Contributed by: Mike Eliason | Interim Executive Director