OAR 660-022-0030: Planning and Zoning of Unincorporated Communities

(1) For rural communities, resort communities and urban unincorporated communities, counties shall adopt individual plan and zone designations reflecting the projected use for each property (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, public) for all land in each community. Changes in plan or zone designation shall follow the requirements to the applicable post-acknowledgment provisions of ORS 197.610 through 197.625. (2) County plans and land use regulations may authorize any residential use and density in unincorporated communities, subject to the requirements of this division. (3) County plans and land use regulations may authorize only the following new or expanded industrial uses in unincorporated communities: (a) Uses authorized under Goals 3 and 4; (b) Expansion of a use existing on the date of this rule; (c) Small-scale, low impact uses; (d) Uses that require proximity to rural resource, as defined in OAR 660-004-0022(3)(a); (e) New uses that will not exceed the capacity of water and sewer service available to the site on the effective date of this rule, or, if such services are not available to the site, the capacity of the site itself to provide water and absorb sewage; (f) New uses more intensive than those allowed under subsection (a) through (e) of this section, provided an analysis set forth in the comprehensive plan demonstrates, and land use regulations ensure: (A) That such uses are necessary to provide employment that does not exceed the total projected work force within the community and the surrounding rural area; (B) That such uses would not rely upon a work force employed by uses within urban growth boundaries; and (C) That the determination of the work force of the community and surrounding rural area considers the total industrial and commercial employment in the community and is coordinated with employment projections for nearby urban growth boundaries.; (g) Industrial uses, including accessory uses subordinate to industrial development, as provided under either paragraph (A) or (B) of this subsection: (A) Industrial developments sited on an abandoned or diminished industrial mill site, as defined in ORS 197.719 that was engaged in the processing or manufacturing of wood products, provided the uses will be located only on the portion of the mill site that is zoned for industrial uses; or (B) Industrial development, and accessory uses subordinate to the industrial development, in buildings of any size and type, in an area planned and zoned for industrial use on January 1, 2004, subject to the territorial limits and other requirements of ORS 197.713 and 197.714. (4) County plans and land use regulations may authorize only the following new commercial uses in unincorporated communities: (a) Uses authorized under Goals 3 and 4; (b) Small-scale, low impact uses; (c) Uses intended to serve the community and surrounding rural area or the travel needs of people passing through the area. (5) County plans and land use regulations may authorize hotels and motels in unincorporated communities only if served by a community sewer system and only as provided in subsections (a) through (c) of this section: (a) Any number of new motel and hotel units may be allowed in resort communities; (b) New motels and hotels up to 35 units may be allowed in an urban unincorporated community, rural service center, or rural community if the unincorporated community is at least 10 miles from the urban growth boundary of any city adjacent to Interstate Highway 5, regardless of its proximity to any other UGB; (c) New motels and hotels up to 100 units may be allowed in any urban unincorporated community that is at least 10 mile from any urban growth boundary. (6) County plans and land use regulations shall ensure that new or expanded uses authorized within unincorporated communities do not adversely affect agricultural or forestry uses. (7) County plans and land use regulations shall allow only those uses which are consistent with the identified function, capacity and level of service of transportation facilities serving the community, pursuant to OAR 660-012-0060(1)(a) through (c). (8) Zoning applied to lands within unincorporated communities shall ensure that the cumulative development: (A) Will not result in public health hazards or adverse environmental impacts that violate state or federal water quality regulations; and (B) Will not exceed the carrying capacity of the soil or of existing water supply resources and sewer services. (9) County plans and land use regulations for lands within unincorporated communities shall be consistent with acknowledged metropolitan regional goals and objectives, applicable regional functional plans and regional framework plan components of metropolitan service districts. (10) For purposes of subsection (b) of section (4) of this rule, a small-scale, low impact commercial use is one which takes place in an urban unincorporated community in a building or building not exceeding 8,000 square feet of floor space, or in any other type of unincorporated community in a building or buildings not exceeding 4,000 square feet of floor space. (11) For purposes of subsection (c) of section (3) of this rule, a small-scale, low impact industrial use is one which takes place in an urban unincorporated community in a building or buildings not exceeding 60,000 square feet of floor space, or in any other type of unincorporated community in a building or buildings not exceeding 40,000 square feet of floor space. (12) Notwithstanding sections (1) and (2), a county may approve the uses in subsections (a) and (b) without amendments to the county plan or land use regulations when a wildfire identified in an Executive Order issued by the Governor in accordance with the Emergency Conflagration Act, ORS 476.510 through 476.610, has destroyed homes or caused residential evacuations, or both within the county or an adjacent county and, furthermore, has resulted in an Executive Order issued by the Governor declaring an emergency for all or parts of Oregon pursuant to ORS 401.165, et seq. Uses approved under this section shall be consistent with all applicable provisions of law including adopted comprehensive plan provisions and land use regulations to protect people and property from flood, geologic, and wildfire hazards. (a) Temporary residential uses in conjunction with a dwelling that either existed or had received land use approval to be constructed on July 5, 2020. Such uses must be removed or converted to an allowed use within 120 months from the date of the Governor’s emergency declaration. Temporary residential uses approved under this subsection are limited to the following; (A) A single manufactured dwelling; (B) Use of an existing building or buildings; (C) Up to two yurts; (D) Up to five recreational vehicles; or (E) Up to five fabric structures, tents or similar accommodations. (b) Transitional housing accommodations as described at ORS 197A.452(2) and (4) when homes and other private property on lands within the county or an adjacent county have received damage from a wildfire identified in an Executive Order issued by the Governor in accordance with the Emergency Conflagration Act, ORS 476.510 through 476.610.