DLCD uses staff experts and consultants to develop model code that can be used by cities and counties. Model code is written for a number of reasons, as the examples below illustrate. It is typically created to help a local government follow best practices, or adhere to new state standards, rules, or statutes. Model codes are often tailored to suit the needs of a community. DLCD offers the following model codes as a tool or resource for local planning departments in Oregon.
Senate Bill 1051 (2017) requires that cities and counties in Oregon of a certain population allow ADU's in areas zoned for detached housing. This
ADU model code is written for cities to adopt in part, or in full, with or without local amendments to conform to state statute. **This guidance document was updated September 2019 to address the off-street parking and owner occupancy requirements of House Bill 2001 (2019).
The Model Development Code for Small Cities, developed by Oregon’s
Transportation and Growth Management Program (TGM), addresses a wide variety of necessary code elements for a city to use as a starting point, or to adopt outright. The code is undergoing updates and modernization, so the current edition is unavailable while that process is underway. For more information or guidance on how to use the code while it is being updated, contact the
TGM code assistance planner.
The goal of this
Land Use Guide is to help coastal communities become more resilient to a catastrophic tsunami event through community land use options and strategies. The guide is focused on a local tsunami event as these events will likely be far more destructive to an entire community and much harder to prepare for. The guide is focused on land use planning approaches to reduce tsunami hazard risk. Chapter 3 includes a set of comprehensive plan policies related to tsunami preparedness and recovery and a related text section that can be included within the Goal 7 section of the plan. Chapter 4 includes development code language to implement a tsunami hazards overlay zone.
The model code titled, Coastal Erosion Overlay Zone (2012), was created to aid local governments in addressing chronic coastal natural hazards. It provides for identification and assessment of risk from natural hazards, and establishes standards that limit overall risk to the community.
The
Oregon Model Flood Hazard Ordinance (New version released October 2020) was developed in cooperation with FEMA to help communities achieve compliance with the minimum NFIP and state standards for floodplain management. FEMA approved the model ordinance in August of 2019 and it is now available for communities to use. In addition to the minimum requirements, FEMA and DLCD encourage local governments to adopt higher standards that make sense for each community and their unique flood risk.
This handbook provided guidance to communities in determining whether their local codes and standards encourage, support, or impede smart development. It also aims to help reader identify whether smart development principles and ideas fit their communities, and if smart development ideas would help to achieve local goals or meet state planning requirements.
The
Transportation Demand Management Module is embedded in a guide for local governments interested in learning more about TDM. The guide includes background information about TDM, a step-by-step approach for implementing a TDM plan program, and model code language.
This guidance document includes resources to assist
local governments in updating their development
codes to facilitate construction of prefabricated and
modular housing. The document is formatted as an
Audit Workbook, which is intended to help local
government staff identify and address regulatory
barriers to prefabricated/modular housing in their
codes. It also provides Model Code language that can
be adopted into local development codes to better
facilitate this construction type.