Oregon’s coastal shorelands provide economic, recreational, and aesthetic value, protect water quality, and contain fish and wildlife habitat. Statewide Planning Goal 17: Coastal Shorelands outlines planning and management requirements for the lands bordering estuaries, coastal lakes, and the ocean shore. Because shorelands have such a strong nexus with adjacent coastal waters, Goal 17 seeks to conserve and protect them, while directing development to the places that are most appropriate and present the lowest risk to human life or property.
Goal 17: Coastal Shorelands focuses on the protection and management of resources unique to shoreland areas and adjacent coastal waters. Examples of such resources include areas of significant wildlife habitat, lands especially suited for water dependent uses, lands providing public access to coastal waters, coastal headlands, and potential restoration or mitigation sites.
In general, the requirements of Goal 17, in combination with other planning goals, direct the appropriate use of shoreland areas. These requirements are implemented primarily through local comprehensive plans and zoning, but some are applied by state agencies. For coastal shorelands surrounding estuaries, local comprehensive plans addressing Goals 16 and 17 should be well coordinated.
Note: Goals 15, 16, 17, and 19 often overlap with
Goal 5: Natural Resources, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Open Spaces. In those instances, the requirements of Goals 15, 16, 17, and 19 supersede Goal 5 natural resource requirements. However, a local government can use a Goal 5 inventory to satisfy inventory requirements of Goal 17 where they overlap. For example, tidal wetlands can be identified in a local wetland inventory alongside freshwater wetlands.
Water Dependent Shorelands Rule
Goal 17 requires that shorelands "especially suited for water dependent uses" be protected for such uses. In 1999, the Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted rules to provide additional guidance for implementing this Goal 17 requirement. Known as the water dependent shorelands rule,
OAR 660, Division 37:
- Establishes a methodology for calculating the minimum amount of shorelands to be protected for water-dependent development,
- Provides detailed guidance on the qualifications of shorelands suitable for water-dependent uses, and
- Suggests land use regulations and standards appropriate for the protection of these shoreland sites.
Original Adoption: 12/18/76; Effective: 6/7/77
Amended: 10/11/84; Effective: 10/19/84
Amended: 8/5/99; Effective: 8/20/99
Read the full text version of Goal 17
Administrative Rules that implement Goal 17:
OAR 660-035 – Federal Consistency
OAR 660-037 – Goal 17 Water-Dependent Shorelands
OAR 660-023-0240 – Relationship of Goal 5 to Other Goals
Related:
Coastal Goals
Estuary Planning