As part of ongoing engagement with Oregon's development, review, and planning community, the Local Residential Development Process Improvement Study will be hosting several focus groups to solicit input on common process-related barriers to all types of residential development across the state. The study is evaluating local development review processes including land use, building, public works and infrastructure.
Please note that a companion study is evaluating state level barriers to housing production—see the project's Factsheet
for more information.
Participation is open to all who are interested. Advanced registration is required. Each session is focused on particular topics—interested parties should select the session that best aligns with their expertise. If there is high interest in certain sessions, we may open a second opportunity.
We encourage those who are interested but unable to attend the appropriate session to please email the project team at dlcd.hapo@dlcd.oregon.gov to let us know. Please include “Local Residential Development Process Improvement Study" in the subject line. We will do our best to find other ways to connect.
Developers & Development Teams: Subdivision Development Focus
- Intended Participants: Developers, builders, architects, engineers, planning consultants and other private sector professionals in the residential development industry.
- Geographies: All parts of state
- Housing types: Detached single-unit housing and middle housing in subdivisions, master planned communities, or large-scale middle housing land divisions; both market rate and regulated affordable housing.
- Topics: Local process and permitting challenges across the entire development process, with special emphasis on:
- Land division and land development
- Planned development
- New infrastructure construction
- Permitting under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code
- Annexation
Developers & Development Teams: Infill and Multiunit Housing Focus
- Intended Participants: Developers, builders, architects, engineers, planning consultants and other private sector professionals in the residential development industry.
- Geographies: All parts of state
- Housing types: Multiunit housing, middle housing infill, accessory dwelling units; both market rate and regulated affordable housing.
- Topics: Local process and permitting challenges across the entire development process, with special emphasis on:
- Site plan review and siting standards
- Design review and design standards
- Permitting under the Oregon Structural Specialty Code (will also have opportunities to discuss permitting under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code)
- Frontage improvements and existing infrastructure upgrades
- Historic overlay reviews
- Date: February 25, 2026
- Time: 10:30 - 11:30 AM
- Registration Link: https://econw.zoom.us/meeting/register/gaBilgJRRSaBgKYHpqObBQ
Local Government and Special District Staff: Small Jurisdiction Focus
- Intended Participants: Staff at small jurisdictions who work on all aspects of residential development review and permitting, including building officials, planning or community development staff, public works staff, fire officials, building inspectors, contract planners or plan reviewers, and special district staff who assist with development review and privately-engineered public improvements in small communities.
- Geographies: Focused on cities and counties outside the Metro region with small populations (e.g., cities <10,000, counties <100,000), including Coastal and Eastern Oregon communities
- Housing types: All housing types
- Topics: This session will cover all aspects of the development review process with a special emphasis on:
- Specific challenges faced in smaller jurisdictions
- Staffing capacity (smaller teams that do multiple functions)
- Integration of contract review functions
- Review and permitting for less common or newer housing types and technologies
Local Government Staff: Land Use Focus
- Intended Participants: Local government planning staff who focus on residential land use review and/or land divisions.
- Geographies: All parts of the state, generally medium and large jurisdictions
- Housing types: All housing types
- Topics: Local process and permitting challenges associated with all aspects of land use reviews, including:
- Pre-application conferences
- Application completeness
- Ministerial land use approvals
- Site plan review
- Design review
- Subdivisions and planned development
- Zone changes
- Notice, public comment, and hearings
- Inter-departmental coordination and handoffs
Local Government Staff: Building Department Focus
- Intended Participants: Local government building staff including building officials and inspectors; fire officials; plumbing, electrical, and mechanical reviewers and inspectors, and contract review staff.
- Geographies: All parts of the state, generally medium and large jurisdictions
- Housing types: All housing types, including housing permitted under Oregon Residential Specialty Code and housing permitted under Oregon Structural Specialty Code
- Topics: Challenges associated with all aspects of local plan review, construction permitting, and inspections for housing, including:
- Building permit applications
- Application completeness
- Plan Sets
- On-site utilities
- Inspections
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Inter-departmental coordination and handoffs
- Others
Local Government and Special District Staff: Public Works and Infrastructure Focus
- Intended Participants: Staff at local governments or special districts who assist with review, permitting, or inspections of privately-engineered public improvements.
- Geographies: All parts of the state, generally medium and large jurisdictions
- Housing types: All housing types, including development on sites with and without existing infrastructure
- Topics: Challenges associated with all aspects of local reviews, permitting, and inspections for privately engineered public improvements associated housing development, including:
- Establishing required public improvements and conditions of approval
- Pre-design
- Completeness review
- Plan review
- Bonding and financial guarantees for construction
- Inspections
- Inter-departmental coordination and handoffs
- Date: March 4, 2026
- Time: 2:00 - 3:00 PM
- Registration Link: https://econw.zoom.us/meeting/register/a-LNNQjnRSq_FljUXGMp8A
Modular, Manufactured, and Factory-Produced Housing Focus
- Intended Participants: Local government staff and development industry professionals with experience in siting, building, placing, reviewing, or permitting modular, manufactured, and factory-produced housing.
- Geographies: All parts of the state
- Housing types: Modular, manufactured, and factory-produced housing, including manufactured housing parks, manufactured housing on individual lots, and modular or factory produced single-unit, middle housing, and multiunit housing
- Topics: Challenges associated with all aspects of developing, constructing, and siting modular, manufactured, and factory-produced housing, including:
- Familiarity with applicable regulations and procedures
- Relationship between state and local requirements
- Siting-related permits and requirements
- Inter-departmental coordination and handoffs