The popularity of adding living space by building sheds and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on one’s property has grown tremendously over the past decade. While some homeowners enjoy having a space for solitude to enjoy yoga, painting, or woodworking, others use the additional living space to house elderly family members or as a source of […]
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What Does It Mean if an Oregon Property For Sale Has a Measure 49 Approval on it?
Since its earliest days, Oregon’s city, county, and state governments have strictly regulated land use throughout the state. Land use regulations serve several purposes, from preserving the natural environment to ensuring the most efficient use of space. Unfortunately for many property owners, land-use provisions can change–impacting future development plans and property values. Voters passed Measure […]
What Does it Take to Live Off the Grid in Oregon?
Adventurous homeowners are exploring options to escape being tied down by monthly utility bills and live off the grid. Those with enough land for farming may find they can live reasonably cheaply and leave their traditional 8 to 5 jobs behind. While television shows can make off-the-grid living seem accessible to anyone with enough guts […]
What are the Differences Between Zoning Laws and Building Codes?
In many instances, navigating the complex regulatory environment surrounding land use planning is the most complicated portion of a new build. It seems that a property owner should have nearly complete autonomy to determine how their land is used. In reality, owners are often constrained by many rules that limit all facets of a new […]
What Do You Get From a Land Use Feasibility Analysis?
Building a new property is exciting, but property owners can not use all land for any purpose. Navigating city and county zoning provisions and other restrictions are challenging and confusing. There’s nothing worse than getting part of the way into a project and finding out that there’s a limitation you weren’t aware of to derail […]
Considering the Pros and Cons of Building in a Subdivision versus Undeveloped Land
Building a new home is exciting. For many families, it represents the project of a lifetime. Some homeowners find designing a home within a developed suburban neighborhood an ideal solution, while others yearn to tame a rugged landscape and construct a house without limitations. If you’re beginning the journey and are considering where to build […]
Setbacks and Easements and No-Build Zones…Oh My!
When you’re planning new construction on a parcel of land, there are a lot of considerations. Many of those will regulate where you can place your building. It’s not surprising that commercial construction comes with a long list of requirements, but even residential homes in rural areas are subject to several rules, like setbacks, easements, […]
Can I Cut Down Trees on my Property? Maybe and Maybe Not.
Whether you own a piece of property already or you’re considering purchasing land for new development, you may be wondering if you can cut down one or more trees for a variety of reasons. Trees are essential to our natural environment: they help convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, serve as a habitat for wildlife, and […]
Did you know that local land use planning regulations are part of broader statewide planning goals?
Before the 1960s, there was little statewide coordination of land use provisions in place. The State was growing in population quickly as families continued to move west. Additionally, Oregon and Washington became homes to families beginning to move out of Southern Californian neighborhoods that were quickly becoming densely populated. As a result, during the 1960s […]
You Might Need a Water Rights Permit
In Oregon, naturally found water is owned by the public–whether in a river, lake, or flowing underground. That means there are regulatory hoops to jump through to use water flowing near your property or to dig a well for pumping underground water to the surface. Oregon’s water rights are granted and managed by the Water […]