Facts & Figures
Land Use in Oregon
"Land-use planning is vital to our future. It is a blueprint for our
growth as a state." - Governor Victor Atiyeh 1983
With the adoption of Senate Bill 100 in 1973, Oregon became a pioneer in state-directed land use planning to control rapid population growth and
economic development. Through comprehensive planning, Oregon has managed to bring uncoordinated and haphazard develpment under control and to keep Oregon communities livable. Through planning, Oregon has protected vital agricultural and forest lands during a period where the rest of the nation has experienced near-unlimited surburban sprawl.
Over the past thirty years Oregon's land use program has evolved but its focus remains the same, to protect the characteristics that make Oregon unique while the state continues to grow. Oregon has achieved this success by the combined efforts of individual Oregonians, cities, counties, and state agencies.
This Land Use Facts section of Landuseoregon.com is meant to provide the visitor with some basic information about Oregon's land use program. The "In This Section" navigation box to the left of your screen provides the list of subject areas addressed in the Land Use Facts section. This list will grow over time.
Other web-sites provide valuable introduction material as well as more detailed information about specific land use issues in Oregon. A good starting point is the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) homepage. Under their Program Basics link you can find two excellent introductions to the Oregon land use program - "Fast Facts" and the "Oregon Statewide Planning Program" brochure. Also of interest is a collection of former Director Dick Benner's speeches and articles. Another useful site to learn about the Oregon land use program is the Oregon Land Use Information Center created by the University of Oregon Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management.
If you want detailed information about land use planning in individual cities or counties, please visit our Links section. There you will find links to local land use codes, comprehensive plans and planning departments for cities and counties throughout Oregon. You will also find links to Oregon's land use statutes and administrative rules.
