“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.

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. 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.