During the 2023 Legislative Session, the Oregon Legislature adopted HB 3197. This bill requires counties to adopt and apply only clear and objective standards, conditions and procedures regulating the development of housing, including needed housing. The this requirement applies to all unincorporated communities within Clatsop County, including Arch Cape, Knappa-Svensen, Miles Crossing/Jeffers Garden and Westport. The requirement also applies to all lands zoned for rural residential and to nonresource lands. The County is required to complete this process and adopt clear and objective standards by July 1, 2025.
In December 2023, staff kicked-off this project by providing an overview and schedule to the Planning Commission. Each month, the Planning Commission will be discussing proposed revisions to the Land and Water Development and Use Code (LAWDUC) to identify areas where standards and procedures can be clarified and simplified. Quarterly updates are also presented to the Board of Commissioners. The intent of clear and objective standards is to ensure that local governments provide a predictable path to approval for housing projects and that the path does not rely on discretionary or subjective criteria.