100 local rules on file · Pop. 329 · Lane County
Showing ordinances that apply to Cheshire, OR
Cheshire is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 329 in Lane County, Oregon. Because Cheshire is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Lane County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Lane County may have different rules.
Guests in unincorporated Lane County pay a 10% Lane County Transient Room Tax on stays of 30 nights or fewer, plus Oregon's state transient lodging tax of 1.5% under ORS 320.305. Combined, short-term stays carry an 11.5% lodging tax.
Unincorporated Lane County sets no dedicated STR guest-count cap. Occupancy is governed by the Oregon Residential Specialty/building code, on-site septic (DEQ) capacity and zoning. Cities within the county (e.g. Eugene) impose their own STR occupancy limits.
Unincorporated Lane County has no STR-specific parking ordinance. Guest parking follows the property's zoning off-street parking standards and rural road setbacks under the Land Management code; cities like Eugene set STR parking minimums within their limits.
Anyone furnishing transient lodging in unincorporated Lane County must register as a tax collector. Under Oregon law the administrator issues, without charge, a certificate of authority to collect the transient lodging tax, which must be displayed at the property.
Unincorporated Lane County imposes no blanket primary-residence-only rule for short-term rentals, but rural residential ADUs approved under SB 391 / Ordinance 23-05 are barred from vacation occupancy, effectively restricting many rural units to owner or long-term use.
Unincorporated Lane County has no host-present (hosted-only) requirement for short-term rentals; whole-home rentals of primary dwellings are permitted subject to zoning and lodging-tax registration. Rural ADUs cannot be vacation-rented regardless of host presence.
Unincorporated Lane County has no standalone short-term-rental permit. Operators must register with the transient-lodging-tax program (state-administered since Oct 2022) and comply with the property's Land Management zoning. Cities like Eugene, Springfield and Florence run their own STR programs.
Short-term rentals in unincorporated Lane County must follow the county's general noise regulations and nuisance code — there is no separate STR noise ordinance. Rural quiet-hour expectations and the Oregon/DEQ noise framework govern guest conduct.
Unincorporated Lane County sets no annual cap on the number of nights a short-term rental may operate. Stays of 30 nights or fewer are simply subject to the Transient Room Tax; longer stays are tax-exempt. Cities may impose their own night limits.
Unincorporated Lane County does not mandate short-term-rental liability insurance. Coverage is recommended and often required by hosting platforms and lenders, but no county ordinance sets a minimum policy for STRs. Cities may require proof of insurance.
Aircraft noise is not regulated by Lane County. LC 6.225.015(C) exempts sounds from sources regulated by federal law, including aircraft. Aviation noise is governed by the FAA; Eugene Airport (Mahlon Sweet Field) handles operational noise concerns.
In unincorporated Lane County, nighttime (10 p.m.–7 a.m.) sound may not exceed 50 dBA at a neighbor's property line, versus 60 dBA in the daytime. Sound that is plainly audible inside a home overnight is prohibited even without a meter reading.
Loud vehicle exhaust on public highways is governed by Oregon state law, not the county ordinance. ORS 815.250 requires every vehicle to have a working exhaust system that prevents excessive noise. Vehicle engine/exhaust noise off the roadway (e.g., idling on private property) can fall under Lane Code 6.225.
Outdoor music at ordinary residences follows the county's 50/60 dBA and plainly-audible limits. But organized athletic, religious, educational or civic group activities at venues like stadiums, parks, schools, churches and athletic fields are exempt between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Lane County's noise ordinance does not set fixed construction hours. Noise 'caused by commercial, industrial, agricultural, timber harvesting, utility or construction organizations or workers during their normal operations' is expressly exempt from LC 6.225. Individual cities set their own construction-hour limits.
Industrial, commercial, agricultural, timber-harvesting and utility operations during their normal operations are exempt from Lane County's noise ordinance. Oregon DEQ set statewide industrial noise standards but stopped enforcing noise complaints in 1991, leaving oversight to local jurisdictions.
Loudspeakers, PA systems, radios, stereos and amplified instruments are named 'sound producing devices' under Lane Code 6.225. Amplified sound may not exceed 50 dBA overnight (60 dBA daytime) at a neighbor's boundary, or be plainly audible inside a home from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Lane County has no leaf-blower ban. Yard and domestic tools such as lawn mowers, chain saws, drills and saws are treated as 'sound producing devices' only between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Daytime use is generally allowed; overnight use must meet the 50 dBA / plainly-audible limits.
Lane County uses a two-tier decibel standard: sound may not exceed 60 dBA between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., or 50 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., measured at or within the boundary of a neighbor's noise-sensitive unit that is not the source of the sound.
A persistently barking dog can violate Lane County's noise ordinance the same as any sound source: overnight barking that is 'plainly audible' inside a neighbor's home or 50+ feet away on a right-of-way is prohibited. Repeat barking is also handled by Lane County Animal Services as a nuisance.
In Lane County, residential yard-debris burning is regulated by the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA). Burning is only allowed on approved days, roughly mid-October through mid-June, with a permit. Burning inside Eugene and Springfield city limits is banned year-round.
Oregon's statewide Wildfire Risk Map and the mapped hazard zones were repealed by SB 83 in July 2025. Lane County no longer has state-mandated wildfire hazard zones; local jurisdictions may now define their own hazard areas and adopt or decline defensible-space and ignition-resistant rules.
Oregon law requires working smoke alarms on every level of a home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms where building code requires. For rentals, the landlord must supply, install, and maintain the alarms and provide written testing instructions to the tenant.
Backyard yard-debris fires in Lane County require a LRAPA permit and are only allowed on approved burn days during burn season. Recreational campfires are treated separately and are generally allowed without a permit. During fire season and curtailments, open backyard fires are prohibited.
Recreational, cooking, and warming fires do not require a permit during burn season on your own property, but fire rings must be small (about 36 inches) with cleared or mowed space around them. During fire season, pits on ODF-protected land must be approved yearly.
Oregon no longer imposes a statewide defensible-space mandate after SB 83 (2025) repealed the wildfire hazard map and its requirements. Clearing brush around your home is now voluntary but strongly recommended; local fire districts may adopt their own defensible-space standards.
Oregon law is restrictive. Legal retail fireworks cannot fly into the air, explode, or travel far on the ground. Bottle rockets, Roman candles, and firecrackers are ILLEGAL statewide, including throughout Lane County. Cities and fire agencies add bans during fire season.
Lane County does not set its own propane rules; residential LP-gas storage and use follow the Oregon Fire Code (adopted from the International Fire Code). Small barbecue cylinders are allowed, but larger tanks have quantity limits, clearance, and installation rules enforced by the fire district.
Lane County allows residential backyard composting and actively promotes it through its Waste Management program. There is no compost permit for home use, but compost must not become a nuisance — no putrescible-material odors, vectors, or accumulation of waste under Lane Code Chapter 9.
Lane County has no ordinance regulating, requiring, or banning artificial turf for residential landscaping. Ground-cover choice is unregulated on ordinary lots, subject only to drainage, stormwater and building-code rules. Individual cities and HOAs may set their own turf standards.
Lane Code 9.057.574 defines weeds more than ten inches high as "noxious vegetation," along with poison oak or ivy, tansy ragwort, thistle, and encroaching blackberry. In UGBs and RR/RA-zoned areas, owners may not permit noxious vegetation on their property.
In unincorporated Lane County, grass more than 10 inches high is "noxious vegetation" and a nuisance in urban growth boundaries and lands zoned RR-5, RR-2, RR-1 or RA. Agricultural crops that pose no fire or traffic hazard are exempt. Elsewhere, your city's code governs.
Lane County has no general permit to cut a tree on your own residential lot. But commercial harvesting on forestland is governed by the Oregon Forest Practices Act (ORS 527), and forest-zone dwellings must maintain fuel-break clearances. Cities set their own street-tree removal rules.
Oregon has no statewide homeowner lawn-watering ban, and Lane County sets no county-wide outdoor-watering schedule. Restrictions come from your local water utility. In Eugene, EWEB runs a mandatory Conservation Season June–September with 2-day-per-week limits.
Lane County requires vegetation to be kept from obstructing walkways and roads. Under LC 9.057.576(A), branches must not overhang a pedestrian way lower than nine feet or a street lower than fifteen feet, and must not block views of traffic signs, signals or street lights.
Rainwater harvesting is legal statewide. ORS 537.141 exempts collecting precipitation from an artificial impervious surface, like a rooftop, from Oregon's water-right permit system. A plumbing or building permit may still apply depending on how the system is plumbed and used.
Lane County does not require homeowners to plant native species, and the noxious-vegetation code exempts nothing based on native status. In forest and riparian zones, however, indigenous vegetation is protected, and the county and OSU Extension promote natives for fire-wise and habitat landscaping.
Lane County treats retaining walls as structures subject to setback and Visual Clear Zone rules. Under the Oregon building code, retaining walls over 4 feet (measured bottom of footing to top) generally require a structural building permit.
Every fence in unincorporated Lane County must stay inside the property line and preserve the Visual Clear Zone at road and driveway corners, where nothing between 2.5 and 15 feet high may block sight lines within a 15-foot triangle.
In setback areas of unincorporated Lane County, screening fences may not exceed 3.5 feet unless a registered engineer certifies no visual obstruction. Livestock wire fencing may reach 7 feet. Cities like Eugene set their own limits.
Wood, vinyl, metal, wire and chain-link fences are all allowed in unincorporated Lane County. Livestock-style wire fencing gets a taller 7-foot allowance in setbacks; every material must still satisfy the Visual Clear Zone and stay inside your property line.
Lane County does not require a zoning permit for a typical residential fence, but fences must sit entirely inside your property line, meet setback and Visual Clear Zone rules, and a building permit may apply to fences over 6-7 feet.
Lane County land-use code does not resolve shared-fence cost disputes; that is governed by Oregon's partition-fence statute (ORS 96) and civil law. County code only requires fences to sit inside your own boundary and meet clear-zone rules.
Lane County code does not ban specific fence materials, but it singles out livestock wire fencing (excluding cyclone or chain-link) for a taller 7-foot allowance in setbacks. All materials must still meet Visual Clear Zone and placement rules.
Lane County treats animal neglect as a violation and lets Animal Services impound neglected animals. Failing to provide minimum care is a Class B violation, and neglect causing serious injury or death is a Class A violation; the kennel rules also cap how many dogs one premises can keep.
Lane County's Animal Services Code does not regulate honeybees; hive placement is a zoning matter under Lane Code Chapter 16. Beekeeping is a protected farm practice under Oregon's right-to-farm law, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture runs a voluntary statewide apiary registry.
Lane County's Animal Services Code (Chapter 7) does not cap chickens or farm animals. Whether you can keep hens, roosters, goats, or cattle is a land-use question under the Lane Code zoning chapters (LC Ch. 16), which are permissive on rural, farm (EFU), and forest-zoned land.
Lane County does not set a hard household pet cap, but keeping three or more dogs over six months old on a premises is a "noncommercial dog kennel" and requires the appropriate kennel license. Every dog over six months (or with permanent canine teeth) must be individually licensed.
In unincorporated Lane County, no owner may permit a dog to be at large. A "dog-at-large" is off the owner's premises and not under the owner's immediate control. Letting a dog run loose is a Class C or Class B violation.
Lane County's Animal Services Code treats "exotic or dangerous animal" as a regulated category of "animal" and covers it under the same impound, licensing, and dangerous-animal framework as dogs. Oregon state law (ORS 609.305-609.335) bans most exotic pets outright.
Lane County does not ban any dog breed. Instead of breed labels, the Animal Services Code regulates individual dogs by behavior, classifying "dangerous behavior" by class after a dog menaces, chases, bites, or injures, and imposing leash, enclosure, muzzle, and signage rules.
Lane County does not license or leash cats, but a cat is an "animal" under the code, so it is covered by the continuous-annoyance noise rule and the same impound and care provisions. Cats causing 15-plus minutes of noise disturbance are a Class C violation.
Lane County's Animal Services Code has no blanket wildlife-feeding ban, but harboring an animal makes you its "owner" and responsible for it, and abandoning a domesticated animal is a Class A violation. Feeding big-game wildlife is regulated by Oregon Fish and Wildlife.
Lane County's Animal Services Code does not set livestock-keeping limits; horses, cattle, sheep, and goats are a zoning question under Lane Code Chapter 16. Loose livestock is governed by Oregon's livestock-district law (ORS Ch. 607), and farm practices are protected by right-to-farm ORS 30.935.
In unincorporated Lane County, recreational and utility vehicles including boats, boat trailers, campers and utility trailers may not be parked or stored anywhere that blocks a driver's vision clearance of roadways. Off-street residential parking is otherwise limited to cars, vans and pickups (LC 16.250).
Lane County treats stored inoperable or unregistered vehicles as a nuisance. In urban-growth and rural-residential areas, storing an unregistered/inoperable vehicle over 90 days (or two or more at once) is a nuisance unless enclosed, screened 200+ feet from any property line, or part of a lawful used-vehicle business (LC 9.057.582).
In unincorporated Lane County, off-street residential parking is limited to passenger cars, vans and pickups up to one ton. Larger commercial vehicles may only be parked on residential property for reasonable periods for deliveries, structural repair and similar purposes, unless a zone or rural home occupation allows otherwise (LC 16.250).
Lane County's unincorporated parking code (LC 16.250) sets off-street parking-space and access standards for commercial buildings but does not create dedicated on-street loading zones; on county roads, blocking the travel lane for loading violates ORS 819.120. On-street loading zones are a city-level function within incorporated cities.
In unincorporated Lane County, residential off-street parking is limited to passenger cars, vans and pickups up to one ton (recreational vehicles excepted), and parking areas may not be used to dismantle vehicles for parts as a business. Driveway approaches to county roads require a Public Works access permit.
On county roads and rights-of-way, vehicles may not be left abandoned, parked partially in the travel lane, or parked on a sidewalk. Lane County follows ORS 819.120, and camping or abandoned vehicles are prohibited in any public road right-of-way. Reserved and posted limits also control.
Lane County sets no special zoning restriction on home EV chargers; a residential Level 2 charger is a standard electrical installation needing an Oregon electrical permit. Oregon's statewide building code (adopted by the state, enforced locally) governs installation, and newer commercial parking is subject to state EV-ready requirements.
Lane County prohibits camping and abandoned vehicles within any public road right-of-way. Under state law a vehicle left standing on a public way for more than 24 hours without authorization may be taken into custody and towed. Overnight sleeping in a vehicle in the right-of-way is not permitted.
In unincorporated Lane County, off-street residential parking is limited to passenger cars, vans and pickups of not more than one ton, so heavier oversized trucks generally cannot be routinely parked on residential lots. Recreational vehicles are exempt from that size cap but must not obstruct roadway vision clearance (LC 16.250).
Lane County does not operate a colored-curb-zone system for its rural roads, and residents may not paint or mark county curbs or pavement themselves. Placing unauthorized markings, signs or objects in the road right-of-way is prohibited. Colored curb zones exist within cities under their municipal codes.
Yes. In unincorporated Lane County a swimming pool holding water over 24 inches deep is a structure under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code and needs a building permit from Lane County Building Program. Inside cities, the city permits.
A residential pool over 24 inches deep must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high measured from the outside grade, under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code adopted countywide. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching.
Private pools follow Oregon Residential Specialty Code barrier and gate rules. Public and semi-public pools (HOA, park, apartment) must also meet Oregon Health Authority rules OAR 333-060, including a four-foot enclosure and self-latching gates.
Above-ground pools over 24 inches deep still need a permit and barrier under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code. If the pool wall is the barrier, its ladder or steps must be removable, lockable, or secured so children cannot access the pool.
A hot tub or spa holding water over 24 inches deep needs the same permit and barrier as a pool, but Oregon Residential Specialty Code exempts a spa or hot tub fitted with a safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 from the barrier requirement.
Oregon's statewide Cottage Food Exemption lets residents make and sell certain low-risk foods from home with no ODA license, permit, or registration, provided annual sales stay under the indexed cap ($52,700 for 2026). A food handler card is required.
A minor home occupation in the rural county has no land-use permit but must meet LC 16.290 conditions. A larger home occupation requires prior submittal and approval of a Type II land-use application under Lane Code Chapter 14.
For a minor home occupation in the rural county, Lane Code is strict: advertising signs for the minor home occupation or home office may not be displayed on the property or on any structure on it. Approved major home occupations may have limited signage.
Lane Code 16.290 permits one home child care facility for up to ten children under 13, registered with the State under ORS 657A.330, or one group child care home for seven to twelve children certified under ORS 657A.280, in the Rural Residential zone.
In the unincorporated county, home occupations are allowed by Lane Code Chapter 16 zoning. A minor home occupation must be conducted substantially in the dwelling or an accessory structure and cannot exceed 1,000 square feet of floor area.
Turning a garage into living space is a change of use that requires a Lane County building permit and must meet Oregon Residential Specialty Code plus zoning rules. In the RR zone a converted unit may qualify as the parcel's one allowed ADU under Lane Code 16.290.
Rural Residential (RR) lots of at least 2 acres may add one accessory dwelling unit, capped at 900 sq ft of usable floor area and located within 100 feet of the existing single-family dwelling (Lane Code 16.290, Ordinance 23-05).
In the Rural Residential zone, accessory structures must sit at least 20 feet from a State, County, or public-road right-of-way and 10 feet from other property lines. Small buildings under 120 sq ft may encroach into the 10-foot setback (Lane Code 16.290(7)).
A carport is a structure under Lane Code 16.290(7), so it must meet the same setbacks as other buildings: 20 feet from a road right-of-way and 10 feet from other property lines. Larger carports require a building permit for the county to verify anchoring and setbacks.
A tiny house on a permanent foundation is treated as a dwelling or ADU under Lane Code 16.290 and must meet building code plus the 900 sq ft ADU cap. In the RR zone, one recreational vehicle used for residential purposes is allowed under a rental agreement per LC 16.290(9).
In the Rural Residential (RR) zone, structures other than fences and signs must sit at least 20 feet from a state, county or public road right-of-way and at least 10 feet from all other property lines. Small under-120-square-foot structures may encroach.
Lane County's Rural Residential zone sets no maximum structure height; LC 16.290(7)(f) states height is "None." Structures are instead controlled by setbacks and by the state building code. Farm, Forest and city zones may impose their own height caps.
Lane County's Rural Residential zone controls development density through minimum lot sizes of 2, 5 or 10 acres (shown on the zoning map) rather than a lot-coverage percentage. Setbacks and riparian buffers further limit how much of a parcel can be built.
Political signs may not be placed in Lane County road right-of-way, and none may block a traffic-control device. On state highways, ODOT limits new temporary signs to 12 square feet on private property. Signs removed by Public Works are held 30 days at 3040 N. Delta Highway (Lane Code 15.205(2)).
Like political signs, garage-sale signs may not be placed in Lane County road right-of-way and cannot obscure traffic-control devices (Lane Code 15.205(2)). Put them on private property with the owner's permission, and remove them promptly after the sale. Illegally placed signs are removed by Public Works.
Lane County has no special barbecue ordinance; grilling follows the Oregon Fire Code. The main restriction is that propane, charcoal, and other open-flame grills generally may not be used or stored on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of multifamily buildings.
Lane County sets no smoker-specific ordinance. Wood or pellet smokers used for cooking are treated as cooking fires under the Oregon Fire Code and are generally allowed on your property, with the same balcony/clearance limits for apartments and possible restrictions during fire season.
Lane County has no separate vacant-lot ordinance; vacant parcels are governed by the general nuisance code. Storing an unregistered or inoperable vehicle over 90 days, or two or more, in designated residential/community areas is a nuisance under Lane Code 9.057.582.
In designated residential and community areas of unincorporated Lane County, no owner may allow noxious vegetation on the property or encroaching into an abutting public right-of-way. Vegetation blocking sidewalks, streets, or traffic-sign views is also a nuisance (Lane Code 9.057.576).
In unincorporated Lane County, no owner may accumulate putrescible (rotting) solid waste on private property for more than seven days. It must be stored in approved litter receptacles, garbage cans, or securely tied bundles (Lane Code 9.010.040B).
Lane County has no countywide garage-sale or yard-sale permit ordinance for unincorporated areas; occasional home sales are a normal residential use. Cities such as Eugene and Springfield set their own limits on frequency, duration, and signs within their limits.
In unincorporated Lane County, accumulating solid waste, garbage, rubbish, or debris that is offensive or hazardous to public health is a nuisance under Lane Code 9.057.584. Vector/rodent harborage, fire hazards, and odor are presumed offensive and must be abated.
Residents self-haul bulky items to a Lane County transfer station and pay per-item or per-load fees. Rural transfer stations (excluding Glenwood) cap garbage drop-offs at 10 cubic yards per day, per customer. Appliances, tires, and mattresses have set recycling fees.
Because Lane County is self-haul, there is no countywide curbside setout rule. Waste must be stored in approved cans or receptacles, and any load hauled to a transfer station must be fully covered or securely tied so nothing spills on county roads (Lane Code 9.010.045).
Lane County uses a self-haul system, not mandatory countywide curbside pickup. Residents in unincorporated areas either subscribe to a private franchised hauler or haul waste themselves to one of the county transfer stations. Putrescible waste cannot be stored on-site over seven days.
Lane County provides free recycling drop-off at its transfer stations under Oregon's mandated recycling program (ORS 459A). Accepted materials include cartons, pizza boxes, round plastic tubs, plant pots and buckets. A $1.00-per-load discount rewards recyclers who separate materials.
Lane Code 9.010.005 bans throwing, placing, or disposing of refuse, e-waste, yard debris, construction debris, or hazardous waste on private land without the owner's permission or on public land or waters. It is a Class A violation under ORS Chapter 153, with fines set by the officer.
Lane County has no county-wide dark-sky or exterior-lighting ordinance for private homes. Oregon's only statewide lighting law, ORS 455.573, requires shielded fixtures on certain state buildings. Otherwise, lighting is set by your city (Eugene has standards) or handled as a nuisance.
Unincorporated Lane County has no ordinance capping light spilling onto a neighbor's property. Oregon's shielded-lighting statute (ORS 455.573) applies only to certain state buildings, so residential light-trespass complaints are generally handled as a nuisance or resolved neighbor-to-neighbor.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Lane County ordinances.