Under Oregon's SB 762 program, properties in the wildland-urban interface must maintain defensible space. Core standards include a noncombustible 5-foot zone next to structures, grass mowed under 4 inches, tree crowns spaced 10 feet apart, and ladder fuels removed.
Oregon has no single statewide numeric brush ordinance for every lot, but SB 762 (2021) directed the Oregon State Fire Marshal to set minimum defensible-space rules for properties mapped in the WUI at high or extreme risk — which includes much of eastern and Mt. Hood-corridor Clackamas County. The OSFM defensible-space guidance calls for a 5-foot noncombustible zone (river rock, gravel or pavers), grass kept under 4 inches, tree crowns spaced at least 10 feet apart, and trees pruned up 6 feet with ladder fuels (brush under trees) removed. Clackamas County works through its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CCWPP). Inside cities, city fire code may add rules.
Defensible-space non-compliance can trigger corrective orders from the fire authority; failure to reduce fuels can affect insurance and, under the model code, lead to enforcement action.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting of yard debris and food scraps is allowed and encouraged in Clackamas County; no permit is needed for a home compost pile. Commercial-sca...
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Clackamas County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf in residential yards. Standard land-use rules on lot coverage, drainage,...
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Clackamas County does not mandate native-plant landscaping for private yards, but strongly encourages it and requires native-vegetation retention in protecte...
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Rooftop rainwater harvesting is legal in Oregon and does not need a water right. Clackamas County adds no ban. Collecting rain from an artificial impervious ...
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Clackamas County government sets no countywide outdoor-watering ban. Watering rules come from your local water provider (such as Clackamas River Water or Sun...
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Oregon law (ORS 569) declares noxious weeds a public nuisance to be controlled on all lands. Clackamas County runs the WeedWise program (since 2009) through ...
See how Clackamas County's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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