100 local rules on file · Pop. 179 · Clackamas County
Showing ordinances that apply to Government Camp, OR
Government Camp is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 179 in Clackamas County, Oregon. Because Government Camp is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Clackamas 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 Clackamas County may have different rules.
Sounds from industrial, commercial, timber-harvesting, or utility operations during normal operations are exempt from Clackamas County's noise code under 6.05.060(F). But commercial establishments next to homes cannot be unreasonably loud between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, any dog that unreasonably causes annoyance, alarm, or noise disturbance violates the county Animal Chapter 5.01. Chapter 6.05 also bans unreasonably loud animal or bird noise in urban residential zones where an owner is responsible.
Clackamas County Code 6.05.040(B)(2) bans sounding a vehicle horn more than ten consecutive seconds except as a danger warning. On-road vehicle exhaust noise is governed statewide by ORS 815.250, enforced by the Sheriff, requiring an adequate muffler.
In unincorporated Clackamas County it is a per se violation to exceed 50 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., or 60 dBA between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Nighttime is the strict quiet period. Cities like Oregon City set their own rules.
Clackamas County does not regulate aircraft noise. Code 6.05.060(C) expressly exempts sounds from aircraft and other federally regulated sources. Aircraft noise falls under the FAA; complaints go to the airport authority or the FAA, not the county Sheriff.
Clackamas County sets hard numeric noise caps: 50 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and 60 dBA between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Exceeding these is a per se violation under Code 6.05.040(A). Motorboats have a separate 75 dBA shore standard.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, construction, demolition, alteration, or repair of buildings and excavation of streets is prohibited except between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Power tools like chain saws, drills, and lawnmowers share the same 7 a.m.-10 p.m. window.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, using loudspeakers, amplifiers, or PA systems unreasonably loud between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. near dwellings is a per se violation under Code 6.05.040(B)(6). Radios and stereos plainly audible 50 feet away are also prohibited.
Clackamas County has no gas-blower ban, but Code 6.05.040(B)(12) prohibits operating any noise-creating blower, power fan, or internal combustion engine between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. when the noise is unreasonably loud in dwellings or noise-sensitive areas.
Organized outdoor events on parks, stadiums, or fields are allowed 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in unincorporated Clackamas County. Permitted outdoor gatherings, dances, and shows are exempt; otherwise nighttime amplified outdoor music violates Code 6.05.040(B)(6).
Owners email a completed registration form to str@clackamas.us. The county confirms within 30 days of receiving an accurate, complete form and issues an STR identification number. That number must be included on any advertisement or rental platform. Registration is free with no inspection.
Clackamas County's unincorporated STR regulations do not impose an annual limit on the number of nights a property may be rented. Compliant registered STRs can operate year-round. Cities within the county may set their own night caps, so verify local rules for in-city properties.
Clackamas County STR regulations require that notice be clearly posted in the STR identifying and informing occupants of the county's noise control ordinance. A 24/7 responsible party must respond to complaints within two hours, giving neighbors a fast route to address noise issues.
Clackamas County's unincorporated STR regulations do NOT require the rental to be the owner's primary residence. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied vacation rentals are allowed if registered and compliant. Cities within the county may impose their own primary-residence limits, so check local city rules.
Unincorporated Clackamas County requires every short-term rental to register with the county before advertising. It is a free registration (not a permit) with no in-home inspection. Effective Dec. 6, 2023, this covers Mt. Hood corridor communities. Incorporated cities set their own rules.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, the number of STR occupants may not exceed the number authorized in the registration, and fifteen occupants is the maximum, regardless of home size. This is a hard cap on overnight guests for registered short-term rentals.
Operators renting transient lodging must register with the county and collect a 6% transient lodging tax from occupants (Ordinance 8.02). STRs also pay a newly enacted .85% user fee on the total rental amount. Oregon adds a 1.5% state transient lodging tax (ORS 320.305).
Clackamas County's unincorporated STR regulations do not require hosts to carry a specific liability insurance policy. They do require STRs to comply with all building and fire standards. Hosts should still confirm coverage, and cities within the county may add their own requirements.
Clackamas County requires adequate parking of one off-street motor vehicle space per sleeping area for registered STRs. The county carved out exceptions for certain dense Mt. Hood community areas with narrow lots, such as Government Camp, where the strict per-bedroom rule is relaxed.
Clackamas County does not require a host to stay on-site during STR stays. Instead, contact information for a responsible party must be posted at all times while guests are present, and that party must be available 24/7 and able to respond to complaints within two hours.
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 law is restrictive. Legal retail 'consumer' fireworks may not fly more than 12 inches into the air or travel more than 6 feet on the ground. Bottle rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, missiles and M-80s are illegal statewide, even on July 4.
Oregon law (ORS 479.250–479.300) requires working smoke alarms in dwellings. For rentals, the owner must supply, install and maintain the required alarms; tenants test them. New construction follows the Oregon Residential Specialty Code for placement in every bedroom and on each level.
In Clackamas Fire District's coverage area, backyard yard-debris burning is allowed only during two seasons — March 1–June 15 and October 1–December 15 — on approved days, outside the DEQ burn-ban boundary. No special permit is required, but you must call the daily burn line.
Small recreational fires for warmth or cooking are allowed but must stay at least 50 feet from any structure and be attended and fully extinguished. Restrictions tighten during declared fire-danger or DEQ burn-ban periods in unincorporated Clackamas County.
Wood backyard fires are treated as either recreational fires or open burning. Both must stay 50 feet from structures, be attended, and are suspended during summer fire season and DEQ burn bans. Yard-debris burning is limited to the two burn seasons on approved days.
Clackamas County has no separate propane ordinance; residential LP-gas storage follows the Oregon Fire Code (adopted IFC) enforced by the fire district. Small portable cylinders for grills are allowed, with limits on quantity stored indoors and required clearances for larger tanks.
Oregon's SB 762 wildfire hazard map classifies every property into risk classes and defines the wildland-urban interface. Much of eastern and Mt. Hood-corridor Clackamas County falls in high-risk WUI, triggering defensible-space and, for new builds, hardened-construction standards.
On county roads, an oversized vehicle must still leave at least 18 feet of unobstructed roadway and cannot block traffic or fire access (Code 7.01.020). In residential zones, a truck over 11,000 pounds GVW requires county approval.
In unincorporated Clackamas County residential zones, parking a large truck over 11,000 pounds GVW requires county approval. On county roads, commercial vehicles follow the same Code 7.01 rules as other vehicles, including the 18-foot clearance and 72-hour limits.
Clackamas County has no ordinance dictating how residents use their own driveway day to day, but the Zoning & Development Ordinance (ZDO) Section 1015 sets minimum off-street parking that must be provided, and new driveways/approaches onto a county road need a DTD entry permit.
Clackamas County requires off-street loading berths for qualifying developments under ZDO Section 1015. On county roads, on-street loading is governed by Code 7.01 and posted DTD signs; there is no residential curbside loading-zone program.
On unincorporated residential property the county allows an RV to be stored/used up to 30 days per calendar year; longer use needs land-use approval. Trailers and boats may not be left standing on a county road unless attached to a towing vehicle.
On unincorporated county roads, parking is governed by Code Ch. 7.01. Vehicles must park parallel and facing traffic, stay clear of yellow curbs and no-parking signs, keep at least 18 feet of roadway open, and never block traffic or fire-access.
Residents cannot paint their own curb to create parking restrictions. Yellow-curb and no-parking markings on county roads are valid only where authorized by the Department of Transportation and Development, and parking against an authorized yellow curb violates Code 7.01.020(E).
Clackamas County has no blanket overnight-parking ban, but Code 7.01.020(I) prohibits leaving a vehicle on a county road more than 72 hours without moving it at least three vehicle lengths, and 7.01.020(L) bans camping or living in a vehicle parked on a county road in residential areas.
Clackamas County has no parking ordinance specifically regulating home EV charging; residential charging equipment is handled through the Oregon-adopted electrical/building code and permits. Public EV-charging spaces on county roads follow the same general Code 7.01 parking rules.
Under Oregon ORS 819.100 it is a Class B traffic violation to abandon a vehicle on any highway or public/private property. Clackamas County treats an unlicensed or inoperable vehicle on residential property as a code violation, and vehicles left on a county road over 72 hours may be towed.
Retaining walls are a permitted accessory use in unincorporated Clackamas County residential districts, but taller walls require a building permit and engineering under the Oregon structural/residential code, and all walls must respect corner-vision and setback standards.
For an ordinary residential fence in unincorporated Clackamas County, the ZDO restricts height and sight-obscuring placement, not the material. It does not ban wood, vinyl, chain-link, or masonry fencing; barbed/electric wire is limited mainly to farm and non-residential contexts.
Clackamas County's ZDO sets fence height and placement but does not resolve who pays for a shared boundary fence; that is a civil matter under Oregon's partition-fence law (ORS Chapter 96) between neighbors, not a county code enforcement issue.
The county's Zoning & Development Ordinance regulates fence height and location, but a standalone land-use permit is generally not required for an ordinary residential fence. Verify with Planning (503-742-4500) before building, especially near roads or in resource zones.
In unincorporated urban residential Clackamas County, fences and sight-obscuring plantings may reach 6 feet at or behind the front building line, but only 4 feet forward of it (toward the street). Inside cities, the city's code applies.
Beyond height, Clackamas County requires fences to preserve corner vision: nothing sight-obscuring over 30 inches within a 20-foot radius of an intersection or where a driveway meets a public road, so drivers can see.
Clackamas County does not require a specific fence material for homes. Wood, cedar, vinyl, composite, chain-link, and masonry all comply as long as the fence meets ZDO height limits (6 ft behind the building line, 4 ft forward) and corner-vision rules.
In unincorporated Clackamas County a dog off its owner's property must be under the immediate control of a person. A 'dog at large' is a public nuisance and may be impounded. Cities like Oregon City, Lake Oswego and Milwaukie set their own leash rules.
Clackamas County has no dedicated beekeeping ordinance. On rural farm- and forest-zoned land, beekeeping is a protected farm practice under Oregon's Right to Farm law. In urban and residential zones, hives are governed by the county ZDO; the city governs inside incorporated limits.
Oregon law, not a county ordinance, restricts feeding large wildlife. Placing food or other attractants that knowingly lures bears, cougars, coyotes or wolves is prohibited, and an officer can order removal within two days. Feeding such wildlife is discouraged countywide.
Exotic pets are controlled by Oregon state law, not a county ordinance. Big cats, non-native wild canids, bears (other than black bears), non-human primates and crocodilians are 'exotic animals' that may not be kept without a state permit issued before 2010, making new ownership effectively banned.
Clackamas County sets no hard cap on dogs, but owning more than one dog requires a Multiple Dog License, granted only after a veterinarian or county inspection confirms minimum-care standards are met. Zoning can further limit kennels; cities set their own pet limits.
Livestock is allowed in unincorporated Clackamas County's rural zones under the Zoning & Development Ordinance. On land zoned for farm or forest use, established livestock and farming practices are protected from nuisance and trespass claims by Oregon's Right to Farm law.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, chickens and roosters are allowed in rural areas but restricted in urban and residential zones. Keeping poultry and livestock is a zoning matter under the county Zoning & Development Ordinance (ZDO). Cities set their own backyard-chicken rules.
Animal hoarding is addressed through Clackamas County's minimum-care standards for dogs and through Oregon's animal-neglect statutes. A Hearings Officer can suspend a person's right to own or keep any animal for up to five years, and the state prosecutes cruelty and neglect.
Clackamas County has no breed-specific ban. Dogs are regulated by behavior, not breed: any dog that menaces, bites, injures or kills can be classified a 'dangerous dog.' Oregon law generally leaves dog control to counties and cities, none of which ban specific breeds here.
Clackamas County's Dog Services program regulates dogs, not cats - there is no county cat license or leash requirement. Feral-cat issues are referred to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, and general nuisance and animal-cruelty laws still apply to cats.
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 its Soil & Water Conservation District. There is no general 'tall weeds' fine for ordinary yards.
Routine trimming of your own trees needs no county permit in unincorporated Clackamas County. Trimming is restricted only inside protected riparian, habitat (ZDO 706) or water-quality (ZDO 709) corridors, or on trees required to be retained during development.
Clackamas County sets no countywide grass-height limit for private residential yards. Code enforcement focuses on road-visibility hazards, not lawn length. Inside cities like Oregon City, Lake Oswego and Milwaukie, the city's nuisance code governs tall grass and weeds.
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-scale composting is regulated by Oregon DEQ. Keep piles managed so they don't create odor or vermin nuisances.
Clackamas County government sets no countywide outdoor-watering ban. Watering rules come from your local water provider (such as Clackamas River Water or Sunrise Water Authority) and any city, plus statewide water-rights law administered by Oregon Water Resources Department.
Clackamas County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf in residential yards. Standard land-use rules on lot coverage, drainage, and impervious surface still apply, and installations in protected riparian or habitat corridors are restricted.
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 surface (a roof) for non-potable use is allowed; indoor plumbing hookups require a plumbing permit.
Unincorporated Clackamas County limits tree removal through ZDO 1002.02: removing more than three non-exempt trees on a lot in one calendar year is 'excessive.' Excessive removal within five years before a development application causes that application to be denied.
Clackamas County does not mandate native-plant landscaping for private yards, but strongly encourages it and requires native-vegetation retention in protected riparian and habitat corridors. Local partners like WeedWise and the Clackamas River Basin Council promote native plantings.
A hot tub or spa holding water more than 24 inches deep meets the Oregon code's pool definition and normally needs a barrier. The key exemption: a spa or hot tub with a safety cover complying with ASTM F1346 is exempt from the barrier requirement.
A residential swimming pool holding water over 24 inches deep is a structure governed by the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC, Appendix V/G). Clackamas County Building Codes issues the building permit, which covers the pool structure, electrical, plumbing, and the required barrier.
Residential pool safety in Clackamas County follows the Oregon Residential Specialty Code barrier rules. Public and semi-public pools are separately regulated by Oregon Health Authority rules (OAR 333-060), which require an enclosure at least four feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates.
An above-ground pool holding water more than 24 inches deep is treated as a pool under the Oregon code, so it needs a permit and a compliant barrier. When the pool wall itself serves as the barrier, the access ladder or steps must be removable, lockable, or separately fenced.
Oregon requires every residential pool holding over 24 inches of water to be surrounded by a barrier at least 48 inches high, with openings that will not pass a 4-inch sphere. Gates must open away from the pool and be self-closing and self-latching.
Home occupations are governed by Clackamas County Zoning & Development Ordinance Section 822. A Level 1 minor home occupation needs no land use permit; a major home occupation requires Type II review. The activity must stay incidental and secondary to residential use of the dwelling.
For home occupations in unincorporated Clackamas County, ZDO 822 allows signs only as permitted under the county's sign regulations. Signs shall be permitted pursuant to Section 1010, Signs, keeping any home-business identification modest and consistent with the residential character.
Oregon's Cottage Food Exemption lets you sell non-potentially-hazardous baked goods and confections from your home kitchen without an ODA license, as long as sales do not exceed $52,700 annually and you sell directly to the consumer. Low-acid canned goods are never allowed.
Clackamas County ZDO 822 sets two tiers. A Level 1 minor home occupation needs no land use permit but must meet fixed limits. A major home occupation requires a Type II land use permit and may have up to five employees, with accessory building space and trip caps that scale
Oregon law protects family child care homes: a family child care home is considered a residential use of property for zoning purposes and is a permitted use in areas zoned residential or commercial, including single-family zones. Clackamas County cannot impose more restrictive land use rules than for other homes.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, ZDO Section 839 allows one ADU per single-family dwelling. Inside an urban growth boundary the ADU maxes at 900 sq ft (500 sq ft in R-2.5). Oregon HB 2001 mandates ADUs statewide. Cities set their own rules.
Clackamas County has no separate 'garage conversion' ordinance. Converting a garage into living space is treated as either added dwelling area or an ADU under ZDO Section 839, needs building permits, and must keep required off-street parking. Cities set their own rules.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, ZDO Section 315 sets accessory-building setbacks. A shed behind the building line under 100 sq ft and 8 feet tall needs no setback; larger sheds need 3-5 ft side/rear setbacks. Sheds over 200 sq ft need a building permit.
A tiny home on a foundation is treated as a dwelling or ADU under Clackamas County's ZDO (Section 839 for ADUs). A tiny house on wheels is an RV and cannot be permanent housing except where ZDO Section 846 allows an RV as a second dwelling. Oregon adopted a tiny-home
Carports are listed as a customarily permitted accessory structure in Clackamas County's ZDO and follow the same dimensional standards as other accessory buildings. Vehicle entries face a 20-foot front setback, and side/rear setbacks match Section 315. A building permit is generally required.
Propane and charcoal grills are allowed at Clackamas County homes. There is no county grill ordinance, but the Oregon Fire Code restricts open-flame and charcoal grills on combustible balconies of multifamily buildings and requires safe clearances from structures and combustibles.
Backyard meat smokers are allowed in Clackamas County with no dedicated ordinance. They count as outdoor cooking devices under the Oregon Fire Code — keep them clear of structures, never operate indoors, and be mindful that excessive smoke can draw a DEQ nuisance-smoke complaint.
Setbacks vary by zoning district. In urban low-density residential (R-5 to R-30) the ZDO requires a 15-foot front setback (20 ft to a garage), 20-foot rear, and 5-foot side. Rural RA-2 and farm EFU lots require 30-foot front/rear and 10-foot side.
In the urban low-density residential districts (R-2.5 to R-30), the ZDO limits maximum lot coverage to 50 percent. In a planned unit development, maximum lot coverage rises to 65 percent.
In the urban low-density residential districts, the ZDO caps most buildings, including accessory dwelling units, at 35 feet. Large accessory buildings (over 500 sq ft) accessory to a home are limited to 20 feet or the height of the primary dwelling, whichever is greater.
In unincorporated Clackamas County, garbage must be removed from the property at least once every 7 days and kept in a rodent-proof container with a tight-fitting lid while on site. Any accumulation of household trash is a violation of the Solid Waste and Waste Management Code (Ch. 10.03).
In unincorporated Clackamas County there is no general property-blight ordinance. Code Enforcement acts only on specific problems: accumulated garbage (Ch. 10.03), dangerous buildings (Ch. 9.01), and inoperable vehicles. Overgrown, unkempt, or unsightly yards are not violations. Inside cities like Oregon City or Lake Oswego, the city governs blight.
No. Clackamas County has no ordinance addressing tall grass or weeds. The county states that properties outside city limits are not required to cut their grass or remove noxious vegetation such as blackberry vines or English ivy. Weed and grass-height rules exist only inside cities.
Clackamas County has no ordinance requiring owners of vacant lots outside city limits to mow grass or clear vegetation. The county enforces only accumulated garbage (Ch. 10.03), illegal dumping, and dangerous structures. Upkeep on vacant land is the owner's choice unless a city or fire-district rule applies.
Clackamas County has no dedicated garage-sale ordinance or permit for unincorporated areas. Occasional yard sales at a home are treated as a normal residential activity, not a business, so no county license is required. Signs must follow the Zoning & Development Ordinance and cannot be placed in the public right-of-way.
Collection in unincorporated Clackamas County is provided by county-franchised haulers, not the county directly. The Sustainability & Solid Waste program sets fees and service standards for the franchised companies. Garbage, recycling, and yard debris are collected on set routes; when weather forces postponement, garbage collection gets priority.
Large items like appliances and furniture are collected on-call by your franchised hauler, not on the regular route. Fees run from a $5 minimum up to a $40 maximum plus weight-based charges, with a $30 coolant-removal fee for refrigerators and other refrigerated units. Residents can also self-haul to county transfer
Dumping trash, litter, or debris in any amount violates Chapter 10.03 of the Clackamas County Solid Waste Code, with civil penalties up to $3,500 when the owner can be identified. Oregon law also makes littering and offensive dumping a crime under ORS 164.775 and 164.805.
Place carts at the curb or roadside for collection. When your setout point is farther from the road, franchised haulers charge distance fees—$4.00/month for 3–50 feet up to $9.80/month for 800+ feet—and locations over 50 feet are drive-in service. Follow your hauler's day and time.
Curbside commingled recycling is provided with garbage service by franchised haulers in unincorporated Clackamas County. Residents sort items using the county Recycle Guide by bin. The system operates under Oregon's statewide recycling framework (ORS Chapter 459A) and Metro's regional plan, which coordinate what materials are collected and processed.
Clackamas County's ZDO addresses light trespass through Subsection 1005.04, which requires outdoor lighting to be shielded and directed so light stays within the subject property. Illuminated signs also may not shine into dwellings. There is no residential foot-candle limit; persistent spillover is treated as a nuisance.
Clackamas County has no formal 'dark-sky' overlay, but ZDO Subsection 1005.04 requires outdoor lighting not to direct light skyward: fixtures must shield and direct light downward, pole-mounted lights cannot exceed 25 feet, and entrance lighting is capped at 12 feet. Holiday lights and street lights are exempt.
Clackamas County confirms 'the size and placement of political signs are not regulated by election law.' In the unincorporated county, campaign signs follow the content-neutral ZDO sign rules: signs 3 sq ft or less need no permit, and temporary signs may not display more than 60 days per year. Cities
In unincorporated Clackamas County, garage-sale signs are temporary signs under ZDO Section 1010. A sign 3 square feet or less needs no permit, temporary signs may not display more than 60 days per year, and signs cannot go in the public right-of-way. Cities set their own rules.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Clackamas County ordinances.