Tigard, OR Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

The rodent rule in the City of Tigard, Oregon (Washington County) sits in the nuisance title, not in a stand-alone vector-control chapter. Section 6.02.150 declares a public nuisance when anyone stores materials, including wastes, or maintains any grounds in a manner that could attract or aid the propagation of insects or rodents or create a health hazard. The test is the condition of the property, so a woodpile, a heap of debris or an overgrown yard that invites pests falls under the section even before anyone sees a rodent.

The responsible party is defined broadly in § 6.01.020: an owner, an agent with authority over the property, any occupant including a tenant, the person who created or allowed the condition, or a foreclosure or bankruptcy trustee, and more than one party can be responsible for one property. The container rules back this up. Under § 11.04.100(A)(1), receptacles designed for manual pickup need a close-fitting lid with handle, cannot exceed 32 gallons' capacity, and must be waterproof, rodent-resistant and easily cleanable. Section 11.04.100(A)(5) makes the customer responsible for keeping every receptacle in a safe and sanitary condition, and (A)(9) requires putrescible solid waste to leave the premises at least once every seven days, whether or not it sits in a container.

Two neighboring sections reach related conditions. Section 6.02.250 prohibits waste that is offensive or hazardous to the health or safety of others or that creates offensive odors or unsightliness, and § 6.02.630 requires livestock keepers to remediate valid complaints in a timely manner, naming the identifiable presence of vermin as a valid complaint. A code enforcement officer reviews a report and decides whether to proceed under Chapter 1.16.