Multnomah County, OR Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- Multiple Use Agriculture (MUA-20)
- Minimum lot size
- 20 acres
- Covenant law referenced
- ORS 30.936
- Trigger
- New, replacement, or expanded dwelling
- Scope
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
New, replacement, or expanded homes in Multnomah County's MUA-20 farm zone must record a covenant honoring Oregon's Right to Farm Law or accepting nearby farm activity before the county approves construction.
New, replacement, or expansion of existing dwellings shall minimize impacts to existing farm uses on adjacent land (contiguous or across the street) by:
(1) Recording a covenant that implements the provisions of the Oregon Right to Farm Law in ORS 30.936 where the farm use is on land in the EFU zone; or
(2) Where the farm use does not occur on land in the EFU zone, the owner shall record a covenant that recognizes and accepts that farm activities including tilling, spraying, harvesting, and farm management activities during irregular times, occur on adjacent property and in the general area.
(I) Required parking, and yard areas shall be provided on the same Lot of Record as the development being served.
(J) All exterior lighting shall comply with MCC 39.6850. (Ord. 1309, Amended, 08/18/2022; Ord. 1271, Amended, 03/14/2019)
(S-1 2023)
Full Breakdown
Multnomah County Code Section 39.4325(H) requires that any new, replacement, or expanded dwelling in the Multiple Use Agriculture (MUA-20) zone minimize impacts on adjacent farm operations. Applicants must record a covenant: one implementing Oregon's Right to Farm Law (ORS 30.936) if the neighboring farm sits in an EFU zone, or, for farmland outside EFU, a covenant acknowledging that tilling, spraying, harvesting, and other farm management can occur at irregular hours nearby. This applies only in unincorporated Multnomah County's rural east-county area, not Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview, or Wood Village, which enforce their own zoning codes.
Violations & Fines
Multnomah County will not approve a dwelling permit in the MUA-20 zone until the required farm-impact covenant is recorded with the County Recorder against the property title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside Portland?
What must the covenant say?
Where is the covenant filed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
Compare Multnomah County to another location·View the Oregon right to farm overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.