Oregon Statewide Rule
Oregon Exclusive Farm Use Zoning Protects Agricultural Lands
Key Facts
- Efu Zoning
- EFU zoning required statewide
- 100 Enacted
- SB 100 enacted 1973
- Non-Farm Dwellings
- Non-farm dwellings tightly limited
- Lcdc Goal
- LCDC Goal 3 protects farmland
Summary
ORS Chapter 215 establishes Exclusive Farm Use zones that limit non-farm development and preserve agricultural land statewide.
In counties that have adopted marginal lands provisions under ORS 197.247 (1991 Edition), the following uses may be established in any area zoned for exclusive farm use: (a) Churches and cemeteries in conjunction with churches. (b) The propagation or harvesting of a forest product.
Full Breakdown
Oregon pioneered statewide land use planning through SB 100 (1973), which directs counties to designate Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) zones under ORS 215.203 and related provisions. Within EFU zones, farm use is the primary permitted use, and non-farm dwellings, commercial activity, and subdivisions are sharply restricted under ORS 215.213 and 215.283. Land Conservation and Development Commission Goals 3 and 4 reinforce protection of farm and forest lands. The Department of Land Conservation and Development reviews county compliance, and ORS 215.130 limits nonconforming uses. Together with Right to Farm, these tools create some of the strongest farm-protection rules in the nation.
Violations & Penalties
Unauthorized non-farm uses on EFU land can trigger county enforcement orders, fines, and removal requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a house on EFU land?
Who oversees EFU zoning?
Sources
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