Medford, OR Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Medford Code § 10.180A
- SFR-2 bonus
- 200% density, +12 ft height, 4 units/acre max
- MFR-30 bonus
- 150% density, +24 ft height, 45 units/acre max
- Affordability term
- 30 years minimum, recorded covenant required
- Review type
- Type II under 3 acres; Type III over 3 acres
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2022-73, effective Jul. 7, 2022
Summary
Medford Code § 10.180A grants an outright density and height bonus to eligible affordable housing in residential zones, with no zone change or conditional use permit required inside the urban growth boundary. Bonuses scale by base zone, from a 200% density increase and 12 extra feet in SFR-2 up to 45 units per acre in MFR-30, tied to a recorded 30-year affordability covenant.
10.180A Eligible Affordable Housing. (1) Purpose and Applicability. The purpose of this section is to adopt standards from 2021 Oregon Senate Bill 8, amending ORS 197.830, 197.850, 215.441, and 227.500. This legislation requires local governments to allow the development of eligible affordable housing without requiring a zone change or conditional use permit... (c) The following height and density bonuses may apply to any affordable housing development meeting the criteria in this chapter, and that is located within a residential zone: SFR-2 | 200% of existing density | 12 additional feet | 4 units per acre... MFR-30 | 150% of existing density | 24 additional feet | 45 units per acre.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-32, passed May 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
180A requires the City to allow qualifying affordable housing without a zone change or conditional use permit inside the urban growth boundary. 295. The density and height bonus table in subsection (1)(c) applies only within residential zones: SFR-2 receives a 200% density increase, 12 additional feet of height, and a new maximum of 4 units per acre; SFR-4 gets the same percentage bonus to 8 units per acre; SFR-6 to 12 units per acre; SFR-10 to 20 units per acre; and MFR-15 to 30 units per acre.
MFR-20 and MFR-30 each receive a 150% density increase and 24 additional feet, reaching 30 and 45 units per acre respectively. 710 building-height restrictions do not apply to these projects. The bonus is unavailable where the site lacks adequate water, sewer, stormwater or street service; sits on a slope of 25% or greater; lies in a 100-year floodplain; or is constrained by statewide land-use hazard or resource goals. The Planning Director may reduce the bonus for a health, safety or habitability conflict, such as fire safety, if adopted findings support the reduction. Projects under three gross acres proceed through Type II review; three acres or more require Type III review before the Planning Commission.
Violations & Fines
Section 10.180A carries no standalone fine schedule. Subsection (1)(e) makes the 30-year affordability covenant, with its monitoring and compliance terms, a mandatory condition of approval, so failing to record or comply with it is enforced as a violation of the covenant and of the underlying Type II or Type III land use approval. A denied or reduced bonus can be appealed to the Planning Commission using the Section 10.140 procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a density bonus project need a zone change in Medford?
How much extra density can an affordable project get in an SFR-6 zone?
What income levels qualify as eligible affordable housing in Medford?
Can Medford reduce the density bonus for a specific project?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Medford
Compare Medford to another location·View the Oregon zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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