References and methodology

Allows a county to permit one recreational vehicle used for residential purposes under a rental agreement on rural residential property. Adoption is discretionary — a county must take it up locally before it has any effect there. Conditions in the statute generally include that the property is in a rural area and not within an urban reserve, that a single-family dwelling occupied as the owner's primary residence is sited on the property, that there are no other dwelling units and the primary dwelling is not itself rented, that the tenant owns or leases the recreational vehicle, and that the owner provides essential services to the recreational vehicle space. Notably the statute itself sets no minimum parcel size — acreage minimums seen in particular counties are local conditions. The statute generally prohibits use of the recreational vehicle for vacation occupancy as defined in ORS 90.100, or other short-term uses.

Last verified August 16, 2026 · source

Generally prevents state agencies and local governments from prohibiting residential occupancy of a recreational vehicle, or limiting how long it may be occupied, solely because it is a recreational vehicle, in three situations: where the use is allowed under ORS 215.490; where the vehicle is in a manufactured dwelling, mobile home or recreational vehicle park and is lawfully connected to water, electrical supply and a sewage disposal system; and where the vehicle is on a lot whose dwelling was made uninhabitable by a natural disaster, generally for a limited period. This matters because a county statement that recreational vehicle occupancy is not permitted is generally addressing occupancy on ordinary private land, and does not necessarily describe these situations. Worth raising directly with the county if one of them applies.

Last verified August 16, 2026 · source

Generally permits a person to occupy a manufactured dwelling or camping vehicle on privately owned land with the landowner's consent, provided the property has adequate area for a safe and approved water supply and sewage disposal, and the occupant complies with applicable state and local standards for sanitation, water, plumbing, electrical and sewerage installations. This is a baseline habitability and sanitation provision rather than a land use permission, so it generally does not override a county's zoning treatment of recreational vehicles — but it is the reason sanitation and utility connection questions come up first in almost every county conversation about this.

Last verified August 16, 2026 · source

Allows counties to permit accessory dwelling units in rural residential zones. Commonly cited conditions include a minimum parcel size of two acres, an existing single-family dwelling, a floor area limit of 900 square feet, siting within 100 feet of the existing dwelling, service by a fire protection provider, compliance with sanitation requirements, a prohibition on vacation rental use, and no division of the parcel to separate the unit.

Last verified August 15, 2026 · source

Land in farm or forest use is generally assessed on its value in that use rather than its market value, which is usually why a large rural parcel carries a strikingly small tax bill. The assessment is tied to the land continuing in that qualifying use. If it is disqualified — commonly by the use stopping, or by a change to a non-qualifying use — additional tax is generally added to the next tax roll. For designated forestland that additional tax is generally the difference between what was paid over the previous five years and what would have been paid at real market value. Critically for a buyer, the special assessment attaches to the land, so the potential liability generally passes to the new owner on sale rather than staying with the seller. Continuing the qualifying use, or requalifying, can defer or avoid it.

Last verified August 16, 2026 · source

Limits growth in a property's maximum assessed value to three percent per year, with new construction treated as an exception. In general terms this means holding unimproved land tends to have a low and slow-growing tax base, while adding a dwelling generally causes a step change in assessed value rather than a gradual increase.

Last verified August 15, 2026 · source

In 2025 the Legislature repealed the statewide wildfire hazard map together with its application to seller disclosures, wildfire-related building code standards and defensible space requirements, and directed development of new standards that property owners or local governments may adopt. Some housing statutes refer to that map, so the branch of those statutes that applies when no statewide map exists is generally the operative one. This area is unsettled and worth confirming locally.

Last verified August 15, 2026 · source

Changing the zoning of farm or forest land is generally expected to happen through a county or region wide legislative review, through a goal exception meeting stringent statutory criteria, or by demonstrating through a plan amendment and zone change that the property does not meet the definition of agricultural land. General market demand, past development, or market trends are generally not treated as sufficient grounds on their own. This boundary generates a large share of appeals to the Land Use Board of Appeals, so it is best treated as a specialist legal undertaking rather than a routine application.

Last verified August 15, 2026 · source

State rules generally prohibit new dwellings in exclusive farm use and forest zones unless a specific statutory test is met. Commonly cited paths include a dwelling for a farm operator, a dwelling for a relative assisting the farm operation, farmworker housing, a lot of record dwelling, and a nonfarm dwelling on land shown to be unsuitable for farm or forest production. Each is a fact-intensive test decided by the county, not an automatic entitlement.

Last verified August 15, 2026 · source