Land Use Zoning Codes

Coos County Comprehensive Plan Land Use Zoning Codes: (12/2019)

https://www.co.coos.or.us/planning/page/coos-county-zoning-and-land-development-ordinances (Text has been edited for this summary tutorial)

Detailed assistance is available from Coos County Planning Department: Ask the Planner

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Table of Contents

ARTICLE 4.1- GENERAL INFORMATION

ARTICLE 4.2 – ZONING PURPOSE AND INTENT

SECTION 4.2.100 RESIDENTIAL

URBAN RESIDENTIAL (UR)

RURAL RESIDENTIAL (RR)

SECTION 4.2.200 MIXED COMMERCIAL-RESIDENTIAL

CONTROLLED DEVELOPMENT (CD)

RURAL CENTER (RC)

SECTION 4.2.300 COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL

COMMERCIAL (C1)

INDUSTRIAL (IND)

AIRPORT OPERATIONS (AO)

SECTION 4.2.400 OPEN SPACE AND NAT RESOURCE

RECREATION (REC)

SOUTH SLOUGH (SS)

MINOR ESTUARY AND SHORELANDS (MES)

SECTION 4.2.500 RESOURCE ZONES

FOREST (F)

FOREST MIXED USE (FMU)

EXCLUSIVE FARM USE (EFU)

SECTION 4.2.600 BANDON DUNES RESORT (BDR)

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ARTICLE 4.2 – ZONING PURPOSE AND INTENT

This section sets out the purpose and intent of all Balance of County zones (all zones outside of the Coos Bay and Coquille Estuary).

SECTION 4.2.100 RESIDENTIAL
Urban Residential (UR)

There are three Urban Residential (UR) zoning districts:

Urban Residential-1 (UR-1)
Urban Residential-2 (UR-2)
Urban Residential – Multi Family (UR-M)

The intent of the Urban Residential Districts is to include conventional, urban density housing (single family/multi-family) plus cluster housing and planned unit developments.

The purpose of the “UR-1” district is to provide for urban residential areas that are exclusively limited to conventional single family dwellings. Detached conventional single family dwellings clustered in planned unit developments are consistent with the objectives of the “UR-1” district. The “UR-1” district shall only be used within Urban Growth Boundaries and Urban Unincorporated Community boundaries.

The purpose of the “UR-2” district is to provide for urban residential areas that are designed to accommodate single family dwellings, mobile homes and two family dwellings. Clustered planned unit developments, including multi-family dwellings, are consistent with the objectives of the “UR2” district. The “UR-2” district shall only be used within Urban Growth Boundaries and Urban Unincorporated Community boundaries.

The purpose of the “UR-M” district is to provide for high density urban residential areas necessary to accommodate opportunities for the construction of multiple-family dwellings, primarily necessary to meet the needs of low and moderate income families. The “UR-M” district shall only be used within Urban Growth Boundaries and Urban Unincorporated Community boundaries.

Rural Residential (RR)

There are two RR zonings:

Rural Residential-5 (RR-5) and
Rural Residential-2 (RR-2).

The intent of the Rural Residential Districts includes justified sites plus "committed" areas. The County's plan prescribes and allocates a finite number of rural dwelling/units/acreage. The zoning ordinance will specify permitted uses and minimum lot sizes.

The purpose of the “RR-2” and “RR-5” districts are to provide for small to medium acreage dwelling sites outside of Urban Growth Boundaries, where a moderate intensity of land development is appropriate, but where urban services and facilities may not be available or necessary.

The “RR-2” district provides for continued existence of rural family life and to provide a transition of densities between urban development and exclusive agricultural and forestry uses.

The “RR-5” district provides for the orderly development of rural land so as to encourage the continued existence of rural family life and to provide a transition of densities between urban development and exclusive agricultural or forestry uses.

SECTION 4.2.200 MIXED COMMERCIAL-RESIDENTIAL

Controlled Development (CD) The intent of the Controlled Development is to reserve areas that are experiencing or are projected to experience limited conversion of residential areas to commercial uses. Urban Growth Areas include Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB) and Urban Unincorporated Communities (UUC) that were developed to urban levels of development and could be included in an Urban Growth Boundary expansion in the future.

This designation is applied to specific portions of the following Urban Growth Areas: Bandon, Charleston, Barview and Bunker Hill. There are two different controlled development zoning districts:

Controlled Development-5 (CD-5) and
Controlled Development-10 (CD-10).

The purpose of the “CD-5” and “CD-10” district is to recognize the scenic and unique quality of selected areas within Urban Growth Boundaries, to enhance and protect the unique “village atmosphere,” to permit a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational uses and to exclude those uses which would be inconsistent with the purpose of this district, recognizing tourism as a major component of the County’s economy.

Rural Center (RC)

The intent of the Rural Center Designation "committed" rural nodes is to provide residential, commercial, and public/semi-public uses.

The purpose of the “RC” is

to provide for the development of rural commercial, tourist commercial, residential and services facilities, necessities, convenience and supplies ancillary to nearby agricultural, forestry, recreational and rural residential uses and activities and

to conserve energy by providing for needed commercial outlets in rural areas already “committed” as residential/commercial nodes.

New commercial uses that are consistent with the objectives of the “RC” district are those uses which are needed for the convenient shopping needs of the nearby rural population.

Only one Primary Use can exist, and any other use must be subordinate in size and nature. Commercial building or buildings in a rural unincorporated community shall not exceed 4,000 square feet of floor space.

SECTION 4.2.300 COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
Commercial (C-1)

The intent of the Commercial designation is primarily for urban growth areas, but it is also appropriate for application in rural areas where commercial uses are already established (i.e., "committed" to commercial development). Limited infilling is allowed.

The purpose of the “C-1” district is:

To provide for needed commercial retail and service opportunities within urban growth Boundaries.
To recognize existing commercial uses outside Urban Growth Boundaries. For the purpose of this ordinance small-scale, low impact commercial use is one which takes place in an urban unincorporated community in a building or buildings not exceeding 8,000 square feet of floor space, or in any other type of unincorporated community in a building or buildings not exceeding 4, 000 square feet of floor space.
Only the following new Commercial Uses in unincorporated communities:
- Uses authorized under Oregon Statewide Planning Goals 3 and 4;
- Small-scale, low impact uses; and
- Uses intended to serve the community and surrounding rural area or the travel needs of people passing through the area.

Industrial (IND)

The intent of the Industrial designation applies to sites potentially needed for industrial development. Use of the designation is not restricted to urban growth areas.

The purpose of the “IND” district is to provide an adequate land base necessary to meet industrial growth needs and to encourage diversification of the area’s economy accordingly. The “IND” district may be located without respect to Urban Growth Boundaries, as consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The “IND” designation is appropriate for industrial parcels that are needed for development, as consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

Airport Operations (AO)

The purpose and intent of the Airport Operation “AO” district is to recognize those areas devoted to or most suitable for immediate operational facilities necessary for commercial and non-commercial aviation. It is also intended to provide areas for those activities directly supporting or dependent upon aircraft or air transportation when such activities, in order to function, require a location within or immediately adjacent to primary flight operations and passenger or cargo service facilities. In addition, the “AO” district is intended to provide areas for certain open space uses for airfield grounds maintenance and as a buffer to minimize potential dangers from, and conflicts with, the use of aircraft.

SECTION 4.2.400 OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCE ZONING DISTRICTS

Open Space and Natural Resource Districts are intended for especially sensitive areas where wildlife habitat or special scenic values have been identified or where natural hazards totally preclude any development.

Recreation (REC)

The intent of the Recreation District is to designate recreation areas.

The purpose of the “REC” district is to accommodate recreational uses of areas with high recreational or open space value. The district applies solely to areas designated as “Recreation” in the Comprehensive Plan, which include state, county and other municipal parks, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, as well as private lands currently developed as golf courses.

New recreational developments in this district shall be oriented to the open space nature of the land. The type and intensity of recreational developments in this district must be conditioned by environmental considerations set forth in the County’s Coastal Shoreland/Dune Lands Comprehensive Plan policies where such developments are allowed in these coastal resource areas.

South Slough (SS)

The purpose of the “SS” district is to complement the primary management objectives and the primary scientific objectives of the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (SNERR). This district is intended to maintain the integrity of the sanctuary by preserving the area for long-term scientific and educational use. This designation abuts the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP). This zoning district has no development standards with the exception of road standards found in Chapter VII. Special Development considerations may apply.

Minor Estuary and Shorelands (MES)

The purpose of the “MES” district is to regulate uses within the inventoried minor estuaries and adjacent shorelands within unincorporated Coos County. The estuaries within the district are treated as “natural management units” per LCDC Goal 16. There are no hearings body applications or development standards with the exception of road standards found in Chapter VII.

SECTION 4.2.500 RESOURCE ZONES

Forest (F)

The intent of the Forest District is to include all inventoried "forestlands" not otherwise found to be needed (excepted) for other uses.

The purpose of the Forest zone is to conserve and protect forest land for forest uses. Some of the areas covered by the “F” zone are exclusive forest lands, while other areas include a combination of mixed farm and forest uses.

Forest Mixed Use (FMU)

The purpose of the Forest Mixed Farm-Forest Areas (“MU” areas) is to include land which is currently or potentially in farm-forest use. Typically, such lands are those with soil, aspect, topographic features and present ground cover that are best suited to a combination of forest and grazing uses. The areas generally occupy land on the periphery of large corporate and agency holdings and tend to form a buffer between more remote uplands and populated valleys. In addition, these “mixed use” areas contain ownership of smaller size than in prime forest areas. Some are generally marginal in terms of forest productivity, such as areas close to the ocean.

If land is in a zone that allows both farm and forest uses, a dwelling may be sited based on the predominate use of the tract on January 1, 1993. If a use is only allowed in the mixed use zone it will be explained in the text. Otherwise the uses listed are allowed in both the Forest and Forest Mixed Use zones.

Exclusive Farm Use (EFU)

These include all inventoried "agricultural lands" not otherwise found to be needed (excepted) for other uses.

The purpose of the EFU district is to preserve the integrity and encourage the conservation of agricultural lands within Coos County and thereby comply with the provisions of ORS 215 and OAR 660. Division 33 to minimize conflicts between agricultural practices and non-farm uses by limiting any development to uses distinguished as dependent upon or accessory to supporting agricultural or forestry production and which qualify such farm lands for special tax relief pursuant to the provisions of Oregon Revised Statutes. This zone is also for the cultivation and marketing of specialty crops, horticultural crops and other intensive farm uses.

According to the Coos County Comprehensive Plan Exclusive Farm Use lands are inventoried as Agricultural Lands. The Main criterion for establishing the “Agricultural Lands Inventory” was land identified on the agricultural lands based on soils, Class I-IV soils or "other lands" suitable for agricultural use, with the following exceptions:

Committed rural residential areas and urban growth areas.
Proposed rural residential areas as per the Exception to Goals #3 and #4.
Proposed industrial/commercial sites.
Existing recreation areas (e.g., golf courses) [Recreation designation]
Isolated parcels of Class I-IV soils in upland areas, which are under, forest cover. (Forestlands designation).
Narrow valley bottomlands where no agricultural activity is occurring anywhere in the vicinity [Forestlands designation].

The secondary criterion for establishing the “Agricultural Lands Inventory” was the use of aerial photos used to identify additional areas without Class I-IV soils in current agricultural use which were not initially identified in the agricultural lands inventory from Assessor's Data. This situation typically occurs on benches, immediately above agricultural valleys, where grazing often takes place on non-class I-IV soils. However, if lands were zoned predominately forest it may have resulted in a Mixed Use Overlay.

SECTION 4.2.600 BANDON DUNES RESORT (BDR)

The Bandon Dunes Resort designation is applied to an area located north of the City of Bandon for which an exception to applicable statewide planning goals to permit a destination resort has been adopted as an amendment to this Comprehensive Plan.

The purpose of the Bandon Dunes Resort zone is to establish a zoning district to implement the adopted Bandon Coastal Dunelands Conservation, Resort and Recreation Development Master Plan, consistent with the adopted Bandon Coastal Dunelands Goal Exception Statement.

Land Use Zoning Codes

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