Staff has created a new explainer video to highlight some key facts related to resource zones in Wasco County:
One of the foundations of the Oregon statewide land use planning program is the goal to protect and conserve farm and forest lands for future uses. Zones relate to the type of land uses permitted/prohibited, and regulations related to zones often set maximum or minimum thresholds for the size of individual parcels, building in relationship to adjacent properties or features (called setbacks), and additional property development standards.
Outside of the National Scenic Area, Wasco County has 22 zones (including zones within Tygh Valley and Wamic rural communities). Four are resource zones. This includes our two Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) zones A-1 (160) and A-1 (40) and our two forest zones, F-1 (80) and F-2 (80). Numbers in parentheses after the zones indicate the minimum number of acres required to create a land division.
Many of the permitted uses in farm and forest zones are determined by state law and required to be adopted into local ordinances.
For questions related to your specific property, please call the Planning Department.
You can also read more about the criteria and permitted uses for each zones by viewing the Land Use and Development Ordinance.
To locate your zone on a map, see our online Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping tool.