Community Involvement

Department of Land Conservation and Development The DLCD website offers information about the planning program and links to the Statewide Planning Goals, DLCD’s administrative rules (OARs) and to the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) chapters which apply to land use planning. The site’s page on the history of statutes, goals, and rules is extremely useful in preparing testimony for land use decisions and development proposals.

Oregon Blue Book The Oregon Blue Book is the official state directory and fact book about all levels of government in Oregon, and much more. The Local Government Home Page contains links to city and county home pages, on which you can often find local comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances or development codes.

Renewable Energy Working Group The Renewable Energy Working Group was formed to guide implementation of the Renewable Energy Action Plan. Group members work to find and implement solutions - in the legislative arena, in the private sector, and elsewhere - that encourage the growth of renewable energy and accompanying economic development in Oregon.

Sustainable Oregon This is the website of the Oregon Sustainability Board. Oregon frames its concern with sustainability as economic rather than environmental or moral. Governor Kulongoski’s executive order Sustainability for the 21st Century describes sustainability as “a significant economic opportunity for the State of Oregon.” The website provides updated information on sustainability events and publications.

Organizing and Strategizing

ONE/Northwest helps environmental organizations connect with people, specializing in tools and strategies for communicating and building relationships.

Resource Media is dedicated to making the environment matter. It provides media strategy and services to nonprofits, foundations and others who are working to protect communities and the environment in the West.

Technical Assistance for Community Services (TACS) provides invaluable assistance and support for people who believe in the power of nonprofits to transform lives and communities. Among numerous services, it offers consulting, customized trainings, technology assistance, capacity building help, and ongoing workshops.

Litigation and Appeals

Land Use Board of Appeals LUBA’s website makes it possible for citizens to do the legal research necessary to put together winning testimony and build a case at the local level that can be successful before the Board. New cases are usually posted every Monday. LUBA’s website also has a headnotes digest, which provides an excellent introduction into the various issues that you’ll need to become familiar with. A link to LUBA’s administrative rules (OARs) is also provided; you’ll need to become familiar with them if you’re considering filing your own appeal.

Oregon Administrative Rules If you know the agency name or the chapter number of the rules you’re looking for, this site gets you there.

Oregon Court of Appeals This site provides access to decisions of the Oregon Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. New decisions are posted every Wednesday morning. Shortcomings are that decisions only go back to 1997, and the search engine isn’t very good.

Oregon Revised Statutes The Oregon State Legislature’s site offers a quick connection to all ORS chapters. The most important chapters for land use work are 197, Land Use Planning; 215, County Planning; and 227, City Planning. ORS Chapter 92 deals with subdivisions and partitions.

Technical Research

Natural Resources Conservation Service Published Soil Surveys for Oregon On-line soils maps and detailed information about the farm capability and potential forest productivity of Oregon’s soils.

ORMAP The ORMAP (the Oregon Map) project is developing a statewide property tax parcel base map that is digital, publicly accessible, and continually maintained. This site strives to provide access to 100% of the county taxlot maps in the State of Oregon.

Nonprofit Organizations

Crag Law Center is a client-focused law center that supports community efforts to protect and sustain the Pacific Northwest’s natural legacy.

Central Oregon LandWatch is a nonprofit land use watchdog group located in Bend, Oregon. Its mission is to help achieve a balanced and integrated approach to land use planning in Central Oregon that will safeguard natural resources and the environment, and foster socially and economically thriving communities.

1000 Friends of Oregon works to conserve farm and forest lands, protect natural and scenic resources, and promote livable cities with transportation and housing choices.

LandWatch Lane County promotes responsible and sustainable land use policies in order to protect Lane County’s important farm and forest lands and to preserve the high quality of life that Lane County residents. It seeks to build a greater sense of community and to foster long-term stewardship of the land, ensuring its viability for future generations.

Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition Oregon Shores serves as the guardian of the public interest for Oregon’s coastal region. Oregon Shores is dedicated to preserving the natural communities, ecosystems and landscapes of the Oregon coast while conserving the public’s access. Oregon Shores pursues these ends through education, advocacy, and engaging citizens to keep watch over and defend the Oregon coast.

More online resources can be found at our blog, One Town Square.