Accessory dwellings supporting family forestry; conditions. (1) As used in this section, “owner or a relative” means the owner of the lot or parcel, or a relative of the owner or the owner’s spouse, including a child, parent, stepparent, grandchild, grandparent, stepgrandparent, sibling, stepsibling, niece, nephew or first cousin of either

(2) A county may approve a new single-unit dwelling on a lot or parcel zoned for forest use provided:

(a) The new single-unit dwelling will be on a lot or parcel no smaller than the minimum size allowed under ORS 215.780;

(b) The new single-unit dwelling will be on a lot or parcel that contains exactly one existing single-unit dwelling that was lawfully:

(A) In existence before November 4, 1993; or

(B) Approved under ORS 215.130 (6), 215.705, 215.720, 215.740, 215.750 or 215.755;

(c) The shortest distance between the new single-unit dwelling and the existing single-unit dwelling is no greater than 200 feet;

(d) The lot or parcel is within a rural fire protection district organized under ORS chapter 478;

(e) The new single-unit dwelling complies with the Oregon residential specialty code relating to wildfire hazard mitigation;

(f) As a condition of approval of the new single-unit dwelling, in addition to the requirements of ORS 215.293, the property owner agrees to acknowledge and record in the deed records for the county in which the lot or parcel is located, one or more instruments containing irrevocable deed restrictions that:

(A) Prohibit the owner and the owner’s successors from partitioning the property to separate the new single-unit dwelling from the lot or parcel containing the existing single-unit dwelling; and

(B) Require that the owner and the owner’s successors manage the lot or parcel as a working forest under a written forest management plan, as defined in ORS 526.455, that is attached to the instrument;

(g) The existing single-unit dwelling is occupied by the owner or a relative;

(h) The new single-unit dwelling will be occupied by the owner or a relative; and

(i) The owner or a relative occupies the new single-unit dwelling to allow the relative to assist in the harvesting, processing or replanting of forest products or in the management, operation, planning, acquisition or supervision of forest lots or parcels of the owner.

(3) If a new single-unit dwelling is constructed under this section, a county may not allow the new or existing dwelling unit to be used for vacation occupancy as defined in ORS 90.100. [2019 c.271 §2; 2025 c.38 §42]

Note: 215.757 was added to and made a part of ORS chapter 215 by legislative action but was not added to any smaller series therein. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.

(Other Structures)