Bill > SB73

This bill modifies Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 215.788, which governs how counties can review and potentially redesignate farmlands and forestlands. The bill maintains the existing process for counties to conduct legislative reviews of lands zoned for agricultural, forest, or mixed agricultural and forest use to ensure consistent mapping and land use planning. The key change is the addition of a new provision that significantly restricts how counties can redesignate resource lands for nonresource use. Specifically, the bill prohibits counties from approving comprehensive plan amendments that change land use from farm, forest, or mixed farm and forest use to a nonresource use, except under three limited circumstances: (1) as provided in the existing statute, (2) through a formal goal exception process under ORS 197.732, or (3) for lands that have been added to an urban growth boundary. This restriction aims to protect agricultural and forest lands from unnecessary conversion to other uses, preserving these important resource lands for their original intended purposes. The bill allows counties to consider adjacent land use patterns when determining land classifications and requires approval from the Department of Land Conservation and Development for any reacknowledgment process.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB73