Accessory Dwelling Units

PLEASE TAKE OUR COUNTY WIDE SURVEY ON ADU'S AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:  www.surveymonkey.com/r/KBBMZ3D

In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 391 (SB 391), which grants counties the ability to permit accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in certain areas zoned for residential uses.   An ADU is a second residence on a property that meets certain requirements of the state law, as well as any more restrictive codes that may be passed by the county.  

SB 391 includes a set of minimum standards and conditions that a county must require if it chooses to authorize ADUs.  Counties are allowed to pass more stringent requirements, but cannot be more lenient than state law.  Some of the standards listed in SB 391 include:

• The property must be at least two acres in size and have exactly one existing single family dwelling on it.
• The ADU can have a maximum of 900 square feet of "usable floor area".
• The ADU must be located within 100 from the existing dwelling.
• An ADU may not be used for overnight rental purposes.  The minimum rental period for an ADU is 45 days.
• There will be additional standards and requirements related to fire protection, which are still being developed at the state level.

The Jefferson County Planning Commission is seeking input in regard to whether the county should allow ADUs and, if so, in which areas of the county and under what standards and restrictions.  The zones currently under consideration are the counties rural residential (RR-2, RR-5, RR-10 and RR-20), service community (SC), existing rural development (ERD), and blue lake (BL) zones. 

Allowance of ADUs in the unincorporated communities of Crooked River Ranch, Three Rivers, and Camp Sherman will be considered in a separate, concurrent process. 

State law does not currently allow ADUs in the Madras urban reserve area.

STAFF CONTACT:  Scott Edelman, Community Development Director, 541-475-4462, sedelman@jeffco.net