Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, or additional details, please contact the Community Development Department at 1-541-440-1177, or visit the office in City Hall at 900 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg OR 97470.

What does Planning Do?

The Planning Division of the Community Development Department consists of Long Range Planning and Current Planning.

Long Range Planning works with citizens, the Planning Commission, and the City Council to plan for and manage long-term growth. Long Range Planning is responsible for maintaining the Roseburg Urban Area Comprehensive Plan, which serves as the overall guide to growth management for lands within the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The Comprehensive Plan identifies areas for future housing, commercial, industrial, and public uses. One of the elements of the Comprehensive Plan is a Transportation System Plan, which integrates land use plans with transportation needs to ensure adequate roads, streets, and trails will be available to accommodate all transportation modes. Other elements include Natural Resources, Economic Growth, Facilities and Services, and Energy Conservation. The policies of the Comprehensive Plan form the basis for land use and development regulations adopted by the Land Use and Development Ordinance (LUDO).

LUDO regulates development projects within the City, as well as some areas outside the City’s limits within the UGB. Current Planning is responsible for implementing the LUDO through the review of land use applications and by facilitating citizen participation in the land use process. Typical functions within Current Planning includes:

Conducting pre-application meetings with potential applicants;
Providing notice and information on land use applications to surrounding property owners and affected agencies;
Completing a thorough review of proposed development projects and writing detailed legal findings;
Making presentations on land use applications at Planning Commission and City Council public hearings;
Conducting Site Plan Reviews for all development projects.

The goal of Current Planning is to conduct thorough, accurate, balanced, expeditious and consistent reviews of land use applications to benefit the livability of the present and future citizens of the City of Roseburg.

How does Planning differ from Building?

Planning reviews development proposal for compliance with City land use ordinances, policies and programs. Building reviews construction plans for compliance with the International Construction Code including structural details, plumbing, and electrical.

How do I know if I need Planning Division review?

To assure compliance, LUDO requires Site Plan Review for any development or physical alteration to a lot or parcel. Site Plan Reviews are done by the Planning Division, and are often done concurrently with Building Permit review. Before embarking on a project, be it something new or a change to an existing lot, it is always advisable to first check with Community Development. Some of the items requiring Site Plan Review include:

Fill or excavation of material that equals or exceeds 5 cubic yards for each 1,000 square feet of land;
Any new construction;
Any type of addition or expansion to an existing structure;
Any type of exterior change to a lot having a Historic Designation;
Installation or replacement of a sign;
Dividing a lot or adjusting a property line.

What can the Planning Division tell me about my property?

Generally, LUDO is based on zoning classifications. Property regulations differ depending on the zone of an individual lots. The zone classification indicates how a property can be used, be it residential, commercial or industrial. Each zone has its own set of development standards covering such things as minimum lot size, yard setbacks, and allowed height. LUDO includes standards for processing land use applications such as Conditional Use Permits (needed for accessory units, telecommunication facilities, and other types of uses); Zone Changes, Amendments to the City of Roseburg Urban Area Comprehensive Plan; Variances; Planned Unit Developments; and Land Divisions. Standards provided in LUDO also address Flood Plains, Hillside Development, Parking Requirements, Non-conforming Uses and Structures, and Clear Vision Requirements at street corners and driveways. Since Community Development implements LUDO, they can help you understand how you can use and develop your property.

How Can I find out the zoning of my property?

The City of Roseburg Zoning Map is available on the City’s web page. It can be accessed through the link found under Planning Division/Resources. You can also contact the Community Development Department at 1-541-440-1177. By providing a street address, the specific zone of the property can be checked. You may also want to visit the Community Development Department, located on the third floor of City Hall at 900 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg OR 97470. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., including lunch hours.

Is review by the Planning Division required for my business?

Businesses are required to submit a Business Registration application to the City’s Administration. As a part of that process, Community Development, Building, Fire, and other departments review the proposal. Business Registrations are typically submitted long after initial decisions have been made, so it may be too late to correct something that does not comply with LUDO. This can be very costly. Therefore, prior to beginning any new business operation, it is always best to contact Community Development. We can tell you if your business is allowed on the property you have selected and if there are any regulations specific to your business. You may want to talk to Community Development before selecting a location so you know if there are any regulations applicable to your particular proposal.

How can I find out what is being planned for Roseburg?

The Comprehensive Plan and LUDO provide guidance for what can happen where. If you want to know if something has been proposed on a specific property, all applications are public information. Contact Community Development to check on any filings for a specific property.

Besides individual property projects, Community Development is also involved with a number of general land use projects relating to development. These projects include such items as new development standards, population trends, implementing applicable State planning laws, and many other areas of interest. The Community Development Director is available for presentations on land use topics to community and service groups. Contact Community Development for more information.

Can the City annex my property?

The State of Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) governs the annexation of property. In addition, the City of Roseburg and Douglas County have executed an Urban Growth Management Agreement that includes criteria for annexation. Generally, to be annexed a property needs to:

Be within the City’s UGB;
Be contiguous to the existing City boundary;
Have urban services available or planned for, such as water, sewer, storm drains, roads, etc.; and
Have the consent of the property owner.

ORS does provide for annexation without property owner consent based on strict requirements. Some of these provisions are:

Property surrounded on all sides by City limits, classified as an “island,” can be annexed;
Property can be included with an annexation request if the consenting property includes more than 50% of the registered voters within the whole area to be annexed and/or the property consenting property exceeds 50% of the assessed value of the entire area to be annexed;
The City could hold an election to allow the voters to decide if property should be annexed.

What happens if my property is annexed?

If and when property is annexed, it receives all the same rights and privileges as other City properties. Benefits of annexing properties into the City’s jurisdiction include such things as enhanced citizen involvement, access to public safety services; stabilize service delivery; reliability in water availability, and broadened financial support. There would also be coordinated urban service delivery and transportation facilities, as well as urban planning and code enforcement functions. Citizens are able to participate in community civic affairs including voting on future taxes, special elections, and serve on the City Council and other City commissions.

Once annexed, the property has access to City water services at the same rate as all City residents. Water provided to properties within the UGB, but outside the City limits is subject to an additional out of service area fee.

LUDO provides that annexed property retain its existing zone classification until it is rezoned to a City zone classification. However, property is typically rezoned concurrently with the annexation process. The zoning needs to be compatible with the Comprehensive Plan designation. Because the Comprehensive Plan includes property in the UGB, City and County zones can be easily matched. A City zone classification similar to and consistent with the previous County zone designation is usually given to annexed properties.

While the zone classification given to annexed property usually matches that of the County, the regulations may differ. For example, the County zone may require a minimum lot area of 1 acre while the City designation may require 10,000 square feet. The County Ordinance may allow keeping farm animals by right, while the City has limitations and requires a permit issued by the Police Department.

A change in jurisdiction may result in some non-conformity. Typically, if what was occurring on the property while it was under County jurisdiction was legal, it can continue once the property is annexed, even if it does not fully meet City regulations. Any non-conforming activity is subject to the provisions in LUDO and the City Municipal Code, meaning discontinuing or abandoning a use can result in having to comply with City regulations.

City properties are taxed at a different rate than County properties. The City base tax rate is typically higher than the County. The increase helps pay for City services such as police, fire, water line upgrades and maintenance, road upkeep, park maintenance, etc. However, it is likely that taxes collected for other entities will no longer be assessed. For example, if the property is currently being assessed for Fire District No. 2, those charges go away once the property enters the City’s jurisdiction. Because property taxes are based on assessed value, along with other factors, such as type of use, owner occupancy, etc., it is difficult to predict what the exact property tax differences will be between County and City.

What is the Urban Growth Boundary?

ORS requires cities establish an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) to identify the amount of land needed for future urban development and to separate urban lands from rural lands. The growth boundary needs to be consistent with a 20-year population forecast. The Comprehensive Plan and other adopted plans and policies manage lands within the UGB, which are considered available for urban development. To help with this management the City of Roseburg and Douglas County have executed an Urban Growth Management Agreement (UGMA).

Establishing a UGB allows for orderly and economic provision for public facilities and services, assures sufficient lands are available for various uses, and encourages development in an orderly fashion, thereby protecting rural agricultural and forest lands.

How might the UGB affect my property?

If your property is located within the UGB, it is considered to be urban in nature and urban services are made available to the property. Likewise, development of the property should be done in an urban manner opposed to rural development. All lands within the UGB have a Roseburg Urban Area Comprehensive Plan designation, which is urban in nature and identifies which properties are appropriate for residential, commercial, industrial and public uses.

Because of the Urban Growth Management Agreement (UGMA) between the City of Roseburg and Douglas County, it is not necessary to annex property into the City to receive urban services. The UGMA transfers jurisdictional authority for some areas to the City, even though those properties remain in the County. The agreement also sets policies for water service, road improvements, annexation and other similar land use issues.

Sewer capacity is available from the Roseburg Urban Sanitary Authority (RUSA) for all UGB properties. Water is available based on the City Water policies. The County usually provides police and fire services for properties outside the City limits. The UGMA also provides standards for processing Comprehensive Plan Amendments, Zone Changes, coordination of urban services, and identifies areas of mutual interest.

If properties in the UGB abut the existing City limits and development is proposed, annexation may be necessary, so the development is process under City standards. If the property is in the UGB but not abutting the existing City boundary, typically water will be made available subject to the property owners signing an agreement to annex at such time as the property complies with ORS standards for annexation.