Page 81 - Rural Tourism Report Washington County

CHAPTER 4: RURAL TOURISM REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

that they will not create significant adverse impacts 1. Those intended to avoid displacement of farmland
to farming. Additional restrictions apply to others, by requiring that a use/activity:
for example living history museums and golf • Be “incidental and subordinate to existing

courses are prohibited on high-value soils, and farm use,”
some uses are prohibited based on proximity to
the urban growth boundary. A more complete list • Be “related to, and supportive of,
of uses allowed by the state under ORS 215.213 is agriculture,”
included in Appendix C. • Not adversely affect accepted farm/forest
practices or significantly increase the cost
While quite prescriptive on uses that can occur associated with accepted farm/forest practices,
within the County's three resource districts, there • Not materially affect the stability of the area’s
is some potential for expanding appropriate tourism existing land use pattern,
uses and activities in the County’s other six rural
zones. The discussion of the provisions of ORS 215 as • Not be allowed on high-value farmland,
revised by SB 960 and 841-B, immediately below, • Not involve the use of new permanent

establishes the context for exploring the potential structures, and/or
mix of uses that supports agri- and rural tourism • Not involve site alterations.
already allowed in the County’s CDC - such as farm The above safeguards have been developed to im-
stands, private parks, wineries, golf courses, room plement Statewide Goals 3 and 4, and already have
and board arrangements, and living museums – and been widely used in the County’s CDC standards for
lays the groundwork for potential expansion of such exclusive farm use districts.
uses as state and County regulations evolve.

2. Those intended to minimize off-site impacts (e.g.
State Framework
In addition to certain exempt farm uses described traffic, parking, noise) on surrounding farm/forest
in ORS 215.203, language within ORS 215.213 and uses and rural residents, and to ensure that the
215.452/.453 provides a robust framework for use/event meets local requirements for health, fire
allowing a wide range of tourism related uses on safety, sanitation, and, solid waste disposal. These
exclusive farm use (EFU) lands. Some provisions are currently some of the standards against which

apply to EFU land in general while others are discretionary land use reviews within and without
specific to winery operations. Oversight is generally rural areas are judged.
achieved through the land use review process. ORS
language puts restrictions around many allowable Thus, ORS 215.213 as modified by SB 960, and
rural tourism related activities. 215.452/.453 as modified by SB 841-B, provide a
suitable template for local code implementation

Restrictions that apply to various uses generally fall of event-based rural tourism uses and activities in
into two categories: exclusive farm zones (EFU/AF-20). It also seems
that these could be used as templates to expand
rural tourism opportunities in other rural land use
WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM STUDY 77