THE OCEANSIDER: Oceanside Neighborhood Association Committee Nearing Final Report on Recommended Zoning Changes

By Jerry Keene, Editor, The Oceansider

After a year of detailed orientation and policy sessions with county officials, the ONA’s Zoning and Plan Review Committee (“ZAPR”) is entering the home stretch in its mission to bring recommended Oceanside zoning changes to the general membership for a vote in April 2025. The changes stem from a statewide mandate to allow the construction of multifamily dwellings (up to quadruplexes) in areas currently restricted to single family residences. While the state law originally applied only to larger cities, Tillamook County is the subject of a subsequent legislative trial program (referred to as Senate Bill 406) extending the requirement to all of its incorporated and unincorporated communities.

The ZAPR Committee is focusing on issues that the state law left to the discretion of local communities. These potentially include adjustments to building setbacks, height limits, landscaping, design review and other measures to ameliorate the impact of mandated multifamily housing in the midst of established residential areas. The next two ZAPR Committee meetings are set for March 10 and March 24, both starting at 5 p.m. The public may attend in person at the Oceanside Community Club or remotely by Zoom. (The ONA will send out a link by email).

The Committee aims to finalize its report and submit it for a membership vote at the April 5, 2025 ONA regular meeting. If adopted, County Community Development Director Sarah Absher will combine those zoning changes with the long-deferred building height and exterior lighting standards approved by ONA members in 2019. She will then submit them to the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners for adoption later this summer. The Commissioners must complete their review of all such proposals countywide in time to meet a June 31, 2025, deadline set by the Legislature.

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