Deschutes County adopts housing code changes under emergency clause to meet state deadline

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-002—amending Deschutes County Code Title 18 and Title 19 to incorporate clear-and-objective housing standards—by emergency adoption on Wednesday. The ordinance will take effect 30 days after adoption, on March 28, 2025.

Planning staff told commissioners the ordinance bundles foundational definitions and standards the county must adopt to comply with state law and to allow later packages to build on consistent language. "We are under a time crunch as noted in the state statute that's kind of set off this entire clear and objective package. We have until July first of this year ultimately to adopt as many clear and objective amendments to our current development code," Associate Planner Kyle Collins said during the presentation.

The board voted to adopt the ordinance and to declare an emergency to make the 30-day effective date possible. Commissioners recorded their votes in favor during the meeting; the adoption completes first and second readings that the board had already held at prior public hearings and work sessions. County staff said the emergency adoption is intended to let staff and the development community prepare for the new standards before other dependent packages are brought forward.

Collins said the 30-day delay between adoption and effect will be used to train staff and advise regular development community applicants on the new criteria. The change is part of a multi-package program county staff expects to bring forward over the coming months; the board said it expects to return with additional packages addressing related development code items.

The action affects the county zoning code and the Bend Urban Area Zoning Ordinance; staff described it as a building-block change necessary for later, more detailed amendments. No subsequent revisions were adopted at this meeting.