Yachats planning commission warns ‘doing nothing’ won’t avoid code changes required by state law

The Yachats Planning Commission used a public Zoom workshop to walk residents through what the “do nothing” option would actually mean for the city’s Title 9 land‑use code. Commissioners and staff warned that while the city has some time, certain provisions must be updated because the code is not consistent with Oregon law.

“we have to change it,” one commissioner said during the session, explaining that the current code includes prohibitions the state no longer allows. Commissioners emphasized that removing illegal prohibitions without replacing them could leave large parts of local regulation blank — “the wild west” — and that thoughtful choices are needed to protect neighborhood character while meeting legal obligations. The commission noted that some changes are mandatory, while others are optional and will be considered separately in upcoming workshops.