[G] Systemic Plan Integration in Oregon: A Statewide Example of Reducing Risk Through Planning

[G] Systemic Plan Integration in Oregon: A Statewide Example of Reducing Risk Through Planning

Statewide Planning Goal 7 states that developments may not be planned in areas of known natural hazard risk without appropriate safeguards. The Goal also states that local governments must adopt comprehensive land use policies that reduce risk to floods, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal erosion, and wildfires. Goal 7 also standardizes a procedure for the sharing of new information on hazard risk with local governments. Planning Goals 17 and 18 incorporate hazard mitigation planning activities that are specific to coastal areas. Goal 17 focuses on reducing hazards associated with coastal shorelands, and Goal 18 seeks to protect life and property through proper beach and dune conservation.

Oregon’s land use planning and hazard mitigation efforts are well connected. Back-to-back winters with severe storms and flooding in 1996 and 1997 spurred the State to create the Governor’s Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team, which guides State hazard mitigation planning efforts. This team of approximately 20 State agencies provides expertise, implementation support, and overall coordination for the State of Oregon Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. The natural hazards identified in the State mitigation plan are consistent with those listed in Goal 7, which also builds in provisions for local communities to incorporate more localized hazard information into their comprehensive plans. Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) manages the State Natural Hazards Program, while working closely with emergency management staff to reduce losses.

The Oregon DLCD encourages local governments to participate in both the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Community Rating System (CRS). The requirements of the NFIP and CRS are considered intrinsic land use tools to both the State and local communities.

Oregon’s building code also incorporates hazard mitigation principles, regulating building construction with respect to earthquake risk, wind loads, wildfire risk, and flood hazards, while working hand-in-hand with the State’s NFIP model ordinance. The building design standards, while optional, include best practices for design and construction in flood hazard areas. Beyond everyday building requirements, Oregon law requires new critical facilities undergo hazard- specific site analysis to create resilient critical and essential facilities; it also prevents placing critical facilities in tsunami hazard zones.

In order to effectively protect from floods and other hazards, Oregon communities use three key local land controls: overlay zoning, subdivision regulations, and transfer of development rights (TDR) programs. Overlay zoning specifies more stringent requirements to protect identified hazard-prone areas. For example, the City of Talent uses a combination floodplain, parks, and greenway overlay to protect the floodplain and ensure it can properly convey flood waters.

Subdivision regulations work to create safer future development, exemplified in Polk County, which prohibits subdivisions in the floodplain, and the State encourages other communities to use cluster development and performance bonds to encourage subdivisions in areas of the community that are deemed safe. TDR programs are used particularly for areas of known landslide hazard; TDRs transfer existing development rights from hazard-prone areas to safer areas. For example, Deschutes County requires developers to transfer the former right to development in landslide-prone areas to another parcel in a designated safe “receiving site.”

Integration Highlights

Setting a State or countywide planning agenda that clearly links local planning with preventing loss of life and property.

Convening interagency experts to improve overall hazard mitigation integration.

Standardizing risk information dissemination to empower local communities to make land use and development decisions based on the best possible information.

Using overlay zoning and hazard-specific subdivision requirements to protect new and future development from hazards identified in hazard mitigation plans.

Considering implementing TDR programs to move the right to development from unsafe to safe areas.

Encouraging CRS participation at the statewide level to support local efforts.

Table C-4. Role in Plan Integration