The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) is the chief

land-use planning Land use planning is the process of regulating the use of land by a central authority. Usually, this is done to promote more desirable social and environmental outcomes as well as a more efficient use of resources. More specifically, the goals ...

and regulatory agency of the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. The DLCD administers the statewide land use planning program. A seven-member volunteer citizen board known as the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) guides DLCD. Oregon’s statewide land use planning program – originated in 1973 under Senate Bill 100 – provides protection of farm and forest lands, conservation of natural resources, orderly and efficient development, coordination among local governments, and citizen involvement. One of the primary objectives of the program is to create a predictable and sustainable development process by allocating land for industrial, commercial and housing needs within

urban growth Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city." Urban sprawl has been described as the unrestricted growt ...

boundaries. Under the program, all cities and counties have adopted comprehensive plans that meet mandatory state standards. The standards are set forth in 19 Statewide Planning Goals that address

land use Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and managed woods. Land use by humans has a long h ...

, development,

housing Housing, or more generally, living spaces, refers to the construction and assigned usage of houses or buildings individually or collectively, for the purpose of shelter. Housing ensures that members of society have a place to live, whether it ...

, transportation, and conservation of natural resources. Periodic review of plans and technical assistance in the form of grants to local jurisdictions are key elements of the program.* Prior to passage of SB100, despite early state actions implementing some state land policy through its jurisdiction over

state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...

s, land use planning was almost exclusively exercised by municipalities and counties. *

References

External links

* Land Conservation and Development Department, Oregon 1973 establishments in Oregon {{Oregon-gov-stub