Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals & Guidelines http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/goals/goal3.pdf
http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/215.html (ORS Chapter 215)
GOAL 3: AGRICULTURAL LANDS OAR 660-015-0000(3) To preserve and maintain agricultural lands.
Agricultural lands shall be preserved and maintained for farm use, consistent with existing and future needs for agricultural products, forest and open space and with the state's agricultural land use policy expressed in ORS 215.243 and 215.700.
USES
Counties may authorize farm uses and those nonfarm uses defined by commission rule that will not have significant adverse effects on accepted farm or forest practices.
IMPLEMENTATION
Zoning applied to agricultural land shall limit uses which can have significant adverse effects on agricultural and forest land, farm and forest uses or accepted farming or forest practices.
DEFINITIONS
1 Agricultural Land -- . . . in eastern Oregon is land of predominantly Class I, II, III, IV, V and VI soils as identified in the Soil Capability Classification System of the United States Soil Conservation Service, and other lands which are suitable for farm use taking into consideration soil fertility, suitability for grazing, climatic conditions, existing and future availability of water for farm irrigation purposes, existing land-use patterns, technological and energy inputs required, or accepted farming practices.
2 Farm Use -- is as set forth in ORS 215.203. High-Value Farmlands – are areas of agricultural land defined by statute and Commission rule.
GUIDELINES
A. PLANNING
1. Urban growth should be separated from agricultural lands by buffer or transitional areas of open space.
2. Plans providing for the preservation and maintenance of farm land for farm use, should consider as a major determinant the carrying capacity of the air, land and water resources of the planning area. The land conservation and development actions provided for by such plans should not exceed the carrying capacity of such resources.
B. IMPLEMENTATION
1. Non-farm uses permitted within farm use zones under ORS 215.213(2) and (3) and 215.283(2) and (3) should be minimized to allow for maximum agricultural productivity.
2. Extension of services, such as sewer and water supplies into rural areas should be appropriate for the needs of agriculture, farm use and non-farm uses established under ORS 215.213 and 215.283.
3. Services that need to pass through agricultural lands should not be connected with any use that is not allowed under ORS 215.203, 215.213, and 215.283, should not be assessed as part of the farm unit and should be limited in capacity to serve specific service areas and identified needs.
