Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Seaside, Oregon

Seaside’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Seaside city limits (Clatsop County, OR)

  • Ordinance originally adopted 1983; page lists revisions through February 2019 (revision stamps, not treated as effective date).

  “code of ordinances of the city of seaside chapter 158 city of seaside zoning ordinance no. 83-10 (pdf)”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Seaside city zoning districts

  • Districts include EFU, R1, R2, R3, RR, RC, C1-C4, M1, PD, aquatic zones, SR and overlays per the city's index.

  “section 3.020 r1 - residential low density (pdf) section 3.030 r2 - residential medium density (pdf) section 3.040 r3 - residential high density (pdf)”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Residential Low Density zone inside Seaside city

  • Density not to exceed five dwelling units per net acre.
  • Other districts (R-2 5,000 sq ft; SR) differ.

  minimum lot area R-1: >= 10000 square feet · average lot width at building line: >= 70 feet

  “in the r-1 zone the following standards shall apply: 1. lot size: lot area shall be a minimum of 10,000 square feet. average lot width shall be at least 70 feet at the building line. 2. density: the overall density on any parcel shall not exceed five dwelling units per net acre.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Residential Low Density zone inside Seaside city

  • Corner lots: side yard abutting side street at least 10 feet.
  • Accessory buildings may extend to within five feet of rear property line.

  front yard: 20 feet · side yard: >= 5 feet (10 feet on street side of corner lots) · rear yard: >= 15 feet (accessory buildings within 5 feet)

  “3. front yard: a front yard shall be 20 feet. 4. side yard: a side yard shall be at least five feet except on corner lots, a side yard abutting the side street shall be at least 10 feet. 5. rear yard: a rear yard shall be at least 15 feet, except accessory buildings may extend to within five feet of a rear property line.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Residential Low Density zone inside Seaside city

  • R-3 allows 45 feet; other districts differ.

  maximum structure height R-1: <= 35 feet

  “6. height restriction: maximum height of a structure shall not exceed 35 feet.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on single-family lots in Seaside city (permitted outright in R-1, R-2, R-3, RR, RC and SR zones)

  • Detached ADUs cannot exceed one story unless incorporated into the second story of a detached garage.
  • One additional off-street parking space required.
  • Floor area over 525 sq ft needs a conditional use; never over 800 sq ft.

  ADU floor area without conditional use: <= 525 square feet (up to 800 sq ft absolute maximum with planning commission conditional use)

  “the total floor area for any adu shall not exceed 525 square feet without approval of a conditional use by the planning commission, but in no case shall the total square footage exceed 800 square feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Seaside or Clatsop County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Seaside city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Seaside city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Seaside city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Seaside city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Seaside city

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.