Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Donald, Oregon

Donald’s own rules

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Uniform codes adopted by Donald city ordinance, inside city limits

  • Only the hazard-prevention uniform codes listed in § 151.15 (including a uniform fire code) were seen; the current residential specialty code and who administers it were not confirmed.
  • Subject to portions modified or amended.

  “there are hereby adopted by the city for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property those certain codes as follows save and except those portions as are hereinafter modified or amended”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Donald city limits

  • Planning services are contracted to the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments.

  “the city council does hereby adopt the city development ordinance, which has been codified in full as a second volume to this code.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Donald city limits

  • Districts seen include R-7, RM, C, DMU, I and EI; the zone map was not opened.

  “single-family (r-7) or multi-family (rm) commercial (c), downtown mixed use (dmu),industrial (i), or employment industrial (ei)”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-7 single-family residential zone, inside Donald city limits

  • Table wording is garbled; duplex and Donald South expansion area figures need confirmation against the source.
  • Other districts (DMU, C, I) not detailed here.

  single-family lot size: >= 7000 sq ft

  “dimension lot size residential uses 7,000 sq. ft. - single-family 7,000 sq. ft. - duplex 6,500 sq. ft. single-family in the donald south expansion area per map 2.103.a.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-7 single-family residential zone, inside Donald city limits

  • Table columns are garbled in the extracted text; values vary by single-family, duplex, accessory dwelling and non-residential use; confirm against the source.

  R-7 setbacks (as extracted): front 10 feet, side 8 feet, street-side 10 feet, garage 20 feet; rear 15 feet (1-story) or 20 feet (2-story) (column assignment uncertain)

  “setbacks duplex accessory dwelling unit non-residential front singlefamily dwelling 10 feet 10 feet 20 feet 20 feet side 8 feet 8 feet 10 feet 10 feet rear 15 feet - 1-story 20 feet - 2-story”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-7 single-family residential zone, inside Donald city limits

  • Non-residential uses in R-7 may reach 45 feet.

  maximum height, residential uses: <= 35 feet

  “dimension maximum height residential uses 35 feet non-residential uses adequate to comply with all applicable development standards non-residential uses 45 feet”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  R-7 residential zone, inside Donald city limits

  • Subject to the standards in Development Code § 2.402 (individual lots) and § 2.403 (parks); those standards were not reviewed.

  “c. the following uses, subject to the applicable standards in § 2.4: 1. manufactured homes on individual lots (§ 2.402) 2. manufactured home parks (§ 2.403).”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  R-7 residential zone, inside Donald city limits

  • Subject to § 2.309.02, which was not reviewed.

  “b. accessory dwelling unit subject to the provisions in § 2.309.02.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, cesspools and subsurface sewage systems inside Donald city limits

  • Exception: 'except as may hereinafter be provided' in the chapter; discharges to natural outlets need DEQ permit.

  “except as may hereinafter be provided, no person shall construct or maintain any privy vault, cesspool, or any other subsurface sewage system intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer, inside Donald city limits

  • Connection required within 90 days after official notice.
  • Owner installs a STEP system and connects at own expense.
  • City planning page states a moratorium on new sewer connections for new development due to limited sewer capacity, extended at the June 9, 2026 council meeting.

  connection deadline after notice: 90 days

  “is required at his or her own expense to install a step system and connect to the public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within 90 days after date of official notice to do so.”

• Permit processPartial

  Land use applications inside Donald city limits

  • Covers land use review only; building permit process not found.

  “complete an application if a permit is required in order to proceed with proposed project - land use application determine the fee - fee schedule”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Donald city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Donald city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Donald city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Donald city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Donald city limits

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.