Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Elgin, Oregon

Elgin’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Elgin city limits (Union County)

  “in a residential (r-1) zone, the following uses and their accessory uses are permitted outright:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Elgin city

  • Districts listed: R-1, R-2, CBZ, C-1, I, I-C, P, plus floodplain (FP) and downtown overlay zones.

  “chapter 17.24 - central business zone (cbz) chapter 17.28 - general commercial (c-1) zone chapter 17.32 - industrial (i) zone”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Elgin R-1 residential zone

  • Three or more units: 7,500 sq ft plus 1,000 sq ft per additional unit over two
  • Other districts (R-2 etc.) not reviewed

  single-family lot: >= 5000 square feet · two-family lot: >= 6000 square feet

  “b. minimum lot size. single-family dwelling units. five thousand (5,000) square feet. two-family dwelling units. six thousand (6,000) square feet. three or more dwelling units. seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet plus one thousand (1,000) square feet per additional unit over two.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Elgin R-1 residential zone

  • Other districts not reviewed

  front yard: >= 20 feet · rear yard (dwelling): >= 5 feet · side yard: >= 5 feet (street side yard 15 feet)

  “front yard. twenty (20) feet deep from lot line to any structure. rear yard. five feet deep from lot line to any dwelling. side yard. there shall be a side yard of not less than five feet in width on each side of any building or structure, except that a street side yard shall be fifteen (15) feet.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the Elgin R-1 residential zone

  • Wheels removed and placed permanently on a foundation per Oregon manufactured dwelling standards and the construction permit issued by the Union County/La Grande building department
  • Perimeter wall enclosing area under home, no higher than 24 inches
  • HUD 1976 standards
  • Pitched roof minimum 2.5:12
  • Must be serviced by water and sewer separate from other units
  • Requirements must be met before city water service is activated

  minimum width: >= 14 feet · minimum floor area: >= 1000 square feet

  “the home shall have a minimum width of fourteen (14) feet and enclose a floor area of at least one thousand (1,000) square feet, as originally manufactured.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway design standards inside Elgin city

  • Variances require proof of unique conditions and no self-created hardship
  • City may modify or waive where shared access is impractical

  minimum lane width: >= 10 feet

  “l. driveways shall meet the following standards: if the driveway is a one-way in or one-way out drive, then the driveway shall be a minimum width of ten (10) feet and shall have appropriate signage designating the driveway as a one way connection; for two-way access, each lane shall have a minimum width of ten (10) feet.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals in the Elgin R-1 residential zone

  • Conditional use approval under chapter 17.44
  • Other districts not reviewed

  “in the residential (r-1) zone, the following uses and their accessory uses are permitted by conditional use approval in accordance with chapter 17.44: [...] i. livestock or farm animals, subject to section 17.16.030(c). j. short-term rentals.”

Still unanswered

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

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