Lane County, OR

Common application types

• Residential Combo Permit
• Commercial Combo Permit
• Manufactured dwelling placement
• Electrical permit
• Residential mechanical and plumbing
• On-Site Wastewater (sanitation) permit
• Facility permit (Public Works, county road access)
• ADU Zoning Determination (ADU ZD Application)
• Type I land use applications

New homes and additions

Residential Combo Permit submittals include a scaled site plan printable on 11x17, construction drawings, truss layout if engineered, engineering if not prescriptive, a geotechnical report where the parcel is in a required area, and an energy efficiency handout for new dwellings, ADUs and additions over 600 sq ft. An On-Site Wastewater permit application is needed when adding or altering a septic system or adding bedrooms. Driveways onto county roads need a Public Works Facility permit, and an erosion prevention self-certification applies in County-administered MS4 or Mercury TMDL areas.

ADUs and middle housing

Under Ordinance 23-05 (adopted August 29, 2023, implementing SB 391), Lane County allows one ADU on Rural Residential land of at least 2 acres that already has a single-family dwelling, within 100 feet of the dwelling and up to 900 sq ft of usable floor area. The lot or parcel must be served by a fire protection service provider, the ADU may not be used for vacation occupancy, and ADUs are not allowed in urban reserves. Applications use the ADU ZD (zoning determination) application.

Decks, retaining walls and accessory structures

Nonhabitable one-story detached accessory buildings up to 200 sq ft and 15 ft high are exempt from building permits (up to 400 sq ft on parcels of 2 acres or more when at least 20 ft from all property lines), as are decks 30 inches or less above grade, patio and deck covers up to 200 sq ft at least 3 ft from lot lines, fences up to 7 ft and retaining walls that do not support or affect a regulated building. Exempt work still needs any applicable zoning, land use or sanitation approval, and separate electrical, mechanical or plumbing permits may apply.

Commercial tenant improvements and change of use

Commercial work under the Oregon Structural Specialty Code, including additions and alterations, is submitted as a Commercial Combo Permit with code summary plans, building and planning site plans, ComCheck energy data and, where required, a fire department access letter and fire sprinkler and alarm plans. Electrical work is permitted separately.

Land use review

Lane County Planning processes Type I land use applications (some online through ePASS), zoning determinations including rural ADUs, property line adjustments, legal lot verifications and floodplain development review; hearings go to the Hearings Official or Planning Commission. Under Ordinance 20-07, floodplain applications received after September 7, 2023 for new construction and substantial improvements must elevate the lowest floor 2 ft above Base Flood Elevation (or 3 ft above highest adjacent grade where no BFE exists). A Planner-on-Duty line (541-682-3577) is available for questions.

Corrections and review

The County states that plans examiner review typically takes two to six weeks depending on workload, and that Planning or septic review running alongside can extend it. Projects submitted digitally must keep all later revisions, deferred items and reports digital, with uploads limited to 10MB each.

Tips from SASHKOV

• Confirm jurisdiction first: incorporated cities run their own building programs, and Lane County publishes building and electrical inspection district maps.
• Use the LMD-PRO property records portal for permit history and documents back to the 1970s.
• Flag the proposed driveway location on site for the Public Works foreman when applying for a Facility permit on a county road.

Where to apply

Permitting authority: Public Works, Land Management Division (Building Safety). Online submittals: ePASS.