Accessory Buildings

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I permitted to place a storage shed or shop on my residential lot?

You may have a non-habitable accessory structure such as a garage, storage shed, shop, greenhouse or gazebo on your property, subject to these restrictions:

  • Structures 200 square feet in floor area or less, and not exceeding a height of 15 feet measured from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface, are exempt from building permits but must conform to current building codes and meet setbacks.
  • Structures between 201 and 400 square feet require a building permit and a Type I Land Use Review.
  • Structures larger than 400 square feet of building footprint and/or taller than 10 feet must meet Architectural Design Standards per Section 14.22.190 and require a building permit and a Type I Land Use Review.
  • Structures taller than 16 feet and/or larger than 800 square feet of building footprint require a Type III Conditional Use Permit, as well as a building permit.
  • Structures must be located outside of front, rear, or side yard setbacks. If your property is located on a corner lot, please contact our office for additional setback requirements.
  • You cannot exceed your zoning district’s lot coverage standard:
    • 50% for R Restricted Residential and R-1 Low Density Residential lots or
    • 60% for R-2 Medium Density Residential lots.
    • Lot coverage is defined as the percentage of your property covered by buildings, roofs or impervious structures. Contact the Community Development office for questions on calculating lot coverage.
Category: Accessory Buildings
May I build an addition to my home?

Generally, the answer would be yes, as long as the addition does not encroach into any required setbacks, exceed lot coverage allowances, or violate height restrictions. In R-1 Low Density Residential districts, buildings may be 28 feet high (measured to mid-point of ridge). Buildings may be 40 feet high in R-2 Medium Density Residential and RC Residential Commercial districts, and 50 feet high in R-3 High Density Residential districts. Additionally, all other required building and development code requirements must be met. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Community Development Department for further information regarding such plans.

Category: Accessory Buildings
May I build an apartment on my property?

The City allows “Accessory Dwelling Units” (defined as a second dwelling unit on a lot with an existing single-family house, which is auxiliary to, and smaller than, the main house). Section 14.22.200(B) of the Development Code specifies standards for ADU's. These are available at the Community Development Department or can be downloaded from this site. Standards include:

  • One accessory dwelling unit is allowed per single-family home, and shall not exceed 800 square feet of floor area. The unit can be a detached cottage, a unit attached to a garage, or in a portion of an existing house.
  • The structure shall comply with the Oregon Residential Specialty Code or Oregon Structural Specialty Code, as appropriate
  • Detached accessory dwellings cannot exceed 28 feet or 110% of the height of the primary dwelling (whichever is less).
  • The accessory dwelling shall have its own water and sanitary sewer connections to the public system, unless the applicant can show that the existing water and sanitary sewer connections for the primary residence are sized appropriately to accommodate the additional impacts
  • A garage that is needed to meet the parking requirement for the main house cannot be converted into an ADU.
Category: Accessory Buildings
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