Requires local governments to require at least one parking space per multiunit unit with limited exceptions.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3903
Sponsored by Representative RUIZ
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: This Act requires one parking spot per multiunit unit in urban areas. (Flesch Readability
Score: 60.7).
Requires local governments to require at least one parking space per multiunit unit with limited
exceptions.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to parking minimums for residential development; creating new provisions; and amending
section 38, chapter 110, Oregon Laws 2024.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
Section 2 of this 2025 Act is added to and made a part of ORS chapter 197A.
SECTION 2. (1) Within an urban growth boundary, a local government must require that
each new multiunit dwelling have at least one parking space per unit and dedicated for use
by the unit.
(2) A variance to the minimum parking requirement in this section may be approved only
for multiunit dwellings within one-half mile of a bus stop on a route providing more than six
buses per hour during working hours.
SECTION 3. Section 38, chapter 110, Oregon Laws 2024, is amended to read:
Sec. 38. (1) As used in sections 38 to 41 , chapter 110, Oregon Laws 2024 [ of this 2024 Act ]:
(a) “Adjustment” means a deviation from an existing land use regulation.
(b) “Adjustment” does not include:
(A) A request to allow a use of property not otherwise permissible under applicable zoning re-
quirements;
(B) Deviations from land use regulations or requirements related to accessibility, affordability,
fire ingress or egress, safety, local tree codes, hazardous or contaminated site clean-up, wildlife
protection, or statewide land use planning goals relating to natural resources, natural hazards, the
Willamette River Greenway, estuarine resources, coastal shorelands, beaches and dunes or ocean
resources;
(C) A complete waiver of land use regulations or any changes beyond the explicitly requested
and allowed adjustments; or
(D) Deviations to requirements related to the implementation of fire or building codes, federal
or state air, water quality or surface, ground or stormwater requirements, or requirements of any
federal, state or local law other than a land use regulation.
(2) Except as provided in section 39 , chapter 110, Oregon Laws 2024 [of this 2024 Act ], a local
government shall grant a request for an adjustment in an application to develop housing as provided
in this section. An application qualifies for an adjustment under this section only if the following
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 4558
HB 3903
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conditions are met:
(a) The application is for a building permit or a quasi-judicial, limited or ministerial land use
decision;
(b) The development is on lands zoned to allow for residential uses, including mixed-use resi-
dential;
(c) The residential development is for densities not less than those required under section 55
(3)(a)(C), chapter 110, Oregon Laws 2024 [ of this 2024 Act ];
(d) The development is within an urban growth boundary, not including lands that have not been
annexed by a city;
(e) The development is of net new housing units in new construction projects, including:
(A) Single-family or multifamily;
(B) Mixed-use residential where at least 75 percent of the developed floor area will be used for
residential uses;
(C) Manufactured dwelling parks;
(D) Accessory dwelling units; or
(E) Middle housing as defined in ORS 197A.420;
(f) The application requests not more than 10 distinct adjustments to development standards as
provided in this section. A “distinct adjustment” means:
(A) An adjustment to one of the development standards listed in subsection (4) of this section
where each discrete adjustment to a listed development standard that includes multiple component
standards must be counted as an individual adjustment; or
(B) An adjustment to one of the development standards listed in subsection (5) of this section
where each discrete adjustment to a listed development standard that includes multiple component
standards must be counted as an individual adjustment; and
(g) The application states how at least one of the following criteria apply:
(A) The adjustments will enable development of housing that is not otherwise feasible due to
cost or delay resulting from the unadjusted land use regulations;
(B) The adjustments will enable development of housing that reduces the sale or rental prices
per residential unit;
(C) The adjustments will increase the number of housing units within the application;
(D) All of the units in the application are subject to an affordable housing covenant as described
in ORS 456.270 to 456.295, making them affordable to moderate income households as defined in ORS
456.270 for a minimum of 30 years;
(E) At least 20 percent of the units in the application are subject to an affordable housing
covenant as described in ORS 456.270 to 456.295, making them affordable to low income households
as defined in ORS 456.270 for a minimum of 60 years;
(F) The adjustments will enable the provision of accessibility or visitability features in housing
units that are not otherwise feasible due to cost or delay resulting from the unadjusted land use
regulations; or
(G) All of the units in the application are subject to a zero equity, limited equity, or shared
equity ownership model including resident-owned cooperatives and community land trusts making
them affordable to moderate income households as described in ORS 456.270 to 456.295 for a period
of 90 years.
(3) A decision on an application for an adjustment made under this section is a limited land use
decision. Only the applicant may appeal the decision. No notice of the decision is required if the
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application is denied, other than notice to the applicant. In implementing this subsection, a local
government may:
(a) Use an existing process, or develop and apply a new process, that complies with the re-
quirements of this subsection; or
(b) Directly apply the process set forth in this subsection.
(4) A local government shall grant an adjustment to the following development standards:
(a) Side or rear setbacks, for an adjustment of not more than 10 percent.
(b) For an individual development project, the common area, open space or area that must be
landscaped on the same lot or parcel as the proposed housing, for a reduction of not more than 25
percent.
(c) Parking minimums , except for minimums required under section 2 of this 2025 Act .
(d) Minimum lot sizes, not more than a 10 percent adjustment, and including not more than a
10 percent adjustment to lot widths or depths.
(e) Maximum lot sizes, not more than a 10 percent adjustment, including not more than a 10
percent adjustment to lot width or depths and only if the adjustment results in:
(A) More dwelling units than would be allowed without the adjustment; and
(B) No reduction in density below the minimum applicable density.
(f) Building lot coverage requirements for up to a 10 percent adjustment.
(g) For manufactured dwelling parks, middle housing as defined in ORS 197A.420, multifamily
housing and mixed-use residential housing:
(A) Requirements for bicycle parking that establish:
(i) The minimum number of spaces for use by the residents of the project, provided the applica-
tion includes at least one-half space per residential unit; or
(ii) The location of the spaces, provided that lockable, covered bicycle parking spaces are within
or adjacent to the residential development;
(B) For uses other than cottage clusters, as defined in ORS 197A.420 (1)(c)(D), building height
maximums that:
(i) Are in addition to existing applicable height bonuses, if any; and
(ii) Are not more than an increase of the greater of:
(I) One story; or
(II) A 20 percent increase to base zone height with rounding consistent with methodology out-
lined in city code, if any;
(C) Unit density maximums, not more than an amount necessary to account for other adjust-
ments under this section; and
(D) Prohibitions, for the ground floor of a mixed-use building, against:
(i) Residential uses except for one face of the building that faces the street and is within 20 feet
of the street; and
(ii) Nonresidential active uses that support the residential uses of the building, including lobbies,
day care, passenger loading, community rooms, exercise facilities, offices, activity spaces or live-
work spaces, except for active uses in specifically and clearly defined mixed use areas or commercial
corridors designated by local governments.
(5) A local government shall grant an adjustment to design standards that regulate:
(a) Facade materials, color or pattern.
(b) Facade articulation.
(c) Roof forms and materials.
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(d) Entry and garage door materials.
(e) Garage door orientation, unless the building is adjacent to or across from a school or public
park.
(f) Window materials, except for bird-safe glazing requirements.
(g) Total window area, for up to a 30 percent adjustment, provided the application includes at
least 12 percent of the total facade as window area.
(h) For manufactured dwelling parks, middle housing as defined in ORS 197A.420, multifamily
housing and mixed-use residential:
(A) Building orientation requirements, not including transit street orientation requirements.
(B) Building height transition requirements, not more than a 50 percent adjustment from the
base zone.
(C) Requirements for balconies and porches.
(D) Requirements for recesses and offsets.
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