Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) recently shared a helpful refresher on Statewide Planning Goal 5, which addresses Natural Resources, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Open Spaces.

Goal 5 requires local governments to inventory resource sites, determine which are significant, and adopt appropriate protection measures. Some resource categories rely on state or federal inventories, while others require local analysis. Many of the implementing rules date back to the 1990s, and not all local plans are aligned with current standards.

If your community is updating its comprehensive plan or development code, it may be time to revisit your Goal 5 framework.

Winterbrook Planning has prepared Goal 5 inventories, ESEE analyses, and implementing programs for countless cities and counties across Oregon. We can help ensure your policies are clear, defensible, and consistent with state rules.

We encourage you to review DLCD’s full Goal 5 resource, and reach out if we can support your work.