50th Anniversary of the Land Use Act

The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) began in May of 1973 with the signing of Senate Bill 100 by Governor Tom McCall. This was in response to feedback from Oregonians, namely those of the Willamette Valley who saw urban sprawl threatening the farmland and forests surrounding the major cities of the valley. The bill was sponsored by Senator Hector Macpherson and Senator Ted Hallock.

Oregonians were concerned with the rapid growth of the state in the 1960s and 70s, believing that the rapid expansion of population would result in changes to the economy around farming and timber in the state. Leading up to the creation and eventual passage of Senate Bill 100, many counties and cities in Oregon had been doing their own land planning. It was essential to build local planning into the bill and take it a step further with Citizen Involvement Advisory Committees. So, land use planning stayed tied to local planning with citizen involvement.

The agency has withstoodseveral challenges. Today, DLCD utilizes its statewide planning goals and guidelines in conjunction with its charge of maintaining urban growth, safeguarding timber and farmlands, coastal areas, natural resources, and providing livable communities in conjunction with those communities.

For more publications from the Department of Land Conservation and Development, please visit the agency collection here.