Neighborhood Associations

Oregon City established a Citizen Involvement Program in the 1980s. The program has two major components: neighborhood associations and a Citizen Involvement Council (CIC). The CIC is the officially recognized citizen advisory committee to meet LCDC Statewide Planning Goal 1, and as required by Goal 1, is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating the Citizen Involvement Program. The City Commission provides for assistance to neighborhoods while maintaining the autonomous nature of the associations.

Goal 1 of the 2004 Oregon City Comprehensive Plan is based on the Citizen Participation Goal in the 1976 Land-Use Policies for Oregon City. The 1976 policy seeks to "provide an active and systematic process for citizen and public agency involvement in the land use decision-making for Oregon City". Goal 1 of the 2004 Plan, described as Citizen Involvement, details both the Neighborhood Associations and the Citizen Involvement Coordinating Committee (CICC) as the vehicles for ensuring citizen participation.

The CIC coordinates and communicates various aspects of citizen participation in the community and advises the City Commission, the Planning Commission and other planning and advisory bodies. The City Manager provides a City Liaison.

Presentations are regularly made to neighborhood associations by the City, developers, the school district, other units of government and the business community on plan proposals, ballot measures and other topics of interest. Neighborhood associations discuss other topics and plan activities on neighborhood projects.

Some Land Use Applications require a neighborhood meeting before processing. Per OCMC 17.50.055 Neighborhood Meetings, the following applications require a Neighborhood Association Meeting: "Applicants applying for annexations, zone change, comprehensive plan amendments, conditional use, planning commission variances, subdivision, or site plan and design review (excluding minor site plan and design review), general development master plans or detailed development plans applications shall schedule and attend a meeting with the city-recognized neighborhood association in whose territory the application is proposed no earlier than one year prior to the date of application. Although not required for other projects than those identified above, a meeting with the neighborhood association is highly recommended."

Public Notices

The Planning Division is happy to answer any questions you may have regarding any proposed project. Please feel free to email them or call 503-722-3789 or visit them from 9 am to 4 pm during business days at 695 Warner Parrott Road

View the Fee Waivers for Appeals by Recognized Neighborhood Associations (PDF).

The appeal fee may be waived for a recognized organization under certain circumstances. If a city-recognized neighborhood association with standing to appeal (e.g. submitted comments) has voted to request a fee waiver pursuant to OCMC 17.50.290.C, no appeal fee shall be required for an appeal filed by that association. In lieu of the appeal fee, the neighborhood association shall provide a duly adopted resolution of the general membership or board approving the request for fee waiver. If you are a Neighborhood Association wishing to make a free appeal. Please make sure you include the meeting notice and minutes in your application along with your resolution.

View the How to Prepare and Mail Neighborhood Association Postcards page.

The city budget puts aside money each biennium in a city account to support the printing and mailing of neighborhood association postcards. The city has a contract with Buels Impressions Printing, which prints the cards and sends them to a third-party mailer through a bulk rate permit. Neighborhood Associations prepare the draft postcard with their own graphic design program.

Homeowner's Associations

Within Oregon City's neighborhoods are many more homeowners associations (HOAs). Homeowners associations are private corporations typically established by a developer during the development process to provide for the ongoing management and maintenance of common areas and amenities, and in some cases to review the design of new or remodeled homes within the development. Membership in HOAs is typically limited to property owners, and during the subdivision build-out also includes the developer. Non-owners typically do not have association voting rights. The City does not require HOAs to maintain contact information with the City.

Community Planning Organizations

Community Planning Organizations (CPOs) are comparable to the Oregon City Neighborhood Associations for land outside of city limits and are recognized by Clackamas County. View the Clackamas website for more information.