Blue River Right of Way Setback Code Amendments Unanimously Approved
On April 25th, 2023 the Board of County Commissioners approved the Blue River Code Amendments regarding right-of-way setbacks. The ordinance was approved with an emergency clause for an immediate effective date.
Lane County is committed to assisting people impacted by the Holiday Farm Fire to reconstruct and restore their community. Some individuals in the Blue River community want to rebuild, but weren’t able to follow the setback rules because the code required wider areas than what is currently available in the older part of downtown Blue River.
Senior planner Becky Taylor has noted that the existing rights-of-way in the downtown area of Blue River, established by plats during the town’s creation, mostly range from 40 to 60 feet wide. However, the county’s current code requires widths of 50 to 80 feet, posing a challenge for many building owners whose structures were constructed up to their property lines.
Photo of the main street in Blue River prior to 2020 fires- courtesy of McKenzie History Highway
The commissioners received information on how to assist those who were delayed in rebuilding homes and businesses due to the restrictive language in Lane County’s land use provisions.
Because most of the topography of the downtown portion of Blue River does not require an additional 10 foot set-back, the code amendment will eliminate several barriers to rebuilding. A new design concept laid out in the amendment will allow downtown rebuilding plans to mirror the way the town’s streets were configured for over 100 years.
Design concept photo from McKenzie River Reflections