HB 3438 is a narrow land-use measure focused on Coos County. It creates a special rule allowing certain golf courses to be sited on land zoned for exclusive farm use (EFU) if the land meets one of several detailed eligibility tests. Those tests include land that is not high-value farmland, or, in a limited circumstance, certain high-value farmland west of U.S. Highway 101 that is surrounded on all sides by an approved golf course. The bill also includes a separate category for certain tracts in Coos County west of Highway 101 that were planted in specified perennials on December 6, 2007, but that category is removed in the amended version shown in the bill text.
The measure amends Oregon’s EFU land-use statutes, specifically ORS 215.213 and 215.283, to add golf courses as an expressly allowed nonfarm use under the listed conditions. It also adds a new section to ORS chapter 215 establishing the Coos County-specific siting criteria and makes the amendments operative on January 1, 2028. The bill sunsets on January 1, 2028, meaning the special authorization is temporary unless extended or reenacted.
The bill’s practical effect is to give Coos County a limited, time-bound pathway to approve golf course development on certain agricultural lands that would otherwise be restricted under Oregon’s farm-use zoning framework. It does not broadly change statewide EFU policy for all counties; instead, it creates a localized exception tied to geography, farmland classification, and existing golf-course context. The affected parties are Coos County landowners, developers, and local land-use decision-makers, as well as agricultural interests concerned with EFU protections.
No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented public debate in the supplied materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears technical and targeted rather than ideologically broad. The inclusion of a sunset and delayed operative date suggests an attempt to limit the scope and duration of the change, which often indicates a compromise approach.
Because there are no recorded discussions or votes in the provided context, contention can only be inferred from the subject matter. The likely point of dispute is the tension between preserving exclusive farm use lands, especially high-value farmland, and allowing recreational or tourism-oriented development such as golf courses. Supporters would likely emphasize local economic development and flexibility for Coos County, while opponents would likely focus on farmland preservation, precedent for exceptions to EFU zoning, and the conversion of agricultural land to nonfarm use.
HB 3438 amends ORS 215.213 and 215.283 to add golf courses as a permitted use on certain exclusive farm use lands, and it creates a new Coos County-specific siting standard in ORS chapter 215. The bill narrows the exception to lands meeting specified farmland and location criteria, and it delays the operative date of the new criteria until January 1, 2028. It also sunsets the measure on January 1, 2028, limiting the duration of the statutory change.
No committee testimony or vote history was provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the supplied record. From the bill’s structure, the sentiment appears cautious and localized: the measure is narrowly tailored, time-limited, and geographically restricted, which suggests an effort to balance development interests with farmland-protection concerns.
The main policy tension is between allowing a golf course on EFU land and preserving agricultural land use, especially high-value farmland. Likely supporters include Coos County interests seeking economic or recreational development and landowners seeking flexibility, while likely opponents include farmland preservation advocates and those concerned about weakening Oregon’s exclusive farm use zoning system or setting a precedent for exceptions.