Sandy adopts development-code changes tied to Oregon wildfire-restoration law
Sandy City Council adopted Ordinance 2026-17 on Aug. 3, changing the city’s development code for certain homes made uninhabitable by wildfires or other natural events.
The ordinance amends Municipal Code Chapter 17.08, which addresses nonconforming development. Its stated purpose is to bring Sandy’s local rules into alignment with 2026 Oregon legislation, including Senate Bill 1561 and revised Oregon statutes.
For eligible property owners, the change establishes an alternative local process for restoring or replacing a dwelling rendered uninhabitable by an involuntary cause. The ordinance does not create an automatic right to rebuild every damaged dwelling. Practical application will depend on administrative procedures and individual eligibility determinations.
What changes for property owners
The adopted code amendment gives Sandy a local framework for handling qualifying restoration or replacement requests under the revised state requirements. That matters for homeowners whose residences are made uninhabitable by a wildfire or another natural event, because the city’s development rules now expressly address that type of situation.
The available city planning packet does not identify a specific Sandy property currently seeking restoration under the new process. It also does not provide an estimate of how many properties could qualify or describe a completed application.
Ordinance 2026-17 becomes effective 30 days after its Aug. 3 adoption. Until then, the ordinance is adopted but not yet effective.
Separate from sewer connection limits
The development-code change is separate from Sandy’s restrictions on new sewer connections. The city is limiting new connections through a Development Allocation Program while it pursues improvements to its wastewater treatment plant.
Sandy adopted the Development Allocation Program through a resolution dated May 18, 2026. City information says the treatment plant has struggled with high sewage and stormwater volumes, and that the sewer issue has involved permit violations and intermittent pollution of Tickle Creek.
The city says enforcement proceedings involve the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sandy is pursuing treatment-plant upgrades to avoid further permit violations and pollution of Tickle Creek.
Those sewer measures concern new connections and treatment capacity. They should not be read as part of Ordinance 2026-17 or as a separate finding about whether a particular damaged home qualifies for restoration or replacement.
For Sandy residents and property owners, the next known step on the wildfire-restoration code change is its effective date 30 days after adoption, followed by the administrative handling of any individual requests under the new requirements.
Sources
- Sandy Planning Commission/City Council meeting packet containing Ordinance 2026-17, City of Sandy
- Development Moratorium Information, City of Sandy
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