Planning Department FAQs

The Planning Department receives many questions about zoning and land use. You can find answers to the most commonly asked questions here.

What are your office hours?

Is my property in the City of Milwaukie?

How is my property zoned?

Can I subdivide or develop my property?

Do I need zoning approval or a building permit?

How do I report a zoning violation?

Do I need a permit to cut down a tree?

Where can I find more information about my property?

What are your office hours?

The office hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00AM to 5:00PM.

The Planning counter hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00AM - 12:00PM and 1:00PM - 4:00PM. The counter is closed at 2:00PM on Mondays.

Calls to the Planner on Duty line are generally returned within 24 hours. The line can be reached at 503-786-7630.

Is my property in the City of Milwaukie?

Many properties with a Milwaukie mailing address are not within the City of Milwaukie, but are in unincorporated Clackamas County. Use the following information to help determine the jurisdiction of your property:

• The City of Portland website www.portlandmaps.com is an excellent source for online searches on specific addresses, even in Milwaukie and Clackamas County. (Note: Generally, if your property is in gray, it is in unincorporated Clackamas County)
• The Zip Code 97267 is not within the City.
• A property with an address less than 8500 or greater than 13600 on any north-south street is not in the City. A property with an address greater than 7211 on any east-west street is not in the City
• If you receive utility bills from the City, the property is located in the City.
• Call the Community Development front desk at 503-786-7600 for further assistance.

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How is my property zoned?

See the City Zoning Map (Planning Maps link below). Google Earth Users can also access zoning data on this page. Be aware that some properties have Overlay Zones that may not appear on the online map. See the Zoning Ordinance (Title 19) for zoning descriptions. Call the Planner on Duty message line at 503-786-7630 for further information.

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Can I subdivide or develop my property?

Every situation and property is unique. Planning staff can help with the basics to get you started in determining if your property can be subdivided or developed. Call the Planner on Duty line or come into the office during counter hours. 

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Do I need zoning approval or a building permit? 

The City's zoning regulations differ from regulations that require building permits. Always check with Planning staff at 503-786-7630 before starting work. Then follow up with the Building Official at 503-786-7611 to see if a building permit is needed.

How do I report a zoning violation?

Call the Code Compliance Office located in City Hall at 503-786-7409. 

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Do I need a permit to cut down a tree?

Please see the Engineering Department regarding tree removal. Trees located in the right-of-way require a right-of-way permit.

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Where can I find more information about my property?

There are  several resources available where you can find more information about your property.

• Portland Maps - maintained by the City of Portland. Useful for finding a property's location and jurisdiction. Contains general information for properties in the Metro. Some detailed property data is available only for properties in the City of Portland.
• Clackamas County C-Map - maintained by Clackamas County. Contains basic tax assessor's data about properties within Clackamas County. Other Clackamas County map information is available at http://www.clackamas.us/gis/.
• ORMAP - website containing tax assessor maps for all counties in Oregon. Searchable by address or tax lot number. Tax assessor maps have useful information about lot area and dimensions.
• Clackamas County Surveyor Information System - allows users to retrieve plats, surveys, donation land claims, and other surveyor information on file with the Clackamas County Surveyor's Office. This site is particularly useful for researching the land division history of a property.
• Clackamas County Assessor's Office - the Assessor's Office has information about changes and improvements that have been made to Clackamas County properties. This information is available by calling or visiting the Assessor's Office.
• Multnomah County Library - the Multnomah County Library has multiple resources available for researching property history. Most of this information is available at the Central Library, though some resources are available on-line with a Multnomah County Library Card.

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