Coos Bay
Improving Our Community
The goal of the Public Works & Community Development Department is to work with the community in achieving and maintaining a better quality of life by providing professional guidance and coordination of all land planning and development activities, and by fairly and consistently implementing the City's regulations and policies.
Incorporated within the Public Works & Community Development Department are various City divisions including; Planning, Building Codes, Economic Development, Urban Renewal, and Codes Enforcement.
Get To Know
Tom Dixon
Helpful Links
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Business Oregon
Business Oregon is the state's economic development agency and serves both the business and infrastructure needs across the state. Business Oregon works to create, retain, expand, and attract businesses. The Coos Bay office of provides information and assistance to local business owners with the State’s economic development programs as well as offering counseling, market research, and evaluation of international partners and other services to help companies develop and expand their products and services in key overseas markets.
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Oregon Employment Department
The Employment Department acts as the connection point for employees and employers, provides regional and statewide labor market statistics, and Oregon unemployment insurance administrators.
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South Coast Business Employment Corporation (SCBEC)
SCBEC is a private, non‐profit organization providing employee screening, recruitment, customized training programs and a wide range of related services. SCBEC also offers training wage subsidies to qualifying employers.
FAQs
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× How can I contact the Building Official?
Call the City of Coos Bay Building Codes Division at 541-269-8918. The office staff can tell you permit information, schedule inspections, and can answer many of your questions, and can forward you to the Building Official if needed.
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× How do I report a zoning violation?
Zoning violations can result when an activity or use occurs on a property that is contrary to the limitations or regulations in a zoning district. If you suspect a zoning violation is occurring and want to report it, please contact the Planning Division at 541-269-8918. We'll need to know the address of the property involved, the alleged nature of the violation, when the violation occurs (if it is not constant or in the same place), and how long it has been going on. The better information way receive, the sooner a response can usually occur.
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× Do I need a permit for a shed?
You may need a building permit, and you need to check with the Planning Division to make sure that the shed is allowed and will fit with your allowable lot coverage. A building permit is required if the building is more than 200 square feet in size or over 8 feet tall. The Planning Division can help make sure that you meet your property's requirements for zoning, lot coverage, setbacks, and other issues.
Building Codes Division
Ensuring the safety and structural integrity of buildings and other structures.
Building permits ensure that construction meets minimum building standards to ensure safe workmanship. You need a permit if you’re making structural, plumbing, mechanical, or electrical changes to an existing building or if you're building something new. Permits are also required for any work in the right of way (ROW), demolition, sewer connections and repairs, curb cuts, site development, and signs.
Additional information and applications.
All electrical and plumbing permits are processed and issued by the Oregon State Building Codes Division (BCD). The Coos County BCD office is located in Coos Bay City Hall, phone is 541-266-1098, fax is 541-266-1146.
Code Enforcement Division
Fostering a healthy and attractive community
The Code Enforcement Divsion is dedicated to working in cooperation with city officials, property owners and citizens to preserve the beauty and value of property and lands as well as promoting the safety, health and general well-being of all citizens and visitors to our city. Code Enforcement provides information to the general public and to individuals affiliated with specific development projects. We investigate complaints and enforce compliance in the areas of nuisance standards such a junk and debris, including:
- Accumulation of junk
- Animals
- Dismantled and junk vehicles
- Encroaching vegetation
- Personal storage on a public right-of-way
- Shrubbery and vision obstructions
- Signs
- Substandard dwellings
- Unauthorized dumping of garbage
- Zoning
We rely primarily on requirements from the City's Municipal Code, which is available online. Public health and safety are priorities as we work to gain compliance with existing code and administrative rules. We aim to provide exceptional customer service by emphasizing a cooperative, problem-solving approach with professionalism and respect.
Through education and enforcement, we work with community members to:
- Maintain and improve community livability
- Support healthy neighborhoods
- Enhance community beautification
- Protect natural resources
- Ensure compliance with state and local codes, policies and goals
To report a concern, please call the Community Development office at 541-269-8918.
Planning Division
Assisting the community with land use and development
The Planning Division provides a range of responsive services for the citizens of Coos Bay and the development community for matters pertaining to land development and community planning. We are the primary source for public information on development in the City. Although not all development activity necessarily requires direct involvement with the planning staff and support services, we can usually guide inquiries and questions to the right person or entity.
We implement the City’s Development Code, which involves the regulatory side of land use and development activity. For example, we give information on where to build or add on to structures to ensure compliance with zoning, property setbacks, lot coverage, parking, and other regulations. This helps the City develop in a coordinated and organized manner that benefits not only individual property owners but adds to our community’s vitality. The Development Code is available online as Title 17 of the Coos Bay Municipal Code.
The Planning Division is responsible for project management on land use applications that propose new or modified development in the City. This includes conducting pre-application conferences, the in-take of proposed development applications, providing public notification and information on proposed development projects, reviewing projects for compliance with the adopted Development Code, making decisions or recommendations on those projects (depending on their level of review), and scheduling and conducting public hearings. Ultimately, our purpose is to guide each project through the approval process in a timely manner when all development requirements are satisfied.
The City of Coos Bay is also a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program since areas within the City have been subject to periodic flooding. We have adopted land use control measures to reduce flood hazards and assure that city residents will continue to benefit from the national program.
Applications
Land Use Development Review Pre-Application
Land Use Development Review Application
Design Standards
Economic Development
Partners with other public and private entities to expand and diversify our local economy
Economic Development promotes and revitalizes the Downtown and Empire Urban Renewal Districts by coordinating with the city’s economic development partners to attract, retain, and promote expansion of local business opportunities, managing the façade improvement grant program, and coordinating urban renewal projects.
The goal of economic development is to create a downtown that is a quality of life asset for the entire community, bringing unique spaces, recreation, excitement, history, social opportunities and cultural resources to all residents and visitors.