When is a land division review required?
Divide an existing property
Land division reviews are required to divide an existing property to create additional lots for development.
For example, a land division is commonly requested to divide a large residential lot into 2 or 3 lots. Once the land division is complete, new houses can be built on the additional lots.
Move or reconfigure existing lot lines - land division review may not be needed
If you want to move a lot line or reconfigure lot lines between existing legal lots, a land division review is not needed in most cases.
Moving existing lot lines
A property line adjustment allows for minor changes to the location of existing property lines.
Removing or reconfiguring existing lot lines
A replat allows for removing or reconfiguring existing lot lines resulting in up to 3 lots.
Other ways land division can happen
- A land division may be combined with a Planned Development Review.
- Some situations may qualify for a Middle Housing Land Division, an expedited process with limited approval standards.
- A final plat review is required to complete the land division process.
Land division – a two-step process
1. Review and approval of the preliminary plan
- To begin the land division process, submit a land use review application with your preliminary plan maps and other supporting materials showing that the proposal meets all applicable City standards and approval criteria.
- The preliminary plan is reviewed by planners for zoning compliance, as well as other City departments and agencies to ensure that it meets standards for services and utilities, such as water, sewer, stormwater management, and streets.
- You may request an Early Assistance appointment. These optional appointments are available for feedback on your land division before the submittal of the land use review application.
- For Type III Land Divisions, pre-application conferences are required before the submittal of the land use review application.
- Approval of a preliminary plan often includes conditions that must be met before final plat approval can be granted.
- Preliminary Plan approval is good for 3 years. It will expire if an application for a final plat is not made within that period.
- Applicants with larger sites that have significant public improvement requirements, may want to consider a Staged Final Plat.
2. Review and approval of the final plat
- After approval of the preliminary plan, the applicant must submit a final plat for review and approval. The final plat shows the final surveyed layout of the land division, including all lots, tracts, easements and rights-of-way.
- The final plat must also be reviewed and approved by the County Surveyor. To save time, we recommend that you submit the final plat to the County Surveyor at the same time you submit it to the City.
- Once the final plat is approved by the City, it is your responsibility to have the final plat recorded with the County Recording Office within 90 days of City approval.
- Once the final plat is recorded, the land division process is complete and you can apply for building permits for the newly created lots.
Define your land division review procedure type
Land divisions are processed under three different land use review procedure types: Type Ix, Type IIx or Type III.
The procedure type depends on the number of lots proposed and other characteristics, such as encroachments on Flood Hazard or Landslide Hazard Areas. Find details on which procedure type will apply to your project in 33.660.110 or 33.662.110.
Summaries all land use procedure types:
Outline of timeline for Type Ix Procedures:
Outline of timeline for Type Iix Procedures:
Outline of timeline for Type III Procedures:
If your procedure type requires neighborhood contact, you must complete the Neighborhood Contact process.
Land division review application forms
| If the conditions apply to your project | Then include the application requirement |
|---|---|
| For all land division reviews | |
This form acknowledges you are aware of the option for an expedited land division procedure | |
For all Type III land use reviews, a pre-application conference is required. You may also request an optional early assistance appointment to discuss your land division. | |
| For Type III reviews: If you want to be able to submit new information if your case is appealed to City Council, sign this form within 21 days of the application date. |
Submit your application
For instructions on how to submit your completed application, visit Apply for Land Use Reviews and Final Plat Applications.
Resources to help you meet application requirements
Use the Land Division Application Requirements checklist to prepare a complete application.
Use this guide to determine what to include in your application narrative:
Preparing Your Land Division Application Narrative
How to get started
Research your site: To begin the land division process, you should do some basic research about the site you want to divide. This will let you know what is possible and the type of review procedure that will be required. You should explore the following topics by visiting portlandmaps.com or scheduling 15-minute appointments with PP&D staff :
- Property and zoning information: What is the square footage of the property? What is the zoning? What is the maximum number of lots allowed and the minimum number of lots required? (See the Informational Guides on Density and Lot dimensions for help.)
- Site constraints: Are there any site constraints that could affect your proposal, such as Environmental Overlay Zones (p or c zone) on the site, Combined Flood Hazard Area, Potential Landslide Hazard Area or water features (streams, springs, seeps, or wetlands)? Properties with these constraints have additional standards that must be met.
- Services: Are there adequate services available to serve the site, such as water, sewer, stormwater and streets? Providing these services could add considerable expense to the project.
Contact a professional: At a minimum, you will need to work with a surveyor to prepare your land division application and final plat survey. If the land division is relatively simple and you have experience with preparing site development plans, you may be able to prepare the remainder of the required maps and information. However, you may find that working with a professional engineer, planner or architect will save you time and money in the long run. Schedule an Early Assistance Appointment to obtain detailed information about requirements for approval. These meetings are optional for all land divisions, except for Type III reviews, but are recommended for the most efficient review process.
Find information related to your project requirements in the sections below.
Density and lot dimension requirements
Special situations
For sites that have the potential of flooding, find land division requirements:
If your site is within designated potential landslide hazard area:
Requirements for preparing a Landslide Hazard Study:
Identifying and protecting streams, springs, seeps, and wetlands on sites that are located outside of an environmental overlay zone:
Flag Lot regulations:
Land divisions with phased preliminary or final plat approvals:
Tree preservation
Tree preservation requirements for land division applications:
A special review is required to amend an approved tree preservation plan: Tree review information guide
Protecting trees during construction.
Streets, stormwater, tracts and easements
If access or connections are allowed to be in private rights-of-way, specific design standards must be met. See the Administrative Rule for Private Rights-of-Way for a detailed description of requirements.
Garbage collection options for properties with private right-of-way access:
ENN-2.02 - Residential Garbage, Recycling, and Compost Collection
New streets as part of a land division review:
Overview of stormwater requirements and sample utility plan:
The purpose/function of tracts and easements and requirements for creating and maintaining them:
Fees
Review the City of Portland Land Use Services Fees Schedule and the Unincorporated Multnomah County Land Use Fees Schedule.
Need help?
If you have questions after reviewing the information on this page, please schedule a free 15-minute appointment with a city planner or set up an Early Assistance meeting for a deeper discussion.