ORS Chapter 201

TITLE 20

COUNTIES ANDCOUNTY OFFICERS

 

Chapter     201.     Boundariesof Counties

                  202.     Establishmentof New Counties; Change of Boundaries

                  203.     CountyGoverning Bodies; County Home Rule

                  204.     CountyOfficers

                  205.     CountyClerks

                  206.     Sheriffs

                  208.     CountyTreasurers

                  209.     CountySurveyors

                  210.     CountyAccountants

                  215.     CountyPlanning; Zoning; Housing Codes

_______________

 

Chapter 201 — Boundariesof Counties

 

2009 EDITION

 

BOUNDARIESOF COUNTIES

 

COUNTIESAND COUNTY OFFICERS

 

201.005     “Boundaryof the state” defined

 

201.010     BakerCounty

 

201.020     BentonCounty

 

201.030     ClackamasCounty

 

201.040     ClatsopCounty

 

201.050     ColumbiaCounty

 

201.060     CoosCounty

 

201.070     CrookCounty

 

201.080     CurryCounty

 

201.090     DeschutesCounty

 

201.100     DouglasCounty

 

201.105     Landtransferred to Douglas County

 

201.110     GilliamCounty

 

201.120     GrantCounty

 

201.130     HarneyCounty

 

201.140     HoodRiver County

 

201.150     JacksonCounty

 

201.160     JeffersonCounty

 

201.170     JosephineCounty

 

201.180     KlamathCounty

 

201.190     LakeCounty

 

201.200     LaneCounty

 

201.210     LincolnCounty

 

201.220     LinnCounty

 

201.230     MalheurCounty

 

201.240     MarionCounty

 

201.250     MorrowCounty

 

201.260     MultnomahCounty

 

201.270     PolkCounty

 

201.280     ShermanCounty

 

201.290     TillamookCounty

 

201.300     UmatillaCounty

 

201.310     UnionCounty

 

201.320     WallowaCounty

 

201.330     WascoCounty

 

201.340     WashingtonCounty

 

201.350     WheelerCounty

 

201.360     YamhillCounty

 

201.370     Boundariesof counties bordering Pacific Ocean

 

      201.005“Boundary of the state” defined. As used in this chapter, “boundary ofthe state” or similar words means the boundary of Oregon described in section 1of the Act of Congress admitting Oregon into the union, approved February 14,1859 (11 Stat. 383), as modified by the Oregon-Washington Columbia RiverBoundary Compact set forth in ORS 186.520. [1967 c.421 §189]

 

      201.010Baker County.The boundary of Baker County is as follows:

      (1)Commencing at the intersection of Powder River with Snake River; thence up themain channel of Powder River to the intersection of North Powder River withPowder River; thence up the main channel of North Powder River to the mouth ofthe Anthony Fork of North Powder River; thence up the main channel of AnthonyFork of North Powder River to the largest lake near the source of Anthony Fork,which lake is used as a reservoir for the Camp Carson mines; thence due west tothe summit of the chain of mountains, known as the Blue Mountains, thatseparate the waters of Powder River and Burnt River on the east from the watersof John Day River on the west; thence southerly along the summit of such chainof mountains between the waters of Powder and Burnt Rivers on the east and thewaters of John Day River on the west to a point where The Dalles military roadcrosses the summit of the Blue Mountains; thence due east to a point where therange line of the United States surveys will be intersected between ranges 36and 37 east of the Willamette Meridian; thence due south to the state line onthe forty-second parallel of north latitude; thence due east along the stateline to the intersection of the state boundary line between Idaho territory andOregon; thence due north to the mouth of the Owyhee River; thence down themiddle of the main channel of Snake River to the mouth of the Powder River tothe place of beginning.

      (2)Commencing at the intersection of the township line between townships 6 and 7south, range 40 east, with Powder River; thence east on such township line tothe center of range 42 east; thence north to the township line between townships5 and 6 south; thence east on the township line between townships 5 and 6 southto the Wallowa County line; thence easterly along the Wallowa County line toSnake River; thence up and along Snake River to the mouth of Powder River;thence up and along Powder River to the place of the beginning.

 

      Note: For descriptionof area removed from the area described in 201.010 (1) to form Malheur County,see 201.230.

 

      201.020Benton County.(1) The boundary of Benton County is as follows:

      (a)Commencing in the middle of the Willamette River, at the southeast corner ofPolk County; thence running south along the main channel of the river to themiddle fork of the river; thence up the middle fork to its source; thence duesouth to the forty-second parallel of north latitude; thence west along theforty-second parallel to the Pacific Ocean; thence north along the coast of thePacific Ocean to the southern boundary of Polk County.

      (b)Beginning at a point on the Benton and Lincoln County boundary line which is thenortheast corner of section 13, township 14 south, range 9 west, WillametteMeridian; thence west a distance of approximately one mile to the sectioncorner common to sections 11, 12, 13 and 14, township 14 south, range 9 west,Willamette Meridian; thence south a distance of approximately one mile to thesection corner common to sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, township 14 south, range 9west, Willamette Meridian; thence west a distance of approximately four milesto the section corner common to sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, township 14 south,range 9 west, Willamette Meridian; thence south a distance of approximately twomiles to the section corner common to sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, township 14south, range 9 west, Willamette Meridian; thence east a distance ofapproximately two miles to the section corner common to sections 27, 28, 33 and34, township 14 south, range 9 west, Willamette Meridian; thence south adistance of approximately two and one-fourth miles to the Lane and LincolnCounty boundary along the one-sixteenth section line in sections 10, 11 and 12in township 15 south, range 9 west, Willamette Meridian; thence east to theboundary lines corner common to Lincoln, Benton and Lane Counties; thence northa distance of approximately five and one-fourth miles to the place ofbeginning.

      (c)The southern boundary of Benton County commences in the middle of the channelof the Willamette River at a point where a line running west will pass threemiles south of the ford on Long Tom (near Rowland Hinton’s field); thencerunning due west to a monument set on the present county boundary between Laneand Benton Counties, which is 14.96 chains north of the quarter section cornerbetween sections 11 and 12, township 15 south, range 6 west, WillametteMeridian; thence south to the quarter corner between sections 11 and 12,township 15 south, range 6 west; thence westerly on the quarter line throughtownships 6 and 7 west, to the quarter corner on the west side of section 7,township 15 south, range 7 west; thence south to the quarter corner on the eastside of section 12, township 15 south, range 8 west; thence westerly on thequarter section line through township 15 south, range 8 west, to the west lineof section 7 of such township.

      (2)When the Willamette River serves as the boundary between Linn and BentonCounties in subsection (1)(a) and (c) of this section, a reference to the riverrefers to the middle of the Willamette River as it existed on January 8, 2003,and may be further identified using coordinates and other location informationdetermined by the affected county surveyors and filed by the appropriatecounties with the appropriate county assessors and the Department of Revenueunder ORS 308.225. [Amended by 2003 c.622 §1]

 

      Note: For descriptionof areas, parts of which were once encompassed by the area described in 201.020(1)(a) but that now form parts of Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine,Lane and Lincoln Counties, see, respectively, 201.060, 201.080, 201.100,201.150, 201.170, 201.200 and 201.210.

 

      201.030Clackamas County.The boundary of Clackamas County is as follows:

      (1)The territory bounded north by Multnomah County, east and south by theWillamette River and west by the meridian line, and that part of WashingtonCounty lying in section 12, in township 3 south of the base line, and township1 west of the Willamette Meridian.

      (2)So much of Yamhill County as is embraced within township 3 south of range 1west of Willamette Meridian, as described on the government surveys.

      (3)The boundary line between Clackamas and Marion Counties commences in the centerof the Willamette River where the first section line of the government surveysbelow the town of Butteville in Marion County intersects the Willamette River;thence east to the third section corner from such river; thence south to thetownship line; thence in a due east course to the middle of Pudding River;thence up such river to the mouth of Butte Creek; thence up Butte Creek to apoint at its source, from which point a rock 7 by 4 by 3 feet above groundmarked “X” B. S. bears north 85 degrees east twenty-two one-hundredths chains,and from which point another rock 4 by 3 by 3 feet above ground marked “X” B.S. bears west thirty-five one-hundredths chains, which point is eighteen andforty one-hundredths chains south and fourteen and seventy-five one-hundredthschains west of the quarter-section corner between sections 11 and 12 intownship 8 south, range 3 east of the Willamette Meridian; thence due east tothe summit of the Cascade Mountains.

 

      Note: In addition tothe boundary described in 201.030, the eastern boundary of Clackamas County isthe summit of the Cascade Range adjacent to parts of the western boundaries ofWasco County (see 201.330) and Hood River County (see 201.140). The northernboundary of Clackamas County is the southern boundary of Multnomah County (see201.260).

      Fordescription of area removed from Clackamas County and annexed to MultnomahCounty, see 201.260.

 

      201.040Clatsop County.The boundary of Clatsop County is as follows:

      (1)Beginning at a point where the northern boundary of the state is intersected bythe projection north of the range line between ranges 5 and 6 west of theWillamette Meridian; thence south along such projection and range line to thesoutheast corner of township 4 north, range 6 west; thence westerly along thetownship line between townships 3 and 4 north of the Willamette Base Line andalong the projection westerly of such line to the western boundary of thestate; thence north along such western boundary to the northwest corner of thestate; thence easterly along the northern boundary of the state to the point ofbeginning.

      (2)The line of boundary between Tillamook and Clatsop Counties is the southboundary line of Clatsop County, as described in subsection (1) of thissection.

 

      201.050Columbia County.The boundary of Columbia County is as follows: Beginning at the point where thenorthern boundary of the state is intersected by the projection north of therange line between ranges 5 and 6 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence southalong such projection and range line to the southwest corner of township 4north, range 5 west; thence east along the line between townships 3 north and 4north of the Willamette Base Line to the northeast corner of section 3,township 3 north, range 3 west; thence south along section lines to thesouthwest corner of section 11 of such township; thence east along sectionlines to the southeast corner of section 12 of such township; thence southalong the township line to the southeast corner of section 13 in such township;thence east along section lines to the northeast corner of section 21, township3 north, range 2 west; thence south to the southeast corner of section 21 ofsuch township; thence east along section lines to the southwest corner ofsection 23, township 3 north, range 1 west; thence north to the westquarter-corner of such section; thence east along quarter-section lines to theboundary of the state; thence northerly and westerly along the boundary of thestate to the point of beginning.

 

      201.060Coos County.The boundary of Coos County is as follows:

      (1)The boundary line between Coos and Curry Counties begins on the shore of thePacific Ocean at the section line between sections 21 and 28 of township 30south of range 15 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence east along the linebetween sections 21, 28, 22, 27, 23, 26, 24 and 25 to the township line betweentownship 30 south of range 14 west of the Willamette Meridian and township 30south of range 15 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence north along suchtownship line to the west quarter corner of section 19 of township 30 south ofrange 14 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence east along the quarter sectionlines of sections 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 of township 30 south of range 14 westof the Willamette Meridian; thence in township 30 south of range 13 west of theWillamette Meridian east along the quarter section lines of sections 19 and 20to the east quarter corner of section 20; thence south to the northwest cornerof the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 21; thence east tothe northeast corner of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter ofsection 21; thence south to the southeast corner of the northwest quarter ofthe northwest quarter of section 28; thence east to the southwest corner of thenortheast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 28; thence south to thesouthwest corner of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section28; thence east to the west quarter corner of section 27; thence south to thecommon section corner of sections 27, 28, 33 and 34; thence east to the commonsection corner of sections 26, 27, 34 and 35; thence south to the southwestcorner of section 35 of township 30 south of range 13 west of the WillametteMeridian; thence east along the township line between township 30 south ofrange 13 west of the Willamette Meridian and township 31 south of range 13 westof the Willamette Meridian to the north quarter corner of section 2 in township31 south of range 13 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence continuing in suchtownship south along the quarter section line to the center of section 2;thence west to the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of the northwest quarterof section 2; thence south to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter ofthe southwest quarter of section 2; thence east to the southeast corner of thesouthwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 2; thence south to thesouthwest corner of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section11; thence east to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of thenortheast quarter of section 11; thence south to the east quarter corner ofsection 11; thence east along the quarter section line to the center of section12; thence south to the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of thesoutheast quarter of section 12; thence east to the northeast corner of thesouthwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 12; thence south to thesouthwest corner of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section13 of said township 31 south of range 13 west of the Willamette Meridian;thence east to the township line between township 31 south of range 12 west ofthe Willamette Meridian and township 31 south of range 13 west of theWillamette Meridian; thence south along such township line to the west quartercorner of section 18 of township 31 south of range 12 west of the WillametteMeridian; thence continuing in such township east along the quarter line ofsection 18 to the east quarter corner of section 18; thence south to the westquarter corner of section 20; thence east to the northeast corner of thenorthwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 20; thence south to the northeastcorner of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 20; thenceeast to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarterof section 20; thence south to the south quarter corner of section 20; thenceeast to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarterof section 29; thence south to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter ofthe southeast quarter of section 29; thence east to the northeast corner of thesoutheast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 29; thence south to thesouthwest corner of section 33 of township 31 south of range 12 west of theWillamette Meridian; thence south in township 32 south of range 12 west of theWillamette Meridian to the southeast corner of lot 1 of section 5; thence westto the southwest corner of lot 4 of section 5; thence south to the commonsection corner of sections 5, 6, 7 and 8; thence west to the northwest cornerof the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 7; thence south tothe southwest corner of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter ofsection 18; thence east to the northeast corner of lot 5 of section 19; thencesouth along the lot line between lots 4, 5, 12, 13, 20, 21, 28, 29, 34, 35, 42,43 in section 19, between lots 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 22, 23 in section 30 andbetween lots 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 22, 23 to the southwest corner of lot 23 insection 31 of township 32 south of range 12 west of the Willamette Meridian;thence east along the township line between township 32 south of range 12 westof the Willamette Meridian and township 33 south of range 12 west of theWillamette Meridian to the northeast corner of lot 2 of section 9 of township33 south of range 12 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence south along thequarter lines of sections 9, 16, 21, 28, to the south quarter corner of section33 in township 33 south of range 12 west of the Willamette Meridian; thenceeast along the township line between township 33 south of range 12 west of theWillamette Meridian and township 34 south of range 12 west of the WillametteMeridian to the northwest corner of lot 1 of section 4 of township 34 south ofrange 12 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence south to the southwest cornerof such lot 1; thence east to the southeast corner of such lot 1; thence northto the northeast corner of such lot 1; thence east along the township linebetween township 33 south of range 12 west of the Willamette Meridian andtownship 34 south of range 12 west of the Willamette Meridian to the southquarter corner of section 34; thence north to the center of section 34; thenceeast to the east quarter corner of section 35; thence north to the northwestcorner of section 36; thence east to the northeast corner of section 36 oftownship 33 south of range 12 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence northalong the township line between township 33 south of range 11 west of theWillamette Meridian and township 33 south of range 12 west of the WillametteMeridian to the northwest corner of section 31 of township 33 south of range 11west of the Willamette Meridian; thence east to the southeast corner of section28; thence north to the northwest corner of section 27; thence east to thesoutheast corner of section 22; thence north to the northwest corner of section23; thence east to the southeast corner of section 14; thence north to thenortheast corner of section 14; thence east to the northeast corner of section13; thence north to the northeast corner of lot 1 of section 12; thence east alongthe township line between township 32 south of range 11 west of the WillametteMeridian and township 33 south of range 10 west of the Willamette Meridian tothe southeast corner of township 32 south of range 11 west of the WillametteMeridian; thence north along the township line between township 32 south ofrange 10 west of the Willamette Meridian and township 32 south of range 11 westof the Willamette Meridian to the west quarter corner of section 19 of township32 south of range 10 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence east in suchtownship along the quarter lines of sections 19, 20 and 21 to the east quartercorner of section 21; thence north to the northwest corner of section 22;thence east to the southeast corner of section 15; thence north to the westquarter corner of section 14; thence east along the quarter line throughsections 14 and 13 to the east quarter corner of section 13 of township 32south of range 10 west of the Willamette Meridian, which point is the southeastcorner of Coos County.

      (2)The boundary line between Coos and Douglas counties begins on the shore of thePacific Ocean, at the township line between townships 22 and 23 south; thenceeast along such line to the section line between sections 3 and 4 of township23 south, range 10 west; thence south along such line to the south boundary ofsuch township; thence east to the northeast corner of township 24 south, range10 west; thence south to the southeast corner of such township; thence east tothe section line between sections 3 and 4, township 25 south, range 9 west;thence south to the south boundary of township 26 south, range 9 west; thenceeast to the southeast corner of such township; thence south to the northeastcorner of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 36,township 28 south, range 9 west; thence west one-fourth mile; thence southone-fourth mile to the township line between townships 28 and 29 south; thencewest along such township line to the section line between sections 3 and 4,township 29 south, range 9 west; thence south to the south boundary of suchtownship; thence west to the southwest corner of such township; thence southalong the east line of township 30 south, range 10 west to the southeast cornerof such township; thence east to the northeast corner of township 31 south,range 10 west; thence south along such township line to the southeast corner ofsuch township; thence east to the northeast corner of township 32 south, range10 west; thence south along such township to the east quarter corner of section13 of township 32 south of range 10 west of the Willamette Meridian, whichpoint is the southeast corner of Coos County. [Amended by 1983 c.778 §2; 1999c.600 §1]

 

      Note: All of theboundary of Coos County is described in 201.060 except the western boundary,which is the Pacific Ocean.

 

      201.070Crook County.The boundary of Crook County is as follows: Beginning at the southeast cornerof township 21 south, range 24 east of Willamette Meridian; thence west alongtownship lines to the southwest corner of township 21 south, range 21 east;thence to the northwest corner of such township; thence west to the southwestcorner of township 20 south, range 20 east; thence north to the northwestcorner of such township; thence west along township lines to the southwestcorner of township 19 south, range 17 east; thence north to the northwestcorner of such township; thence west along township lines to the southwestcorner of township 18 south, range 15 east; thence northerly to the northwest cornerof township 17 south, range 15 east; thence west to the southwest corner oftownship 16 south, range 14 east; thence northerly along the range line to thenorthwest corner of township 14 south, range 14 east; thence easterly to thenortheast corner of such township; thence north to the northwest corner oftownship 13 south, range 15 east; thence easterly to the southeast corner ofsection 32, township 12 south, range 16 east; thence northerly along sectionlines to the northwest corner of section 4 of such township; thence easterly tothe northeast corner of township 12 south, range 19 east; thence south alongthe range line to the southwest corner of section 18, township 13 south, range20 east; thence along section lines easterly to the east boundary of range 22east; thence south along the range line to the southwest corner of township 13south, range 23 east; thence easterly to the southeast corner of such township;thence south to the southwest corner of township 14 south, range 24 east;thence east to the east line of range 25 east; thence south along such rangeline to the southeast corner of township 18 south, range 25 east; thence westto the southwest corner of such township; thence south along the west line ofrange 25 east to the point of beginning.

 

      201.080Curry County.The boundary of Curry County is as follows: Beginning on the shore of thePacific Ocean at the section line between sections 21 and 28 of township 30south of range 15 west of the Willamette Meridian; thence following the boundaryline between Coos and Curry Counties, as defined in ORS 201.060 (1), to thesoutheast corner of Coos County, which point is the east quarter corner ofsection 13 of township 32 south of range 10 west of the Willamette Meridian;thence due south to a point on the summit of the ridge dividing the waters ofthe Rogue River from the Umpqua River, which point is the southwest corner ofDouglas County; thence east along the southern boundary of Douglas County tothe divide forming the eastern tributaries of John Mule Creek; thence southfollowing the western boundary line of Josephine County, as defined in ORS201.170, to the parallel of 42 degrees north latitude; thence west to thePacific Ocean; thence north along the line of the Pacific Ocean to the place ofbeginning. [Amended by 1999 c.600 §2]

 

      201.090Deschutes County.The boundary of Deschutes County is as follows: Beginning at the southeastcorner of township 22 south, range 23 east of the Willamette Meridian; thencewesterly along township lines to the summit of the Cascade Range; thencenortherly along the summit of the Cascade Range to the line between township 13and 14 south; thence easterly along such township line to the northeast cornerof township 14 south, range 13 east; thence southerly along the east line ofra