Codes & Standards

Comprehensive Plan Map Codes and standards guide land use, transportation, site development, and building projects from concept to construction in the City of Hillsboro.

The Economic & Community Development Department has adopted the following codes, regulations, and standards to guide decision-making, investment, and community growth.

The adopted codes shape the Design & Construction Standards that are followed by developers, engineers, homeowners, and landowners in Hillsboro.

Hillsboro Community Development Code

The Community Development Code provides detailed land use and zoning information.

The City of Hillsboro has moved to a new platform to host its Municipal and Community Development Code. The former site will sunset in March 2026. Please update your bookmarks.

New Code Software: Features

eNotify – The eNotify service allows users to enroll online and receive email notifications when the online code is updated. You can find this feature in the menu ribbon at the top of the screen (Notifications). Learn more about eNotify.
Print/Save/Email – Users can share a link, print, download (as a Microsoft Word document), or email files at the section, article, or chapter levels or even non-sequential sections from multiple portions of the code. You can find these options in the section or chapter headers as blue icons.
Translate – Translate City of Hillsboro code into 100+ languages, powered by Google Translate, in the upper right corner of the screen.
CodeBank Compare – Compare past version of the online code to any other version. The differences will be shown via highlights (added material) or strikethrough (deleted material). Users will be notified of code changes in the table of contents and within the text of the code via “modified,” “new,” or “removed” badges. Users can also select an option to view all of the changes in a single view, complete with strikethrough and highlights, showing the specific changes made. For more information, see this tutorial.

Ordinance Updates

While our online code was updated with the new site, it is not yet completely up to date. The following ordinances have not yet been incorporated into the online code. Please continue to use the linked copies below or on the code website under “Browse Individual Ordinances”.

Ordinance 6508: Omnibus No. 8
The amendment incorporates various policy neutral changes and conforming amendments to ensure consistency with state legislation to the Hillsboro Community Development Code.
Effective: 12/4/2025
Ordinance 6505: CDCA-003-25 Transportation Amendments to Plan District and Procedures
The amendment updates plan district street cross-sections and correct and clarifies transportation procedures.
Effective: 9/18/2025
Ordinance 6506: CDCA-004-25 Limited Uses in the UC-MU Zone
The amendment clarifies that Industrial Service uses are not permitted in the UC-MU zone.
Effective: 9/2/25
Ordinance 6504: CDCA-002-25 Minor and Major Comprehensive Plan Amendments
Clarify the process for minor and major amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.
Effective: 8/15/2025

Ordinance 6500: Regulatory Floodplain Overlay Incorporated the 2020 DLCD Model Ordinance into the Regulatory Floodplain Overlay section of the CDC.
Effective: 7/17/2025

Prior Versions

Legislative Updates

The following legislation was passed in 2024 and 2025. The items within these bills which are effective now are listed below. There are other requirements in the bills which are effective later which are not listed below. See the full text of the bills linked below for additional information. Some requirements below were incorporated into the code in Omnibus No. 8.

Legislation: SB 1537

City is required to grant mandatory adjustments for certain housing applications.
The City implemented SB 1537 by referencing the ORS.
This sunsets January 2, 2032.

Legislation: HB 2138

Only clear and objective standards can be applied in tree removal codes for housing applications.
Middle Housing Land Division Timing:

City must allow submission of MHLD applications before, during or after building permit submittal.

Must allow concurrent review of Subdivision with an MHLD
ELD Procedures: (and MHLD procedure only IF requested by applicant)

No public notice and cannot include any comment in decision
Notice of Decision to applicant only
Appeal goes to LUBA directly

Legislation: HB 2005

Residential Treatment Homes (Household Living) and Residential Treatment Facilities (Group Living) allowed outright on land zoned for:

Residential
Commercial
Employment
Public Lands
Industrial (must be publicly owned or owned by public benefit corporation, within 250 feet of residential and not designated heavy industrial)

Crisis Stabilization Center and Mental or Psychiatric Hospital siting requirements

Legislation: SB 48 (1537 Technical Fixes)

Clarified “goal post” provisions

For housing applications within UGB, review must be based:

On standards and criteria in place at time of submittal; OR
On standards and criteria in place at time of request.

This request restarts the timeline as if a new application was submitted: new completeness review and 30day/180day completeness requirements and 120 day decision timeline.
City does not have to accept request if:

Public Notice has been issued
Request for new criteria was already made

Legislation: SB 1099

City is required to allow preschool, pre-k and daycare on land where places of worship are allowed (incorporated by Omnibus 8)

Legislation: SB 974

Cannot apply “residential design standards” to single detached, manufactured housing and middle housing developments over 20 units including:

Façade materials, colors or patterns
Roof decoration, form or materials
Accessories, materials or finishes for entry doors or garages
Window elements such as trim, shutters or grids
Fence type, design or finishes
Architectural details such as ornaments, railings, cornices and columns
Size and design of porches or balconies
Variety of design or floorplan
Front or back yard landscaping

This sunsets January 1, 2033

Hillsboro Municipal Code: Quick Links

Design & Construction Standards

Hillsboro Public Works & Water Department

The City of Hillsboro Design and Construction Standards help to keep people and property safe by setting minimum standards for the design and construction of public infrastructure. The Design and Construction Standards ensure adequate quality and function of public improvements.

While the information in the Design and Construction Standards is most relevant to developers and engineers, there are some sections that are applicable to home and land owners in Hillsboro. These include:

Driveway renovation
Drainage
Erosion control
Street tree and sidewalk maintenance and replacement

The Design and Construction Standards also regulate the design and construction of private transportation and utility improvements which connect to or impact public infrastructure.

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue plays an integrated role in community development, coordinating with applicants and other departments to review plans and provide support from land use, to site development, to building construction.

Fire standards include:

Fire access and water supply
Assignment and posting of addressing
Emergency responder radio coverage

Visit the Fire & Rescue Community Development webpage for design and construction standards.

Other Agencies

State of Oregon Building Codes

The City of Hillsboro utilizes the most current codes as they are adopted by the State of Oregon. The State of Oregon Building Codes Division website has electronic versions of the adopted codes available.

Statewide Adopted Codes Used in Hillsboro

2022 Oregon Structural Specialty Code
2022 Oregon Fire Code
2022 Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code
2021 Oregon Energy Efficiency Specialty Code (Based on the 2019 ASHRAE 90.1)
2022 Oregon Commercial Reach Code
2021 Oregon Residential Reach Code
2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code
2023 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code
2023 Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code
2010 Oregon Manufactured Dwelling Installation Specialty Code
2002 Oregon Manufactured Dwelling and Parks Specialty Code
Department of Energy (DOE) Building Energy Codes

Hillsboro Land Use & Transportation Plans

Hillsboro Comprehensive Plan

Hillsboro Transportation System Plan

The Hillsboro Transportation System Plan (TSP) is the blueprint for the City's transportation investments over the next 20 years.

The TSP examines the needs and deficiencies of the current system, forecasts future needs, and provides a plan for future transportation investments that serves Hillsboro's diverse users, is consistent with the community's values, and is also fiscally attainable. The TSP includes individual system modal plans for pedestrians, bicyclists, motor vehicles, transit and freight, and a list of candidate projects and financing plan to implement these plans.

The TSP is updated periodically to adjust for the City's project growth and to stay compliant with the latest State and regional regulations. The City of Hillsboro last updated its TSP in 2004. Since 2004, the TSP has been amended close to a dozen times to account for transportation planning needs in the City's rapidly growing areas such as South Hillsboro, North Hillsboro and AmberGlen.

The most recent TSP update was a comprehensive revision of the entire document. The update was completed and adopted in March of 2022.

By the Numbers:

TSP plans for future growth of the City to an approximately 165,000 person population and 135,000 jobs (from about a population of more than 108,000 and 80,000 jobs currently).
A total of 143 road improvement projects including:
- 46 projects for safety and capacity (21 lane miles of vehicle travel lanes and 15 lane miles of center turn lanes)
- 36 projects for new roads (50 lane miles of new travel lanes with sidewalks and bike facilities)
- 89 projects for sidewalks and bike facilities infill

Total of 110 intersection improvement projects including:
- 48 new traffic signals
- 48 modifications to existing signals
- 45 intersections with new turn lanes for improved capacity
- 5 new roundabouts

Additional citywide safety, fiber, transit and future high capacity transit projects
Existing streets with over 82% complete sidewalks (420 curb miles); remaining 90 curb miles planned in TSP projects
Existing streets with 140 curb miles of bike facilities; total 232 curb miles planned (121 miles buffered bike lanes, 62 miles cycle tracks, 45 miles standard bike lanes, 4 miles shared-use path)

The Transportation System Plan guides transportation-related decision making and investment in Hillsboro. The City Council approved a major update to the Transportation Systems Plan in the Spring of 2022.