Bolthole Index

Coos County, Oregon

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Myrtle Point, Oregon

The City of Myrtle Point, Oregon, in Coos County, zones every parcel inside city limits1. Building permits appear to come from Coos County, which issues them countywide except in Coos Bay, North Bend and Lakeside2. Septic permits for Coos County come from the county Onsite Septic Program3. We could not confirm which of these offices handles septic inside city limits.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, city zoning applies to every parcel inside Myrtle Point1
Residential districts
R-1 (Residential), R-2 (Manufactured Homes), R-3 (Manufactured Home Park)4
Building permit
Coos County issues building permits countywide except Coos Bay, North Bend (structural and mechanical) and Lakeside; confirm with City Hall2
Septic
Coos County Onsite Septic Program; city-limits rule unconfirmed3
RV living
Not allowed as a dwelling outside an established mobile home or RV park5
Manufactured homes
Allowed on individual lots if they meet city design standards6
Accessory dwelling
Type II review, one per legal lot7
Owner-builder
Oregon exempts owner-built homes from some structural-code room rules, not from the permit8

Who to call

Building permits

Coos County Community Development (building and septic counter)

Building permits for most of Coos County (the county guide lists Coos Bay, North Bend and Lakeside as exceptions), plus land-use planning, onsite septic and code enforcement

541-396-7770

building@co.coos.or.us

60 E Second St., Coquille, OR 97423

Online permits →

Septic permits

Coos County Onsite Septic Program

Septic (OSSF) construction permits, site evaluations and inspections for Coos County under a DEQ contract

541-396-7770

onsiteseptic@co.coos.or.us

60 E Second St., Coquille, OR 97423

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Myrtle Point means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Myrtle Point have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, manufactured homes and setbacks?

Myrtle Point has its own zoning: every parcel, lot and tract inside the city is assigned a zoning district, and land use is limited to what that district allows1. Residential land is zoned R-1 (Residential), R-2 (Manufactured Homes) or R-3 (Manufactured Home Park), and the City Recorder keeps the official zoning map and comprehensive plan4.

In Myrtle Point, no recreational vehicle may be used as a dwelling except in an established mobile home park or RV park5. The code allows a short unpermitted stay of no more than 72 hours, and a visitor permit lasts no more than 14 days5.

Manufactured homes are permitted on individual lots if they meet the city's design standards, including a minimum of 1,000 square feet of enclosed floor area and a multi-sectional build6. In the R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts, setbacks are at least 15 feet in front and at the rear and at least 5 feet at the side, lot coverage is capped at 60%, and height at 35 feet, each with exceptions91011.

Do you need a building permit in Myrtle Point, and who issues it?

Coos County says most new construction, additions, alterations and most repairs require a permit2. Coos County issues building permits throughout the county except structural and mechanical permits inside Coos Bay and North Bend, and its electrical and plumbing permits exclude Lakeside2. Myrtle Point is not on that list of exceptions, so the county Community Development office12 appears to be where building permits for Myrtle Point start. We could not confirm this against a City of Myrtle Point source, so ask City Hall before you apply.

The city adds its own step: a zoning checklist is required before changing a use, applying for a building permit or starting development13. Oregon's owner-builder statute exempts an owner-built home from structural-code rules on ceiling heights and room sizes, but a building permit is still issued8.

How do septic permits work in and around Myrtle Point?

The Coos County Onsite Septic Program provides septic permitting, inspections and technical support in Coos County3. Properties without access to municipal sanitation must install an onsite septic system14. A site evaluation is required for an undeveloped site never evaluated for septic approval15.

We could not confirm whether a lot inside Myrtle Point is served by city sewer or must use septic, or whether the city has its own rule. Call City Hall about sewer service and the county Onsite Septic Program16 before you buy. Soils matter: only about 0.8% of Coos County soils rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system17.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Myrtle Point?

In Myrtle Point, living in an RV is limited to an established mobile home park or RV park5. A temporary dwelling permit can be granted through a Type III procedure on a showing of need for up to 60 consecutive days5.

We could not confirm any Myrtle Point rule that specifically addresses tiny homes, so ask City Hall how a tiny home would be classified. Manufactured homes on lots are the clearer path6. A lot with an existing house can add an accessory dwelling through Type II review, with one per legal lot, a lot of at least 6,000 square feet, and a maximum of 600 square feet or 40% of the main dwelling, whichever is smaller7.

Building a home in Myrtle Point: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district on the city's zoning map, kept by the City Recorder4.
  2. Complete the city's zoning checklist before applying for a building permit13.
  3. Ask the county septic office whether the lot needs a septic system or has sewer access14.
  4. Apply for the building permit through Coos County Community Development12, after confirming with City Hall that the county handles it for your address2.
  5. If the lot is divided or replatted, expect plat review under the city code18.

What stays with Coos County, and what to check before you buy

The rules of the unincorporated county, including its Rural Residential zones, do not apply inside Myrtle Point. For land outside city limits, see the Coos County page. Wells, septic and state-highway driveways stay with county and state offices: a landowner who drills a well needs a state permit19, and a driveway onto a state highway needs written ODOT permission20.

Coos County's effective property tax rate is 0.7% and its median property tax bill is $2,243 per year2122. Annual precipitation averages 67.1 inches23. We could not confirm the city's floodplain overlay rules, permit fees or driveway standards; the city code lists a Floodplain Overlay Zone, so ask City Hall about flood areas.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm from a City of Myrtle Point source whether the city or Coos County issues building permits for a lot inside city limits; call City Hall and the county Community Development office before you apply2.
  • Coos County publishes a land-use fee schedule effective in July 2026 for its own applications, but we could not confirm Myrtle Point permit fees, a certificate-of-occupancy rule or short-term rental rules; ask City Hall24.
  • Manufactured homes may not be placed in a designated historic district, and units must meet the city design standards6.

Sources

  1. Myrtle Point Code § 153.020: Establishment of zoning districts (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  2. Building a Home in Coos County - A Homeowner's Guide, quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Septic Program - Coos County, quoted and re-checked
  4. Myrtle Point Code § 153.021: Zoning district regulations (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  5. Myrtle Point Code § 153.042: Mobile homes and recreational vehicles used as dwellings (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  6. Myrtle Point Code § 153.040: Manufactured homes on lots (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  7. Myrtle Point Code § 153.036: Accessory dwellings (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  8. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - ORS 455.320 reprinted (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Myrtle Point Code § 153.023: Development standards; exceptions (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  10. Myrtle Point Code § 153.023: Development standards; exceptions (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  11. Myrtle Point Code § 153.023: Development standards; exceptions (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  12. Coos County Community Development (building and septic counter) (co.coos.or.us)
  13. Myrtle Point Code § 153.022: Allowed land uses by zoning district (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  14. Building a Home in Coos County - A Homeowner's Guide, quoted and re-checked
  15. Housing and Onsite Wastewater Management, quoted and re-checked
  16. Coos County Onsite Septic Program (co.coos.or.us)
  17. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Myrtle Point Code, Chapter 153: Development Code (Myrtle Point), quoted and re-checked
  19. Landowner Constructed Wells (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Access Management (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Coos County Community Development Land Use Fee Schedule, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Myrtle Point

Myrtle Point’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Skirting for mobile homes used as dwellings inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • This is a mobile-home skirting requirement, not evidence of a general construction-inspection program.
    “Such skirting, of other than masonry, shall be supported by a frame approved by a building inspector.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    All parcels, lots, and tracts inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • Land use is limited to uses allowed by the applicable zoning district.
    “Every parcel, lot and tract of land within the city is designated with a zoning district. The use of land is limited to the uses allowed by the applicable zoning district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • The City Recorder maintains official copies of the zoning map and comprehensive plan.
    • Overlay-zone regulations may also apply to property.
    “Lands designated for residential are zoned either R-1 (Residential), R-2 (Manufactured Homes) or R-3 (Manufactured Home Park).”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles used as dwellings inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • Permanent dwelling occupancy is limited to an established mobile-home or recreational-vehicle park.
    • A recreational vehicle may be a temporary dwelling without a permit only once in a consecutive 30-day period and for no more than 72 continuous hours.
    • A visitor permit is valid for no more than 14 consecutive days and may not be issued more than once in a consecutive 30-day period.
    • A temporary dwelling permit may be granted through a Type III procedure upon a showing of need for up to 60 consecutive days, unless extended.

    unpermitted temporary-use maximum: <= 72 hours (No more than one time during any consecutive 30-day period.) · visitor permit maximum: <= 14 days (Not more than one permit during any consecutive 30-day period.)

    “No recreational vehicle shall be used or occupied as a dwelling except in an established mobile home park or recreational vehicle park.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes on individual lots inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • The unit must meet the city's listed design standards.
    • Units relocated into the city must conform to city standards.
    • The listed standards do not apply to lawfully established units existing before February 3, 2012.
    • A manufactured home may not be in a designated historic district.

    minimum enclosed floor area: >= 1000 square feet (Manufactured home must be multi-sectional.)

    “Manufactured homes are permitted on individual lots, subject to all of the following design standards. Manufactured dwellings relocated into the city shall conform to city standards.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwellings where allowed inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • Type II review and approval is required.
    • No more than one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per legal lot.
    • The minimum lot size is 6,000 square feet.
    • The unit must comply with the applicable State Structural Specialty Code requirements.
    • Two total off-street spaces are required for a single-family dwelling and accessory dwelling on the same lot.

    maximum floor area: <= 600 square feet (Or 40% of the primary dwelling-unit floor area, whichever is smaller.)

    “Accessory dwellings, where allowed, are subject to review and approval through a Type II procedure (see § 153.207) and shall conform to all of the following standards.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions and subdivisions inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • Chapter 153 includes preliminary-plat approval, preliminary-plat submission, approval criteria, final-plat submission and approval criteria, filing and recording, replatting, and property-line-adjustment sections.
    “Land Divisions and Property Line Adjustments [...] Preliminary plat approval process [...] Preliminary plat submission requirements [...] Preliminary plat approval criteria [...] Final plat submission requirements and approval criteria [...] Filing and recording”
  • Permit processPartial

    Changes of use, building-permit applications, and development inside Myrtle Point city limits.

    • The evidence establishes a zoning-checklist step; it does not establish the full building-permit application process.
    “A zoning checklist is required before changing a use, applying for a building permit or commencing development.”

Rules another office applies inside Myrtle Point

Myrtle Point does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • SetbacksSpecified

    New or expanded development in Myrtle Point R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential districts.

    • The stated street-side setback applies to a lot abutting a standard right-of-way.
    • Garage openings, carport entries, vehicle-service/storage/repair structures, and vehicle-queuing structures require 20 feet.
    • A common-wall or approved zero-lot-line development may have a zero-foot interior-side setback.
    • A conditional-use permit may require a greater setback.
    • Other standards, easements, special-use standards, and overlay requirements may preclude development to the table limits.

    minimum front or street-side setback: >= 15 feet (20 feet for specified vehicle-related structures.) · minimum interior-side setback: >= 5 feet (Zero feet where common-wall/zero-lot-line development is approved.) · minimum rear setback: >= 15 feet (Five feet permitted for accessory structures 12 feet or less in height.)

    “Minimum interior side setback | 5 ft., except where common wall/zero-lot line development is approved with 0 ft. setback, or where greater setback is required per CU permit.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    New or expanded development in Myrtle Point R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential districts.

    • Coverage includes structures and impervious paved surfaces, decks, and accessory structures.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent (Includes structures and impervious paved surfaces, including decks and accessory structures.)

    “Maximum lot coverage; total area covered by structures and impervious paved surfaces, including decks and accessory structures | 60%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    New or expanded development in Myrtle Point R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential districts.

    • The city may limit height for fire protection.
    • A new dwelling's height is constrained by an abutting dwelling and combined side or rear yard setback.
    • A conditional-use permit may allow increased height if fire-protection requirements are met.

    maximum structure height: <= 35 feet (Subject to the table's fire-protection, abutting-dwelling, and conditional-use provisions.)

    “Maximum structure height | 35 ft, subject to the following standards: The city may limit height as required for fire protection.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Myrtle Point or Coos County directly.

  • Building permit — General residential construction inside Myrtle Point city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Myrtle Point city limits under Oregon law.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Myrtle Point city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Primary single-family dwellings inside Myrtle Point city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Myrtle Point city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Myrtle Point publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Coos County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Coos County: county rules, score and offices