Goal 18: Beaches & Dunes – Maps, Draft Language & How to Participate FILE AM-25-005

What this is

Coos County is updating its Goal 18 (Beaches & Dunes) mapping and adopting implementing ordinance language. The update uses new DOGAMI mapping (2024) and DLCD model language tailored to local conditions to reflect current coastal hazards, sea-level rise considerations, dune grading practices, and vegetation protections. 

Hearings & How to Comment

Planning Commission Hearing: Thursday, September 4, 2025, 7:00 p.m. and continued to  Thursday, October 2, 2025

Board of Commissioners Hearing:  Was scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 1:30 p.m. and Has been continued to  October 23, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. 

Location (both): Coquille Annex – Owen Building Large Conference Room, 201 N. Adams St., Coquille, OR 97423.

Send comments (must be received before the final hearing date/time):

• Email: planning@co.coos.or.us
• Mail: 250 N. Baxter, Coquille, OR 97423
• Hand delivery: Community Development, 60 E. 2nd St., Coquille, OR 97423
• In person: Provide testimony at a hearing

Questions? Call 541-396-7770 or email -  planning@co.coos.or.us

View the Maps & Draft Text

• Interactive Map: https://www.coastalatlas.net/coos-all-hazards/
  (Open the map, search your address, and turn on Beaches & Dunes layers.) 
• Draft Ordinance Language: See Amendment Rezone

How to Use the Map (quick steps)

1. Open the map link above and accept any disclaimers.
2. Turn Main Layers On: In the Catalog, check the box for Administrative Boundaries – Coos Tax Lots, 2025. Under Aerial Photo (expand the menu), select OSIP 2022. This layer can be faded once you locate your property.
3. Find your location: Use the search button (by property owner, address, or tax lot) or pan/zoom to your property. The search feature is located on the toolbar as the fifth icon.
4. Turn on Beaches & Dunes layers: Open the Layers or Legend panel and enable Goal 18 / Beaches & Dunes Inventory layers. The layer used for mailing is Beaches and Dunes – Goal 18 Development Suitability. To compare the 1970’s map with the current map, use Beach Dune Classifications, DOGAMI, 2024 and Dune Classifications, USDA, 1975.
5. Save or print: Use the map’s built-in print/export function to capture your view with the legend. Why this matters: Goal 18 inventories describe dune stability, movement, groundwater, hazards, and values. The updated maps replace datasets from the 1970s, using modern mapping methods and classifications.

What’s Changing (at a glance)

• Updated Inventory & Maps (DOGAMI, 2024): Reflect present-day conditions and improved mapping technology. 
• Implementing Ordinance Language: Aligns with Department of Land Conservation and Development  model language, clarifies dune grading, vegetation protection, and limits to beachfront protective structures, with county-specific adjustments.  This will ensure compliance with Goal 18 and safe site development for structures. 
• Comments and Testimony – Relevance to Goal 18
  • When providing written or verbal testimony, please focus your comments on whether the proposed mapping and ordinance language comply with Oregon Statewide Planning Goal 18: Beaches and Dunes. Goal 18 guides local governments in protecting, conserving, and managing beaches and dunes for their scenic, recreational, ecological, and protective values while allowing appropriate development.
• Purpose of Goal 18
  • Goal 18 applies to areas subject to coastal processes such as windblown sand movement, dune stability changes, coastal erosion, and flooding. It seeks to:
    • Protect the stability and functions of beaches and dunes.
    • Prevent development that would result in hazards to people, property, or the environment.
    • Conserve unique or sensitive dune formations, vegetation, and habitats.
    • Limit dune grading and vegetation removal to circumstances where it is necessary and will not destabilize the system.
    • Restrict new beachfront protective structures except where existing development is imminently threatened and no other options are available.
• Key Issues for Review

When reviewing the maps and draft language, consider whether:

1. The mapped Goal 18 Development Suitability areas accurately reflect current conditions.
2. Hazard zones, dune classifications, and suitability designations are correctly identified for your property or area of interest.
3. The draft ordinance language:
   • Adequately addresses dune grading standards.
   • Protects vegetation critical to dune stability.
   • Considers current science on erosion, flooding, and sea level rise.
4. The updates maintain the balance between property rights, hazard mitigation, and resource protection intended by Goal 18.

• Tips for Testimony
  • Be specific: Refer to your property location or map layer name.
  • Provide evidence: Observations, photos, or site history that supports your position.
  • Stay on topic: Relate comments to the purposes and requirements of Goal 18, not unrelated land use concerns.
  • Suggest solutions: If you believe a change is needed, describe the adjustment and why it better meets Goal 18 standards.  

Accessibility & Help

If you need assistance viewing the map, understanding the inventory, or submitting comments, contact 541-396-7770 or planning@co.coos.or.us. Staff can help you locate your property on the map and explain the draft standards.

Supporting Documents