Frequently Asked Questions - Planning

The keeping of certain animals in McMinnville is regulated, in part, by Section 8.10.130 of the McMinnville Municipal Code.  Under certain circumstances, it is permitted to keep chickens, rabbits, horses, goats, and/or other livestock.  It is not permissible, however, to keep exotic, dangerous, or wild animals as determined by the Yamhill County Animal Control Office and the City Planning Department. 

Yes. Businesses operated, or based, from home are required to obtain a Home Occupation Permit from the Planning Department. An application form for this permit is available on our Applications & Fees page or can be printed out at our office.  This permit must be renewed yearly with the Planning Department.  Further information regarding Home Occupation Permits and the conditions under which they must operate are found in Chapter 17.67 of the McMinnville Zoning Ordinance.

First, obtain a copy of your property's legal description (if you don't have a copy, you may be able to get this from the Yamhill County Assessor's office located in the Yamhill County Courthouse at NE 5th and Evans Streets), or copy of the plat map for your subdivision. Using this information, try to locate your property pins - iron rods inserted into the ground in each corner of your property (you may need to use a metal detector to find them). Stringing a line (or laying a garden hose) between those pins will give you a fairly accurate idea of where your property lines are.

You may also want to hire a surveyor to determine your property corners and property lines

Setbacks are required minimum distances between a building and the related front, side, exterior side (the street side of a corner lot), or rear property line.  These distances determine how far construction must be set back from the property line.  Setbacks for your particular property may be determined by reaching out to the Planning Department or stopping by the office at 231 NE Fifth Street.

An accessory structure may be placed anywhere on your property, provided you meet the required setbacks.  If the accessory structure is no larger than 100 square feet in area, and no more than 10 feet in height (as measured from the ground to the highest point), you may locate it within the rear-yard or side-yard setback and/or up to the property line behind the back building line of the house.  Only one accessory structure may be placed within the setback area.  If your property is located on a corner lot, please contact our office for additional setback requirements.