COVID-19 IN POLK COUNTY Home Contact Us Departments Online Services A to Z Directory Welcome to Community Development The Mission of the Community Development Department “Excellence in customer service by providing courteous, timely and professional service to the citizens of Polk County through innovation in administration of planning, building and environmental health regulations and policies in order to protect the health and safety of the citizens of the County.” The Community Development Department is divided into the following three divisions and two programs. The Planning Division is responsible for managing the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and administering the County’s zoning regulations and long range land use planning. The Planning Director is Austin McGuigan. He is assisted by Planning Manager Sidney Mulder, Associate Planner Miranda Muller, Assistant Planner Morgan Snyder, Permit Specialist Nicole Pineda, and Community Development Office Manager Kayla Bizon. Land use permits – conditional uses, zone changes, variances, etc. Site development plan review Long range planning Flood plain administration (non-structural such as fill and removal) Hazard mitigation planning Nuisance complaint and code compliance investigation and enforcement Road naming and addressing The Building Division is responsible for administering the building permit and inspection program in accordance with State building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and manufactured dwelling setup codes. The Building Official is Blaine Curry. The electrical inspector is Floyd Gregg. Other Building Division staff includes Permit Specialist Nicole Pineda and Community Development Office Manager Kayla Bizon. Building Permits – County (outside city limits) and Falls City only Manufactured Structure Permits – County (outside city limits) and Falls City only Electrical Permits – County, Falls City, City of Dallas, and City of Independence Plumbing Permits – County (outside city limits) and Falls City only Mechanical Permits – County (outside city limits) and Falls City only Flood plain standards oversight for structures (County only) The Environmental Health Division is responsible for the review and approval of permits for the installation of septic tanks and drain fields, licensing and inspecting restaurants, swimming pools and tourist facilities, monitoring drinking water systems for compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act, administering the solid waste collection franchise ordinance and coordinating recycling efforts, and conducting food handlers classes. The Environmental Health Supervisor/Sanitarian is Jim Solvedt. Other Health Division staff includes Environmental Health Specialist Christina Tisdell. Click for information on Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events. Food Handler Permits Restaurant licensing and inspection Temporary restaurant licensing and inspection School food service inspection Day care inspections (upon request only) Public swimming pool and spa pool licensing and inspection Motel and RV park licensing and inspection Camp licensing and inspection Safe drinking water monitoring and compliance Solid waste administration (County garbage collector franchising) Dead deer pickup on County roads Recycling coordination Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events Animal bite investigation (rabies) Ambulance service ordinance administration Vector borne disease investigation (rats and mosquitoes) Food, animal and waterborne disease investigation (concurrently with the Public Health Dept.) The Code Compliance program is responsible for investigating complaints and obtaining compliance with the County’s regulations. Provides investigation of complaints and code violations for the three divisions listed above. Coordinates formal enforcement actions with law enforcement agencies, other regulatory agencies and County attorney. The Economic Development program is responsible for coordinating economic development and infrastructure development activities throughout the County and administrating grant programs that support these kinds of activities. Polk County’s video lottery receipts Coordination of Federal grant programs ranking process Rural Investment Fund Regional Investment Fund Other grant programs Long range planning Permit Requirements for Repair of Flood-Damaged Structures Flood events in Polk County can lead to flooding which results in damage to homes and businesses. Read more Water and Septic Precautions During and After Flooding We are currently receiving reports that some homes are experiencing flooding in their basements. Read more Oregon ePermitting If you are a licensed contractor, you are now able to purchase limited Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Permits that do not require a plan review through the State of Oregon's online ePermitting website. For more information, please visit the Polk County ePermitting Information webpage or contact Community Development at (503) 623-9237. Read more Get to Know Your Septic System Septic systems dispose of household sewage, or wastewater, generated from several sources, including sinks, toilet use, bathing, washing machines, and other cleaning activities. Read more Polk County Regional Water Supply Planning OVERVIEW For many years, Polk County and our communities have been seeking a long-term water supply to meet our growing water needs. We are excited to share that we are investing funding we recently secured from the American Rescue Plan Act in a Regional Water Supply Planning project. Our goal is to equitably improve water supply resilience and reliability throughout the County. Read more Search form Search Website Community Development Useful Links Flood Protection Information Building Code Compliance Economic Development Environmental Health Flood Hazard Useful Links Foreclosure Form Planning Division WebMap-PCMAPS4 Contact Information Austin McGuigan Director 850 Main Street Dallas, OR 97338 Google Map Ph.: (503) 623-9237 Oregon Relay TTY or Voice: 711 Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (excluding holidays) View Full Contact Details Resource Center Forms Documents Agriculture/Equine Building Permit Exemption Request Appeal of Land Use Decision Building Permit Application View Community Development Forms a municode design Polk County | 850 Main Street | Dallas, Oregon 97338 Home Disclaimer Sitemap Staff Login