Click here to go to the City of Cottage Grove home page Community Development Department:
Development Code and Nuisance Code Complaint List

400 E. Main Street
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
942-3340
Fax 942-1267


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Typical complaints include:

Activities that damage public streets
Disruptive or illegal activities
Garbage or junk
Home occupations
Illegal fences
Improper land use and zoning
Landlord/tenant problems
Noise disturbances
Overgrown weeds and trees
Signs
Structures too close to boundary
Vacant and open structures
Abandoned Vehicles

Development Code and Nuisance Code Complaints:

Activities that damage public streets To report something that is blocking or damaging public streets, contact the Public Works Department at (541) 942-3349.

Disruptive or illegal activities To complain about disruptive or illegal activities on public or private property, please call the City of Cottage Grove Police Department at (541) 942-9145.

Garbage or junk To submit a complaint about accumulated garbage on private property within the city limits, call the Community Development Department at 942-3340 or email planner@cottagegrove.org. To report garbage or junk outside of the city limits, call Lane County Land Management at (541) 682-3724, or (541) 682-3801. To report complaints about garbage or junk on public property inside the city limits, contact the Public Works Department, (541) 942-3349.

Home occupations Some small scale businesses which do not generate significant traffic to the home are allowed in residential zones as home occupations with prior approval from the Community Development Department. If you would like a copy of the Home Occupation Standards or a Home Occupation Questionnaire, please call (541) 942-3340.

Illegal fences and signs If you wish to complain about a fence or sign, please contact us at (541) 942-3340.

Improper land use and zoning There are numerous zoning districts in the City of Cottage Grove, each allowing for a variety of different land uses. To find out how a specific property is zoned, you will need to provide staff with either the address of the property or the Lane County Assessor's map and tax lot number. The City responds to violations of the zoning ordinance primarily on a complaint basis. If you wish more information on a possible violation, call (541) 942-3340.

Landlord/tenant problems If you are experiencing difficulties with your landlord regarding repairs or other structural problems, please consult an attorney or the Legal Aid Service of Lane County to learn more about your rights under the tenant/landlord act. Their phone number is (541) 342-6056. A listing of area attorneys can be found in the telephone book, or by calling the Oregon State Bar Referral Service in Lake Oswego, Oregon, at (800) 452-7636.

Noise disturbances To complain about barking dogs, loud parties, loud music, loud power tools, amplified sound and similar noises, please contact the Cottage Grove Police Department at (541) 942-9145. For information about long-term disturbances, such as from machinery, please contact the Community Development Department at (541) 942-3340.

Overgrown weeds and trees To report overgrown weeds or grass inside the city limits, call the Community Development Department at (541) 942-3340. To report unsafe trees on City property, please contact the Public Works Department at (541) 942-3349. To complain about overgrown vegetation outside the city limits, call Lane County Land Management at (541) 682-3724 or (541) 682-3801.

Signs Most signs require obtaining a sign permit before the sign is constructed and installed. Please contact the Community Development Department if you would like information on how to apply for a sign permit, would like to register a complaint about a sign, or would like information about the amount of signage allowed at a particular location.

Structures too close to boundary The City responds to complaints about structures too close to the property boundary. To file a complaint, call (541) 942-3340.

Vehicles The City has authority to respond to complaints about illegally parked or abandoned vehicles. Illegally parked or abandoned vehicles on the public right-of-way are handled by the Cottage Grove Police Department at (541) 942-9145.

Vehicles stored on private property without a current registration tag, and which are visible from the adjoining street, are considered a public nuisance. To register a complaint, call (541) 942-3340.