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Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116 (2026)

“Local government” and “local service district” defined

✓ current as of May 2026
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      174.116 “Local government” and “local service district” defined. (1)(a) Subject to ORS 174.108, as used in the statutes of this state “local government” means all cities, counties and local service districts located in this state, and all administrative subdivisions of those cities, counties and local service districts.

      (b) Subject to ORS 174.108, as used in the statutes of this state “local government” includes:

      (A) An entity created by statute, ordinance or resolution for the purpose of giving advice only to a local government;

      (B) An entity created by local government for the purpose of giving advice to local government and that is not created by ordinance or resolution, if the document creating the entity indicates that the entity is a public body; and

      (C) Any entity created by local government other than an entity described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, unless the ordinance, resolution or other document creating the entity indicates that the entity is not a governmental entity or the entity is not subject to any substantial control by local government.

      (2) Subject to ORS 174.108, as used in the statutes of this state “local service district” means:

      (a) An economic improvement district created under ORS 223.112 to 223.132 or 223.141 to 223.161.

      (b) A people’s utility district organized under ORS chapter 261.

      (c) A domestic water supply district organized under ORS chapter 264.

      (d) A cemetery maintenance district organized under ORS chapter 265.

      (e) A park and recreation district organized under ORS chapter 266.

      (f) A mass transit district organized under ORS 267.010 to 267.394.

      (g) A transportation district organized under ORS 267.510 to 267.650.

      (h) A metropolitan service district organized under ORS chapter 268.

      (i) A translator district organized under ORS 354.605 to 354.715.

      (j) A library district organized under ORS 357.216 to 357.286.

      (k) A county road district organized under ORS 371.055 to 371.110.

      (L) A special road district organized under ORS 371.305 to 371.360.

      (m) A road assessment district organized under ORS 371.405 to 371.535.

      (n) A highway lighting district organized under ORS chapter 372.

      (o) A 9-1-1 communications district organized under ORS 403.300 to 403.380.

      (p) A health district organized under ORS 440.305 to 440.410.

      (q) A sanitary district organized under ORS 450.005 to 450.245.

      (r) A sanitary authority, water authority or joint water and sanitary authority organized under ORS 450.600 to 450.989.

      (s) A county service district organized under ORS chapter 451.

      (t) A vector control district organized under ORS 452.020 to 452.170.

      (u) A rural fire protection district organized under ORS chapter 478.

      (v) A geothermal heating district organized under ORS chapter 523.

      (w) An irrigation district organized under ORS chapter 545.

      (x) A drainage district organized under ORS chapter 547.

      (y) A diking district organized under ORS chapter 551.

      (z) A water improvement district organized under ORS chapter 552.

      (aa) A water control district organized under ORS chapter 553.

      (bb) A district improvement company or a district improvement corporation organized under ORS chapter 554.

      (cc) A weather modification district organized under ORS 558.200 to 558.440.

      (dd) A fair district formed under ORS chapter 565.

      (ee) A soil and water conservation district organized under ORS 568.210 to 568.808 and 568.900 to 568.933.

      (ff) A weed control district organized under ORS 569.350 to 569.445.

      (gg) A port organized under ORS 777.005 to 777.725 and 777.915 to 777.953.

      (hh) The Port of Portland created under ORS 778.010.

      (ii) An airport district established under ORS chapter 838.

      (jj) A heritage district organized under ORS 358.442 to 358.474.

      (kk) A radio and data district organized under ORS 403.500 to 403.542.

      (LL) A sand control district organized under ORS 555.500 to 555.535.

      (mm) The urban flood safety and water quality district created under ORS 550.150 to 550.410. [2001 c.74 §7; 2003 c.802 §1; 2007 c.562 §18; 2009 c.584 §19; 2015 c.560 §13; 2019 c.621 §27]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 2005–2025 · leading case: Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix, 353 P.3d 581 (Or. 2015).
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Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix, 353 P.3d 581 (Or. 2015). · cites it 4× “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix, 329 P.3d 1 (Or. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
Vannatta v. Oregon Gov't Ethics Comm'n, 222 P.3d 1077 (Or. 2009). “111, a local government as defined in ORS 174.116 or a special government body as defined in ORS 174.”
Merrick v. City of Portland, 496 P.3d 1085 (Or. Ct. App. 2021). “or local service district, as defined in ORS 174.116, or a special government body, as defined in ORS 174.”
City of West Linn v. Land Conservation & Dev. Comm'n, 119 P.3d 285 (Or. Ct. App. 2005). “Metro’s periodic review and work program Metro is a local government, see ORS 174.116(1) (defining ‘local government”), that has been charged with coordinating regional land-use planning in the area encompassed by Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties.”
Norgaard v. Port of Portland, 196 P.3d 67 (Or. Ct. App. 2008). “The Port can purchase or acquire property by condemnation, ORS 778.”
Horsefly Irrigation/Langell Valley v. DEQ, 344 Or. App. 23 (Or. Ct. App. 2025). “116(2)(w), irrigation districts are “local service districts,” which in turn, under ORS 174.116(1), are recognized as local governments.”
Walton v. Neskowin Reg'l Sanitary Auth., 498 P.3d 325 (Or. Ct. App. 2021). “See ORS 174.116(1)(a), (2)(r) (defining a “sanitary authority, water authority or joint water and sanitary authority” as a local government).”
Homebuilders Ass'n of Metro. Portland v. Metro, 281 P.3d 621 (Or. Ct. App. 2012). “Section 1 of SB 1036 provides, in relevant part: “(1) A local government or local service district, as defined in ORS 174.116, or a special government body, as defined in ORS 174.”
Davis v. Nye Ditch Users Improvement Dist., 268 P.3d 749 (Or. Ct. App. 2011). “Because we look to the enumerated powers of an improvement district and not to defendant’s designation as a “public corporation” to resolve the issues presented in this case, it is not necessary that we explore the effects of that designation.”
Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix (Or. 2015). · cites it 4× “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
Davis v. Nye Ditch Users Imp. Dist., 268 P.3d 778 (Or. Ct. App. 2011). “Because we look to the enumerated powers of an improvement district and not to defendant's designation as a "public corporation" to resolve the issues presented in this case, it is not necessary that we explore the effects of that designation.”
Show all 14 citing cases →
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116(1) — 3 cases
City of West Linn v. Land Conservation & Dev. Comm'n, 119 P.3d 285 (Or. Ct. App. 2005). “Metro’s periodic review and work program Metro is a local government, see ORS 174.116(1) (defining ‘local government”), that has been charged with coordinating regional land-use planning in the area encompassed by Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties.”
Horsefly Irrigation/Langell Valley v. DEQ, 344 Or. App. 23 (Or. Ct. App. 2025). “116(2)(w), irrigation districts are “local service districts,” which in turn, under ORS 174.116(1), are recognized as local governments.”
Horsefly Irrigation/Langell Valley v. DEQ, 344 Or. App. 23 (Or. Ct. App. 2025).
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116(1)(a) — 2 cases
Walton v. Neskowin Reg'l Sanitary Auth., 498 P.3d 325 (Or. Ct. App. 2021). “See ORS 174.116(1)(a), (2)(r) (defining a “sanitary authority, water authority or joint water and sanitary authority” as a local government).”
Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix (Or. 2015). “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116(2)(bb) — 2 cases
Davis v. Nye Ditch Users Improvement Dist., 268 P.3d 749 (Or. Ct. App. 2011). “Because we look to the enumerated powers of an improvement district and not to defendant’s designation as a “public corporation” to resolve the issues presented in this case, it is not necessary that we explore the effects of that designation.”
Davis v. Nye Ditch Users Imp. Dist., 268 P.3d 778 (Or. Ct. App. 2011). “Because we look to the enumerated powers of an improvement district and not to defendant's designation as a "public corporation" to resolve the issues presented in this case, it is not necessary that we explore the effects of that designation.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116(2)(hh) — 1 case
Norgaard v. Port of Portland, 196 P.3d 67 (Or. Ct. App. 2008). “The Port can purchase or acquire property by condemnation, ORS 778.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116(2)(r) — 2 cases
Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix, 353 P.3d 581 (Or. 2015). “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix (Or. 2015). “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.116(l)(a) — 1 case
Rogue Valley Sewer Servs. v. City of Phoenix, 353 P.3d 581 (Or. 2015). “605 (“Local service districts, as defined by ORS 174.116, are municipal corporations.”); ORS 174.”
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