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City Limits Explained

Did you know that the city listed in your address does not necessarily mean that you live inside that city?

For any resident, it is important to know if you are in fact located within the city limits or in an unincorporated area of the county. Confusing matters, city boundaries often do not exactly match those defined by the United States Postal Service (USPS). When it comes down to it, addresses simply help the USPS narrow down what post office in the vicinity would most efficiently handle your incoming mail and other deliveries. This means some properties in unincorporated Clackamas County take the name of Happy Valley as its city for easier mailing and directional purposes. In other words, some people whose address includes Happy Valley, OR 97086 live outside city limits.

How do I know if I live in Happy Valley?
You are only considered to live within the city limits if you or your rental property owner pays property taxes to the City of Happy Valley. A quick way to double check this is to look at your most recent property tax statement. The section on the righthand side of your statement itemizes general government taxes that are assessed. If City of Happy Valley isn’t listed, then you do not reside within Happy Valley city limits. You can also think back to your voting ballot. If the option to vote for City related levies or City Council elections have not been presented, then you are also not a resident within Happy Valley city limits. If your tax statement is not handy, you can always check it out online at www.clackamas.us/at/statement.html for more details.

Why does this matter?

Unincorporated areas of Clackamas County are only bound by the laws of Clackamas County. In addition, they are only served by Clackamas County. If you have a request for services such as street sweeping, road repair, code enforcement, park maintenance, and many more, it can only be addressed by the proper jurisdiction. If your address is outside the city limits, the Happy Valley team isn’t able to help and you will need to contact Clackamas County.

Still not sure if your residence is within Happy Valley city limits?
A helpful resource available on the City’s website is a zoning map that quickly can help you determine if your home or business is located within the City of Happy Valley. Check out www.happyvalleyor.gov/hvcitylimits and simply enter your address in the top left-hand corner. If the address you entered is within city limits, an information box will display that indicates Happy Valley as the city of jurisdiction.