A fourth bill was added to the accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on rural residential land. Senate Bill (SB) 1024 establishes that counties must allow ADUs and preempts counties from prohibiting them. With the other three bills still alive AOC hosted a workgroup on ADUs in RR with representatives 1000 Friends of Oregon, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Airbnb, Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), Representative Lininger’s office, Representative Parrish’s office, and Senator Monnes Anderson’s office. A number of sideboards were discussed and it was uncertain if the group would be able to come to consensus. AOC will continue to work with other stakeholders and Representative Clem to try to move something forward.

The workgroup also discussed House Bill (HB) 2456 briefly and it was agreed that minimally the bill must be permissive.

As a reminder, HB 2456 would allow tax-exempt entity to build affordable housing on rural lands, HB 3012  would allow the construction of a second home on a rural residential parcel under certain conditions. AOC’s bills, HB 2937 and HB 2938 allow for ADUs and RVs on rural residential and EFU.

Another approach to the housing crisis has been proposed: SB 608 calls for an expedited UGB expansion for affordable housing.

MINING

SB 644 had a public hearing on Thursday, March 30th. The bill would create a unique county approval process. AOC hosted a phone call with five of the seven impacted counties and they were generally supportive of the concept.

SB 1036 exempts the creation of landfills from mining regulations. AOC has proposed amendment which would include exempting public works projects as well.

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILLS

Three bills focused on land use system changes to encourage economic development include SB 432, which allows rural counties with no population growth to adopt a comprehensive land use plan without complying with the statewide land use planning goals; SB 602 which allows certain counties to waive the requirements of any goals as necessary to establish and maintain a five-year supply of shovel-ready buildable lands for industrial and commercial uses; and SB 612 which authorizes counties to adopt an exception to statewide land use planning goal for use that will create five or more new full-time jobs for which salary or wage is 400 percent or more of federal poverty guidelines for family of four. This bill only applies to counties that have experienced sustained high unemployment or sustained population decline or has high poverty level.

BIOMASS

HB 2072 extends the biomass collector or producer tax credit. SB 634 states that energy from a biomass facility can be used to meet the state’s 1.5% investment in renewable energy.

SECURE MEDICINE TAKE BACK

AOC has been working closely with Representative Malstrom and several stakeholders to help develop HB 2645 (previously HB 2386), now with the -5 amendments.

Contributed by: Mark Nystrom | AOC Energy, Environment, and Land Use Policy Manager