Defend Access to Land Use Process

Posted: January 18, 2012

Contact members of the House Judiciary Committee on Transportation and Economic Development and your local legislator and  ask that they oppose HB 4032 and HB 4049 and that they not be heard as bills during the 2012 legislative session.

Deadline for Action: Jan. 18 thru Feb. 2, 2012.

Message to Convey: Oregon’s citizens deserve the right to defend their local community plans and development codes, and to assure that their local governments uphold those rules.   As citizens we participate in the development of those policies, and we often have a better understanding of those documents than new decisionmakers.  Citizens pay for government services.  Development comes with costs as well as benefits.  All citizens should have access to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) if they participate at the local level.

Meeting Schedule:  There may be hearings during the February 2012 session. Contact Committee Administrator, Bill Taylor William.E.Taylor@state.or.us for more information.

Background: Oregon’s statewide land use planning program’s Goal 1 requires open access to all parts of our land use system.  HB 4032  would limit citizen appeals to LUBA by some arbitrary distance, by ownership or by proving they are “adversely affected.”  HB 4049 simply eliminates the “adversely affected” criteria. For more background information see LWVOR  testimony letter opposing LC 230 (HB 4032), and our Land Use position (page 16 of LWVOR Advocacy Positions).       

For more information: Contact Peggy Lynch at zuludar@aol.com

Category: Action Alerts