ORS 469.504: Facility compliance with statewide planning goals; exception; amendment of local plan and land use regulations; conflicts; technical assistance; rules.

(1) A proposed facility shall be found in compliance with the statewide planning goals under ORS 469.503 (4) if: (a) The facility has received local land use approval under the acknowledged comprehensive plan and land use regulations of the affected local government; or (b) The Energy Facility Siting Council determines that: (A) The facility complies with applicable substantive criteria from the affected local government’s acknowledged comprehensive plan and land use regulations that are required by the statewide planning goals and in effect on the date the application is submitted, and with any Land Conservation and Development Commission administrative rules and goals and any land use statutes that apply directly to the facility under ORS 197.646; (B) For an energy facility or a related or supporting facility that must be evaluated against the applicable substantive criteria pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, that the proposed facility does not comply with one or more of the applicable substantive criteria but does otherwise comply with the applicable statewide planning goals, or that an exception to any applicable statewide planning goal is justified under subsection (2) of this section; or (C) For a facility that the council elects to evaluate against the statewide planning goals pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, that the proposed facility complies with the applicable statewide planning goals or that an exception to any applicable statewide planning goal is justified under subsection (2) of this section. (2) The council may find goal compliance for a facility that does not otherwise comply with one or more statewide planning goals by taking an exception to the applicable goal. Notwithstanding the requirements of ORS 197.732, the statewide planning goal pertaining to the exception process or any rules of the Land Conservation and Development Commission pertaining to an exception process goal, the council may take an exception to a goal if the council finds: (a) The land subject to the exception is physically developed to the extent that the land is no longer available for uses allowed by the applicable goal; (b) The land subject to the exception is irrevocably committed as described by the rules of the Land Conservation and Development Commission to uses not allowed by the applicable goal because existing adjacent uses and other relevant factors make uses allowed by the applicable goal impracticable; or (c) The following standards are met: (A) Reasons justify why the state policy embodied in the applicable goal should not apply; (B) The significant environmental, economic, social and energy consequences anticipated as a result of the proposed facility have been identified and adverse impacts will be mitigated in accordance with rules of the council applicable to the siting of the proposed facility; and (C) The proposed facility is compatible with other adjacent uses or will be made compatible through measures designed to reduce adverse impacts. (3) If compliance with applicable substantive local criteria and applicable statutes and state administrative rules would result in conflicting conditions in the site certificate or amended site certificate, the council shall resolve the conflict consistent with the public interest. A resolution may not result in a waiver of any applicable state statute. (4) An applicant for a site certificate shall elect whether to demonstrate compliance with the statewide planning goals under subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section. The applicant shall make the election on or before the date specified by the council by rule. (5) Upon request by the State Department of Energy, the special advisory group established under ORS 469.480 shall recommend to the council, within the time stated in the request, the applicable substantive criteria under subsection (1)(b)(A) of this section. If the special advisory group does not recommend applicable substantive criteria within the time established in the department’s request, the council may either determine and apply the applicable substantive criteria under subsection (1)(b) of this section or determine compliance with the statewide planning goals under subsection (1)(b)(B) or (C) of this section. If the special advisory group recommends applicable substantive criteria for an energy facility described in ORS 469.300 or a related or supporting facility that does not pass through more than one local government jurisdiction or more than three zones in any one jurisdiction, the council shall apply the criteria recommended by the special advisory group. If the special advisory group recommends applicable substantive criteria for an energy facility as defined in ORS 469.300 (12)(a)(C) to (E) or a related or supporting facility that passes through more than one jurisdiction or more than three zones in any one jurisdiction, the council shall review the recommended criteria and determine whether to evaluate the proposed facility against the applicable substantive criteria recommended by the special advisory group, against the statewide planning goals or against a combination of the applicable substantive criteria and statewide planning goals. In making its determination, the council shall consult with the special advisory group and shall consider: (a) The number of jurisdictions and zones in question; (b) The degree to which the applicable substantive criteria reflect local government consideration of energy facilities in the planning process; and (c) The level of consistency of the applicable substantive criteria from the various zones and jurisdictions. (6) The council is not subject to ORS 197.180 and a state agency may not require an applicant for a site certificate to comply with any rules or programs adopted under ORS 197.180. (7) On or before its next periodic review, each affected local government shall amend its comprehensive plan and land use regulations as necessary to reflect the decision of the council pertaining to a site certificate or amended site certificate. (8) Notwithstanding ORS 34.020 or 197.825 or any other provision of law, the affected local government’s land use approval of a proposed facility under subsection (1)(a) of this section and the special advisory group’s recommendation of applicable substantive criteria under subsection (5) of this section shall be subject to judicial review only as provided in ORS 469.403. If the applicant elects to comply with subsection (1)(a) of this section, the provisions of this subsection shall apply only to proposed projects for which the land use approval of the local government occurs after the date a notice of intent or an application for expedited processing is submitted to the State Department of Energy. (9) The State Department of Energy, in cooperation with other state agencies, shall provide, to the extent possible, technical assistance and information about the siting process to local governments that request such assistance or that anticipate having a facility proposed in their jurisdiction. [1997 c.428 §5; 1999 c.385 §10; 2001 c.134 §11; 2003 c.186 §79; 2005 c.829 §12; 2024 c.25 §4]