Chapter 257 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

 

AN ACT

 

HB 2105

 

Relating to Land Use Board of Appeals; amending ORS 197.810, 197.815, 197.820 and 197.832.

 

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

 

      SECTION 1. ORS 197.810 is amended to read:

      197.810. (1) There is hereby created a Land Use Board of Appeals consisting of not more than three [members] positions. Board members shall be appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate in the manner provided in ORS 171.562 and 171.565. The board shall consist of a [chief hearings Administrative Law Judge] board chairperson chosen by the [Administrative Law Judges] board members and such other [Administrative Law Judges] board members as the Governor considers necessary. The members of the board [first appointed by the Governor shall be appointed by the Governor to serve for a term beginning November 1, 1979, and ending July 1, 1983] shall serve terms of four years. A member is eligible for reappointment. The salaries of the members shall be fixed by the Governor unless otherwise provided for by law. The salary of a member of the board shall not be reduced during the period of service of the member.

      (2) The Governor may at any time remove any member of the board for inefficiency, incompetence, neglect of duty, malfeasance in office or unfitness to render effective service. Before such removal the Governor shall give the member a copy of the charges against the member and shall fix the time when the member can be heard in defense against the charges, which shall not be less than 10 days thereafter. The hearing shall be open to the public and shall be conducted in the same manner as a contested case under ORS 183.310 to 183.550. The decision of the Governor to remove a member of the board shall be subject to judicial review in the same manner as provided for review of contested cases under ORS 183.480 to 183.550.

      (3) [Administrative Law Judges] Board members appointed under subsection (1) of this section shall be members in good standing of the Oregon State Bar.

      [(4) Administrative Law Judges appointed under subsection (1) of this section are not judges for the purposes of any provision of the Oregon Constitution and are not judges for the purposes of judges' retirement under ORS chapter 238.]

      SECTION 2. ORS 197.815 is amended to read:

      197.815. (1) The principal office of the Land Use Board of Appeals shall be in the state capital, but the board may hold hearings in any county or city in order to provide reasonable opportunities to parties to appear before the board with as little inconvenience and expense as is practicable. Upon request of the board, the county or city governing body shall provide the board with suitable rooms for hearings held in that city or county.

      (2) For the convenience of one or more of the parties, the board may hold hearings by telephone.

      SECTION 3. ORS 197.820 is amended to read:

      197.820. (1) The Land Use Board of Appeals shall conduct review proceedings upon petitions filed in the manner prescribed in ORS 197.830.

      (2) In conducting review proceedings the members of the board may sit together or separately as the [chief hearings Administrative Law Judge] board chairperson shall decide.

      (3) The [chief hearings Administrative Law Judge] board chairperson shall apportion the business of the board among the members of the board. Each member shall have the power to hear and issue orders on petitions filed with the board and on all issues arising under those petitions.

      (4) The board shall adopt rules governing the conduct of review proceedings brought before it under ORS 197.830 to 197.845.

      SECTION 4. ORS 197.832 is amended to read:

      197.832. The Board Publications Account is established in the General Fund. All moneys in the account are appropriated continuously to the Land Use Board of Appeals to be used for paying expenses incurred by the board under ORS 197.830 (16). Disbursements of moneys from the account shall be approved by [the chief hearings Administrative Law Judge] a member of the board.

 

Approved by the Governor June 13, 1999

 

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 14, 1999

 

Effective date October 23, 1999

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