350-060-0075 Alternative Dispute Resolution and Settlement The Commission recognizes that: many of the matters that come before the Commission on appeal may be resolved through alternative dispute resolution (ADR), such as mediation; ADR may be a faster and less expensive process than appeal pursuant to these rules and beyond to the states’ courts; agreements reached through ADR may be more lasting and acceptable to the parties than a decision on the merits by the Commission or the states’ courts; and, ADR is a voluntary process. (1) The Executive Director of the Commission shall review the parties’ ADR statements as soon as practicable. (2) If, after reviewing the parties’ ADR statements, the Executive Director believes that ADR may be successful in resolving or partially resolving the matter, then the Director shall send a letter to the parties and offer assistance to the parties to obtain information about ADR or to identify possible ADR neutrals, specifically the states’ and other government-funded dispute resolution programs, community mediation programs, or other qualified neutrals; however, the Commission shall not be required to pay the cost of ADR. This subsection shall not be construed to prevent the parties from requesting the Commission’s assistance to resolve the matter through settlement or ADR at any time, or to limit the Commission’s authority to recommend to the parties that they attempt to resolve the matter through ADR. (3) Upon motion, the Chair of the Commission shall place the appeal in abeyance or shall grant all necessary extensions of time to facilitate the parties’ attempts to resolve the matter through settlement or ADR. Should settlement or ADR be unsuccessful, any party may file a motion to reinstate the matter and reset the applicable time periods. (4) Any oral discussion, written documents, or other record produced exclusively for the purpose of settlement or ADR, whether or not pursuant to this section, shall be confidential and not part of the record on appeal from the governing body (to the Gorge Commission) nor part of the Gorge Commission’s record to any reviewing court. (5) The Commission shall not consider, as a basis for any decision pursuant to this division, a party’s decision to not participate in settlement or ADR, or knowledge that the matter was not resolved through settlement or ADR. (6) Settlement: (a) If a settlement changes the proposed development or any conditions of approval, the governing body shall provide notice of the changes to all persons entitled to receive notice of the original application. If the changes are substantial, then the governing body shall conduct a complete review of the changes in the same manner as if the settlement was a new land use application. (b) When an appeal, or any issue in an appeal, is settled by the parties, the Commission shall not be required to review the settlement as a condition of the settlement. The Commission shall not be bound by any terms of the settlement agreement in the instant or future matters. (c) Upon settlement of a case, the appellant shall dismiss the appeal in accordance with 350-060-0205. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 196.150 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 196.150, RCW 43.97.015, 16 U.S.C. § 544c(b) & 16 U.S.C. § 544m(a)(2) History: CRGC 1-2003, f. 6-23-03, cert. ef. 8-1-03