Court Opinion

ID: 9781687
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 17:05:20.762729+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:34:31.409683
License: Public Domain

GILLETTE, J.,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority’s decision in this case for the reasons expressed in my dissenting opinion in Hunnicutt v. Myers (S52977), 340 Or 83, 127 P3d 1182 (2006).
Riggs and Balmer, JJ., join in this dissenting opinion.
*103APPENDIX COPY OF PROPOSED INITIATIVE PETITION #81
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Oregon:
Section 1. Sections 2 to 7 of this act shall be known, and may be cited, as The Home Owner and Family Farmer’s Bill of Rights.
Section 2. Home Owner Compensation for Taking. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, government may not condemn property on which an owner-occupied house or duplex is located unless the primary purpose for taking the property is to allow all or a portion of the property to be owned or used by a public body. For the purposes of this subsection, conveyance of condemned property or of an interest in condemned property to a private party is not a public purpose.
(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if government pays the home owner, in addition to just compensation required by Article I, section 18 of the Oregon Constitution, an additional sum equal to the just compensation required by Article I, section 18 of the Oregon Constitution.
Section 3. No Exemptions that Reduce Property Values. Government shall not waive a land use law to allow a use that would reduce the value of a neighboring home or harm a neighboring family farm. No use that would reduce the value of a neighboring home or harm a neighboring family farm shall be the basis of any demand for payment for complying with a land use law.
Section 4. No Special Rights for Developers or Corporations. Government shall not allow any corporation or developer to divide, build on or use land in violation of land use laws, whether by waiver or any other means, nor shall government pay a corporation or developer to comply with land use laws. A developer or corporation shall not pay or contract with another person to obtain government permits or approvals on behalf of or in cooperation with the developer or corporation to divide, build on or use land in violation of land use laws, whether by waiver or any other means.
*104Section 5. Homestead Right. A property owner may build a single family dwelling on the property owner’s homestead tract if the property owner could have built a single family dwelling on the homestead tract under the land use laws in effect when the property owner acquired the homestead tract. A property owner is limited to one dwelling under this section and may not obtain relief under both this section and under Chapter 1, Oregon Laws 2005.
Section 6. Burden of Proof on Government, Corporation, or Developer. In any litigation brought by a home owner or family farmer to enforce this 2006 act, the defendant government entity, corporation or developer shall have the burden of demonstrating compliance with a law. If the home owner or family farmer prevails in the litigation, the court shall award the home owner or family farmer costs and reasonable attorney fees, payable by the defendants, in addition to any other appropriate relief.
Section 7. Definitions. As used in this 2006 Act,
(1) “Corporation” means any business entity other than a sole proprietor or a family farm.
(2) “Developer” means a person or business entity engaged in developing real property.
(3) “Family farm” means a farm owned by the farm operator, by one or more family members of the farm operator, by an entity created by the farm operator or one or more family members of the farm operator, or by any combination of the foregoing.
(4) “Government” means a public body as defined in ORS 174.109.
(5) “Homestead tract” means a tract as defined in ORS 215.010 owned by a property owner, as that tract existed on January 1, 2005.
(6) “Land use law” means:
(a) A “comprehensive plan” or a “land use regulation” as defined in ORS 197.015;
(b) Administrative rules or goals of the Land Conservation and Development Commission or Oregon Department of Transportation;
*105(c) Metropolitan service district regional framework plans, functional plans, or planning goals and objectives; or
(d) Statutes or administrative rules regulating forest practices.
(7) “Waive” and “waiver” mean:
(a) To modify, remove, or not apply a land use regulation, or to allow property to be used notwithstanding a regulation, as provided in Chapter 1, Oregon Laws 2005; or
(b) To issue any land use approvals or permits pursuant to subsection (4)(a) of this section.
Section 8. Sections 3 to 7 of this 2006 act are added to and made a part of ORS chapter 197.
Section 9. This 2006 act supersedes any contrary law in force on or before the effective date of this act.
Section 10. If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any part of this 2006 act invalid, the remaining parts shall continue to have full force and effect.