I’ve been providing a summary of provisions in SB1537 2024. In its whole SB1537 advances Land Use Goal 10 – Housing. In the July newsletter I reported that one of the ways it does this is to direct cities to allow up to 10 variances to land use and design standards if the development application meets certain criteria.
It does limit the types of variances that may be granted. The variances that are not allowed include a request to allow a use that is not permitted under the property’s zoning; waivers to requirements related to accessibility, affordability, fire ingress or egress, safety, local tree codes, hazardous or contaminated site clean-up, and wildlife protection. It ensures the enforcement of state and federal safety regulations, including building and fire codes, air, water quality, surface, ground or stormwater requirements, and the requirements of any federal, state or local law other than land use regulations.
Other limits attempt to balance Goal 10 with other Land Use Goals. Those limits refer to Goal 5 Natural Resources, Goal 7 Natural Hazards, Goal 15 Willamette River Greenway, Goal 16 Estuarine Resources, Goal 17 Coast Shorelands, Goal 18 Beaches and Dunes and Goal 19 Ocean Resources.
The section on variances or adjustments sunsets on January 2, 2032.