(A) Pre-application conference. A pre-application conference shall be required for all Type III applications.
(B) Application requirements.
(1) Type III applications shall be made on forms provided by the Planning Official.
(2) Type III applications shall:
(a) Include the information requested on the application form, § 155.282(D), and any provisions of this chapter that pertain specifically to the type of application submitted; (b) Be file with a narrative statement that explains how the application satisfies each and all of the relevant criteria in sufficient detail for review and action;
(c) Be accompanied by the required fee; and
(d) Include an impact statement for achieving compliance with all city code provisions relation to transportation systems, wetlands, riparian areas, and shorelands. (See §§ 155.145 through 155.154, 155.165 through 155.171, 155.117, and 155.231.) (1) A minimum of two hearings, one before the Planning Commission and one before the City Council, is required for all Type III applications submitted to the city.
(2) The Planning Official shall give notice of a Type III application hearing in the following manner: At least 20 days before the hearing date, notice shall be mailed to:
(a) The applicant and all owners or contract purchasers of record of the property which is the subject of the application;
(b) All property owners of record within 300 feet of the property which is the subject of the application;
(c) Any governmental agency which has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the city that includes provision for such notice, or who is otherwise entitled to such notice;
(d) Any person who submits a written request to receive notice; and
(e) For a zoning change affecting a mobile home or manufactured home park, all mailing addresses within the park.
(3) Notice of a Type III hearing to be mailed per division (C)(2) above shall contain the following information:
(a) The nature of the application and the proposed land use or uses, which could be authorized for the property;
(b) The applicable criteria and standards from the development codes(s) that apply to the application;
(c) The street address or other easily understood geographical reference to the subject property;
(d) The date, time, and location of the public hearing;
(e) A statement that the failure to raise an issue in person, or by letter at the hearing, or failure to provide statements or evidence sufficient to afford the decision-maker an opportunity to respond to the issue, means that an appeal based on that issue cannot be filed with the State Land Use Board of Appeals;
(f) The name of a city representative to contact and the telephone number where additional information on the application may be obtained;
(g) A statement that a copy of the application, all documents and evidence submitted by or for the applicant, and the applicable criteria and standards can be reviewed at the City Hall at no cost and that copies shall be provided at a reasonable cost;
(h) A statement that a copy of the city’s staff report will be available for review at City Hall at no cost at least seven days before the hearing, and that a copy will be provided on request at reasonable cost; and
(i) A general explanation of the requirements to submit testimony, and the procedure for conducting public hearings.
(4) All public meeting notices shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(5) The failure of any person to receive notice shall not invalidate the action.
(D) Conduct of the quasi-judicial public hearing.
(1) Unless otherwise provided in the rules of procedure adopted by the City Council:
(a) The presiding officer of the Planning Commission and of the City Council shall have the authority to:
1. Regulate the course, sequence, and decorum of the hearing;
2. Direct procedural requirements or similar matters; and
3. Impose reasonable time limits for oral presentations.
(b) No person shall address the Commission or the Council without:
1. Receiving recognition from the presiding officer; and
2. Stating their full name and city of residence and providing a mailing address.
(c) Disruptive conduct such as applause, cheering, or display of signs shall be cause for expulsion of a person or persons from the hearing, termination or continuation of the hearing, or other appropriate action determined by the presiding officer.
(2) At the commencement of the hearing, the presiding officer shall state:
(a) The applicable approval criteria and standards that apply to the application;
(b) Testimony and evidence must be directed toward the approval criteria described in the staff report, or other criteria in the Comprehensive Plan or land use regulations, which the person testifying believes to apply to the decision;
(c) Failure to raise an issue with sufficient detail to give the City Council or Planning Commission and the parties involved an opportunity to respond to the issue precludes appeals on that issue; and
(d) If the hearing is the first evidentiary hearing, that before the conclusion of the public hearing any participant may ask the City Council or Planning Commission for an opportunity to present additional relevant evidence or testimony that is within the scope of the hearing. The City Council or Planning Commission shall grant the request by scheduling a date to finish the hearing (a “continuance”) per division (D)(3) below, or by leaving the record open for additional written evidence or testimony per division (D)(4) below.
(3) If the City Council or Planning Commission grants a continuance, the completion of the hearing shall be continued to a date, time, and place at least seven days after the date of the first evidentiary hearing. An opportunity shall be provided at the second hearing for persons to present and respond to new written evidence and oral testimony. If new written evidence is submitted at the second hearing, any person may request, before the conclusion of the second hearing, that the record be left open for at least seven days so that they can submit additional written evidence or testimony in response to the new written evidence.
(4) If the City Council or Planning Commission leaves the record open for additional written evidence or testimony, the record shall be left open for at least seven days after the hearing. Any participant may ask the city in writing for an opportunity to respond to new evidence submitted during the period the record was left open. If such a request is filed, the City Council or Planning Commission shall reopen the record.
(a) When the City Council or Planning Commission reopens the record to admit new evidence or testimony, any person may raise new issues that relate to that new evidence or testimony.
(b) An extension of the hearing or record granted pursuant to division (E) below is subject to the limitations of O.R.S. 227.178 (120-day rule), unless the continuance or extension is requested or agreed to by the applicant.
(c) 1. If requested by the applicant, the city shall allow the applicant at least seven days after the record is closed to all other persons to submit final written arguments in support of the application, unless the applicant expressly waives this right.
2. The applicant’s final submittal shall be part of the record, but shall not include any new evidence.
(5) (a) The record shall contain all testimony and evidence that is submitted to the city, the Planning Commission, and the City Council and not rejected.
(b) The City Council or Planning Commission may take official notice of judicially cognizable facts under the applicable law. If the review authority takes official notice, it must announce its intention and allow persons participating in the hearing to present evidence concerning the noticed facts.
(6) Participants in a quasi-judicial hearing are entitled to an impartial review authority as free from potential or actual conflicts of interest and pre-hearing ex parte contacts (see division (D)(7) below) as reasonably possible. However, the public has a countervailing right of free access to public officials, therefore:
(a) A member of the Planning Commission or City Council shall not participate in any proceeding which they, or any of the following, has a direct or substantial financial interest: their spouse, brother, sister, child, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, partner, or any business in which they are then serving or have served within the previous two years, or any business with which they are negotiating for or have an arrangement or understanding concerning prospective partnership or employment. Any actual or potential conflict of interest shall be disclosed at the beginning of a public hearing where an action is being taken;
(b) When met with a potential conflict of interest, the Planning Commission or City Council member shall announce publicly the nature of the potential conflict;
(c) When met with an actual conflict of interest, announce publicly the nature of the actual conflict and:
1. Except as provided in division (D)(6)(c)2. below, refrain from participating as a Planning Commissioner or City Council member in any discussion or debate on the issue out of which the actual conflict arises or from voting on the issue; and
2. If any Planning Commissioner’s or City Council member’s vote is necessary to meet a requirement of a minimum number of votes to take official action, be eligible to vote, but not to participate as a Planning Commissioner or City Council member in any discussion or debate on the issue out of which the actual conflict arises.
(d) 1. At the beginning of the public hearing, Planning Commission and City Council members shall disclose the substance of any pre-hearing ex parte contacts (defined in division (D)(7) below) concerning the issue under consideration; and
2. He or she shall state whether the contact has impaired their impartiality or their ability to vote on the matter, and shall participate or abstain accordingly.
(e) At the beginning of the public hearing, Planning Commission and City Council members shall disclose the substance of any pre-hearing ex parte contacts (defined in division (D)(7) below) concerning the application or appeal-issue under consideration. He or she shall state whether the contact has impaired their impartiality or their ability to vote on the matter and shall participate or abstain accordingly; and
(f) Disqualification of a member of the Planning Commission or City Council due to contacts or conflict may be ordered by a motion by the members present and voting. The person who is the subject of the motion may not vote on the motion to disqualify.
(7) Ex parte communications.
(a) Members of the City Council and Planning Commission shall not:
1. Communicate, directly or indirectly, with any applicant, appellant, other party to the proceedings, or representative of a party, about any issue involved in a hearing, except upon giving notice, per division (D)(6) above; or
2. Take official notice of any communication, report, or other materials outside the record prepared by the proponents or opponents in connection with the particular case, unless all participants are given the opportunity to respond to the noticed materials.
(b) No decision or action of the City Council or Planning Commission shall be invalid due to ex parte contacts or bias resulting from ex parte contacts, if the person receiving contact:
1. Places in the record the substance of any written or oral ex parte communications concerning the decision or action; and
2. Makes a public announcement of the content of the communication and of all participants’ right to dispute the substance of the communication made. This announcement shall be made at the first hearing following the communication during which action shall be considered or taken on the subject of the communication.
(c) A communication between city staff and the City Council or Planning Commission is not considered an ex parte contact.
(8) Presenting and receiving evidence.
(a) The City Council and Planning Commission may set reasonable time limits for oral presentations and may limit or exclude cumulative, repetitious, irrelevant, or personally derogatory testimony or evidence.
(b) No oral testimony shall be accepted after the close of the public hearing. Written testimony may be received after the close of the public hearing only as provided in divisions (D)(3) and (D)(4) above.
(c) Members of the City Council and Planning Commission may visit the property and the surrounding area, and may use information obtained during the site visit to support their decision, if the information relied upon is disclosed at the hearing and an opportunity is provided to dispute the evidence. In the alternative, a member of the City Council or Planning Commission may visit the property to familiarize himself or herself with the site and surrounding area, but not to independently gather evidence. In the second situation, at the beginning of the hearing, he or she shall disclose the circumstances of the site visit and shall allow all participants to ask about the site visit.
(E) The Planning Commission recommendation process.
(1) Approval or denial of a Type III application shall be based on standards and criteria in the Development Code.
(2) After the Planning Commission’s record has closed, the Planning Commission shall convene to consider the application and written testimony received. The Planning Commission shall deliberate and issue a written recommendation addressing all of the relevant approval criteria. Based upon the criteria and the facts contained within the record, the Planning Commission shall recommend approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the requested permit or action.
(F) The City Council decision process.
(1) At least ten days prior to the City Council hearing on the application, the Planning Official shall mail notice of the City Council hearing as described in divisions (C)(2) and (C)(3) above.
(2) The City Council shall hold a public hearing as described in division (D) above.
(3) After the City Council’s record has been closed, the City Council shall convene to consider the application, the written testimony received, and the Planning Commission’s recommendation. The City Council shall issue a final written order containing the findings and conclusions which approves, approves with specific conditions, or denies the requested permit or action.
(4) Written notice of a Type III decision shall be mailed to the applicant and to all participants of record within ten business days after the City Council’s decision. Failure of any person to receive mailed notice shall not invalidate the decision, provided that a good faith attempt was made to mail notice. The notice of decision shall include an explanation of appeal rights and briefly summarize the decision-making process for the decision being made.
(5) The decision of the City Council on any Type III application is final for purposes of appeal on the date it is mailed by the city. The decision is effective on the day after the appeal period expires.