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Oregon Supreme Court rules on land use interpretations
The Oregon Supreme Court, in Siporen v. City of Medford, dealt with a statute, ORS 197.829, governing how much discretion the Land Use Board of Appeals and courts must exercise […]
Zoning for solar panels and historic homes in Portland
In July 2009, Portland’s Bureau of Development Services and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability proposed a series of incentives for the development of green energy technologies within the city. This […]
How not to plan for future industry in Oregon
Industrial developers already struggling in the recession, specifically the now nearly defunct Opus Northwest LLC, were dealt another blow in September by the Court of Appeals in 1000 Friends of […]
Misleading publicity hurts Oregon planning
Oregon State University last month sent out a press release to highlight the work of some of its academics. If the point was to draw attention to the work, it […]
5 potential problems with Portland’s urban growth boundary expansion
We may be forgiven for not noticing a report issued in the dog days of August from Metro Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan recommending the addition of 2,658 acres to […]
Measure 49 – the sublime and the routine
With the recession, the Gulf oil spill and overseas wars, and battles raging over the future of urban growth in the Portland-metro area, Oregonians may be forgiven for not bringing […]
Florida homeowners cannot stop the beach renourishment
The current U.S. Supreme Court rarely issues unanimous opinions, and that’s especially true for land use and takings. That makes the “sort of” unanimous opinion in Stop the Beach Renourishment […]
RLUIPA issues remain 10 years later
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act – a federal act said to prohibit, among other things, state and local governments from discriminating against religious uses when processing land-use […]
Court: DEQ storm-water permits do not violate Oregon laws
Using acronyms only environmental lawyers could love, the Oregon Court of Appeals determined that metro-area municipality storm-water permits issued by the Department of Environmental Quality did not violate state laws […]
Oregon Supreme Court identifies potential water rights for farmers
The great Klamath River basin water war intensified this month when the Oregon Supreme Court responded to a series of certified questions from the United States Court of Appeals for […]
Legislative session: Less than a whimper
The 25-day short session of the Oregon Legislation is now over. Although there briefly seemed to be a whirlwind of activity coming from Salem, the activities relating to planning law, […]
The fight over blight
Five years after the dust has settled from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo v. City of New London, the private homes of Fort Trumbell, in the city of […]
News
- $960,000 office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 10, 2026
- Two projects in historic districts in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 10, 2026
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization 鈥� the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion
