House approves bill to speed housing approvals with 120‑day engineering clock and waived aesthetic rules for large projects

The House passed Senate Bill 974 B, a bill designed to shorten permitting timelines and reduce regulatory barriers for residential development inside existing urban growth boundaries (UGBs).

Sponsor Representative Breeze Iverson said SB 974 B addresses a key choke point in housing production: local permitting and design-review delays. The bill establishes a 120-day deadline for reviewing final engineering plans after tentative approval of plats, streamlines approvals for up‑zoning on land already planned for residential use inside UGBs, and removes certain aesthetic design requirements for larger housing projects (applied to developments of 20 or more single-unit, middle housing, or manufactured homes). Iverson emphasized the bill does not expand urban growth boundaries.

Supporters including Representative Marsh said the bill will speed the transition from “bare ground to sticks and bricks,” reduce costs and uncertainty for builders, and help jurisdictions move projects forward more predictably. Opponents — including Representative Gamba — argued the measure could undermine local design standards that serve non-aesthetic functions, such as tree canopy and stormwater management, and cautioned that local governments rely on design guidelines where they cannot adopt stricter building codes.

The House adopted SB 974 B on third reading. Sponsors and committee representatives said the measure was developed with input from cities and counties and noted the League of Oregon Cities and the Association of Oregon Counties supported the bill’s approach to accelerating housing production.