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Commissioner urges immediate study to strengthen Curry County shoreline zoning amid concern over state offshore-wind roadmap
Summary
A commissioner warned the state's draft offshore wind roadmap could privilege developers and other stakeholders, urged avoiding cooperation with leasing efforts until residents’ interests are protected, and asked the board to direct staff to study shoreland land-use, zoning and permitting changes to block inappropriate onshore facilities.
A Curry County commissioner delivered an extended update July 21 criticizing the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development's (DLCD) offshore wind roadmap and asking the board to begin rewriting shoreline land-use, zoning and permitting rules to defend local interests.
The commissioner said DLCD is set to return a finalized roadmap to the legislature on July 24 and argued officials appear to have already favored certain stakeholders. "They have decided who are winners and who are losers ... The developers are going to be winners, the labor unions are going to be winners, and the Indian tribes are going to be winners," the commissioner said. He warned that a federal consistency determination for a project could leave Oregon and Curry County with little recourse once a project is established.
"Do not cooperate with any kind of leasing effort ... until there is equal standing between the voters, the constituents, the ratepayers, and the protection that's provided to the developers, the labor unions, and the tribes," the commissioner said, urging the county to avoid cooperating with leasing until protections are in place.
He asked the board for permission to begin studying and drafting changes to local land use, zoning and permitting along the shoreline and said that work could take months; other commissioners voiced support for beginning research and scoping.
Board members noted limits on local authority — the state controls the shoreline — and said they will coordinate with county staff and representatives. Director Ted Fitzgerald and other staff were asked to assist as the commissioner pursues a scope of work to evaluate best-practice protections other jurisdictions have used.
The board did not take formal action or vote on regulatory changes at the meeting; the commissioner said he intended to begin work and report back to the board.
