(1) At the request of a county and at least one other local government in a region, the Department of Land Conservation and Development, other state agencies, as defined in ORS § 171.133, metropolitan planning organizations, special districts and advisory committees on transportation may participate with the local governments in a collaborative regional problem-solving process.

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(2) If requested to participate, the department shall assist the county with the process and encourage regional efforts to resolve land use planning problems using the authorities described in ORS § 197.652 to 197.658.

(3) The county, in cooperation with the other local governments, shall identify the land use planning problems to be addressed and the participants whose actions are necessary to resolve the land use planning problems.

(4) The county shall submit a proposed work scope and a proposed list of participants as a proposal to the Land Conservation and Development Commission for review. The commission shall review:

(a) The proposed work scope to determine whether it can reasonably be completed within the time allowed;

(b) The proposed participant list to determine whether it includes, at a minimum, all local governments that will need to amend a comprehensive plan provision or a land use regulation, or adopt a new provision or regulation, in order to resolve the land use planning problems identified in the work scope; and

(c) The proposed work scope and the proposed participant list for consistency.

(5) A county may initiate amendments of a comprehensive plan or land use regulation under ORS § 197.652 to 197.658 only if the commission approves the work scope, the list of participants and a schedule for completion of the process. The schedule for completion of the process may:

(a) Not exceed three years except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(b) Be extended by the commission for up to one year for good cause shown.

(6) The decision of a county to submit a proposal under this section, and the decision of the commission to approve a proposal, are not final actions subject to judicial review.

(7) If the commission approves a proposal under this section, the county must periodically report on the progress in carrying out the proposal, as specified by the commission.

(8) For purposes of ORS § 197.654 and 197.656, the participants in a collaborative regional problem-solving process include all participants on the list of participants approved by the commission unless the commission subsequently approves the addition or removal of a participant. [1996 c.6 § 3; 1997 c.365 § 1; 2009 c.873 § 8]