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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 22, 2005 1,000 Friends changes course The group, which opposed Measure 37, says it’s working on a landowner bill of rights, but critics call it a ploy By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune If Measure 37 strikes out with the Oregon Supreme Court, property rights advocates might find some relief from an unlikely source. 1000 Friends of Oregon, which has steadfastly opposed Measure 37, has framed its own initiative for November 2006 that creates a homeowner and farmer bill of rights. "Measure 37 was about fairness," said Elon Hasson, government affairs director for 1000 Friends. "If somebody wants to build a house, we don’t want to stop that." The 1000 Friends initiative would give landowners the right to build a house on a piece of property if they owned it before subsequent zoning laws. The initiative would also rein in aspects of Measure 37 that don’t protect surrounding landowners from claims. Hasson said that if the Supreme Court upholds a Circuit Court decision that overturned Measure 37, he’s not sure how much of the 1000 Friends initiative will have to be retooled. Advertisement "There’s enough good things in it that we could still go through with it," he said. Measure 37, passed by 61 percent of voters in 2005, required governments to compensate property owners when regulations lowered land values, or waive the regulations. In Jackson County, 89 Measure 37 claims were approved. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in January, followed by a ruling in March. Oregonians in Action, the group that drafted Measure 37, viewed the newest initiative, which hasn’t yet qualified for the ballot, with derision. "If this were written by 1000 Friends, they will do everything but adhere to the will of the voters," said Ross Day, director of legal affairs for Oregonians in Action. "It’s trying to repeal Measure 37 — that’s what this one does." But Hasson said the initiative, while attempting to redress what he sees as the wrongs in Measure 37, would, in fact, bolster a property owner’s rights. In one provision, a property owner would receive double the fair market value if a government seized a property for the purpose of transferring interest in the property to another party. County Commissioner Jack Walker, who said he hadn’t fully studied the initiative, said this provision could make it more difficult for businesses wanting to set up shop in the state by making it more expensive to buy land. "The economics in the state would fall apart," said Walker, a supporter of Measure 37. County Commissioner Dave Gilmour, who also hadn’t studied the initiative, said it appeared to be on the right track, particularly in offering some relief to property owners who have been zoned out of being able to build a house. Gilmour, who didn’t support Measure 37, said that while he is hoping for relief for some landowners, he also would like to see more protection of the interests of surrounding property owners. Hasson said Measure 37, which he criticized for being poorly written, doesn’t address what happens to surrounding property owners whose land values might be reduced if a neighbor gets a Measure 37 claim approved. Day criticized the language in the 1000 Friends initiative, saying it’s ironic because this is the same group that has been critical of the way Oregonians in Action wrote Measure 37. "Being an expert, this thing is poorly written," he said. For example, he said the language in the initiative makes it difficult for a developer to build on a property, but "developer" is so broadly defined it could mean anyone, including a landowner. But Hasson, who said his initiative was vetted by the state Attorney General’s Office, said that "developer" refers only to developers who are operating under a Measure 37 claim. Day said that just about any legislation or initiative could be challenged or picked apart. "There is no such thing as a perfect law," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail 1,000 Friends changes course ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Salvia Divinorum Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s