Today, the City of Portland determined that Zenith Energy’s fuels terminal along the Willamette River in Northwest Portland is allowed under city land use regulations.
By signing the company’s land use compatibility statement, the City completes one procedural step in a large, complex Air Permit review process. The company requested this statement Dec. 17, at the direction of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, to help the state make an informed decision about an air quality permit.
City Administrator Michael Jordan released the following statement:
“The City of Portland has a duty to uphold its land use processes, with good faith and due process for all parties involved. We have heard from Portlanders and take their concerns about our environment and safety seriously. We are committed to working closely with the new Portland City Council on the future of our regional energy infrastructure as we make the decisions that will govern the future of energy and sustainability.”
On March 17, Council will host a work session about the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub where Zenith is located —a next step for the City’s executive and legislative branches to come together on this topic.
A land use compatibility statement evaluates whether a proposed use or activity is compatible with the existing land use regulations that apply to a particular location. It is not a permit or a formal land use review. When applicants are pursuing certain state permits, licenses, or other approvals, state agencies may require the applicant to submit a compatibility statement from a city government.
In the City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development receives these requests. The permitting team evaluates whether the City’s existing land use regulations outright allow a proposed use or activity, allow a proposed use or activity but require additional land use reviews, or outright prohibit a proposed use or activity.