Since the beginning of the 2011 legislative season, the HPLO has been tracking House Bill 3516, a proposal to exempt photovoltaic installations from local design review. As originally written, the legislation would have allowed solar panels to pop up on historic resources around the state without the ability for local review boards to uphold the integrity of buildings and districts designated as historic on the National Register or local landmark/conservation lists. The efforts of the HPLO…

A pending bill in the Oregon House (Bill 3516) would essentially provide blanket approval of the installation of solar panels on any commercial or residential building, regardless of historic designation or preservation ordinances.  While we can appreciate the intent of the bill to streamline red tape and lower costs around adding solar panels, this has the potential to significantly diminish the historic character of neighborhoods across the state.

HPLO will be submitting testimony…