Section 374.355 - Dispute resolution procedures; rulesThere is created a set of dispute resolution procedures governing an appeal of the Department of Transportation's decision regarding an approach permit or the removal or modification of an approach. The procedures described in this section include but are not necessarily limited to notice, guarantee of an impartial tribunal, burden of proof and admission and weight of evidence, as follows:
(1) Decisions by the department to deny an application, to deny a deviation or to approve an application with mitigation measures are appealable by the applicant or permit holder. An applicant or permit holder may request a hearing. A hearing conducted under this subsection shall be conducted as a contested case hearing in accordance with ORS chapter 183.(2) In addition to requesting a hearing under subsection (1) of this section, an applicant or permit holder may request the following dispute resolution procedures to resolve issues relating to the department's decision:(a) Collaborative discussion, as established by the department by rule;(b) Review by an Access Management Dispute Review Board established under ORS 374.360; or(3) The time required for a collaborative discussion or review by an Access Management Dispute Review Board process is in addition to the 120 days required for the department's final decision under ORS 374.312.(4)(a) The department shall conduct a collaborative discussion within 45 days of the date the department receives a request from an applicant or permit holder for collaborative discussion unless the applicant or permit holder and the department agree to a longer amount of time.(b) The department shall conduct a review by an Access Management Dispute Review Board within 45 days of the date the department receives a request for a review by an Access Management Dispute Review Board from an applicant or permit holder unless the applicant or permit holder and the department agree to a longer amount of time.(5) A request for a dispute resolution procedure shall stay the time in which the department must issue a final decision for a concurrent contested case hearing.(6) If an agreement between the parties is reached using collaborative discussion, the Director of Transportation shall issue the written decision. The written decision is a binding agreement for the department and for the applicant or permit holder.(7) The decision pursuant to the collaborative discussion or the Access Management Dispute Review Board to approve, modify or reverse the department's decision to approve an application for an approach permit with conditions, to modify or require mitigation measures of an existing approach permit, to deny an approach permit or to remove or modify an approach is a settlement offer and is not a decision that may be appealed.(8) The department may adopt rules for the dispute resolution procedures described under this section.