(a) The termination of the enterprise zone does not affect:
(A) The continuation of a qualified business firm’s property tax exemption first allowed before the effective date of the termination of the enterprise zone; or
(B) The ability of an authorized business firm to claim exemption under ORS 285C.175 if:
(i) The authorization application of the firm was filed with the sponsor before the effective date of the termination of the zone;
(ii) The firm remains authorized at the time the exemption is claimed;
(iii) The firm completes construction, addition, modification or installation of the qualified property within a reasonable time and without interruption of construction, addition, modification or installation activity; and
(iv) The property meets all other applicable requirements for exemption under ORS 285C.175.
(b) A business firm that is currently authorized or qualified in the enterprise zone shall be allowed until 10 years after the effective date of the termination of the enterprise zone to apply for authorization under ORS 285C.140 and to subsequently claim the exemption for any qualified property that is constructed, added, modified or installed inside the former enterprise zone boundaries, as those boundaries existed at the time of termination, and entirely outside of the boundaries of any current enterprise zone. Construction, addition, modification or installation of qualified property must commence prior to the end of the final tax year in which qualified property of the firm is exempt under ORS 285C.175 and must be completed within a reasonable time and without interruption of construction, addition, modification or installation activity. The property must meet all other applicable requirements for exemption under ORS 285C.175.
(c) Disqualification under ORS 285C.240 of all exempt property of the business firm after the effective date of the termination of the enterprise zone shall prohibit and terminate all authorizations sought or obtained by the business firm that would not otherwise be allowed except for paragraph (b) of this subsection. Disqualification under ORS 285C.240 of all exempt property of the business firm on or after the effective date of the termination of the enterprise zone shall cause the assessor to deny any claim for exemption under ORS 285C.175 of qualified property of the business firm made in a subsequent tax year.
(2) An enterprise zone designated under ORS 285C.050 to 285C.250 shall terminate when 10 years plus that number of days necessary to delay the date of termination to the June 30 next following have elapsed since the effective date of the designation.
(3) An enterprise zone designated under ORS 285C.050 to 285C.250 shall terminate prior to the time specified in subsection (2) of this section only as provided in subsections (4) and (5) of this section.
(4) The governing body of the sponsor may submit a resolution requesting termination of the enterprise zone to the Oregon Business Development Department. The sponsor shall provide copies of the resolution to the county assessor and the Department of Revenue. After receipt of the request, the Director of the Oregon Business Development Department shall order termination of the enterprise zone and shall specify the effective date of the termination.
(5) If a sponsor is unable or unwilling to carry out its responsibilities under ORS 285C.105, the director shall order termination of the enterprise zone and shall specify the effective date of the termination. However, in the case of failure to provide enhanced local public services, local incentives or local regulatory flexibility that the sponsor has established under ORS 285C.105, termination is not required if the sponsor provides to any affected authorized or qualified business firms new enhanced local public services, local incentives or local regulatory flexibility of comparable value, or makes reasonable corrections of shortcomings in existing local incentives. A sponsor may reduce the time within which it will provide enhanced local public services, local incentives and local regulatory flexibility to a time period equal to the amount of time allowed for an exemption under ORS 285C.175 without causing termination under this section.
(6) A reservation enterprise zone designated, or a reservation partnership zone cosponsored, under ORS 285C.306 shall terminate in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, but may be redesignated at any time under ORS 285C.306. [Formerly 285B.686; 2010 c.76 §21; 2015 c.648 §23]
Note: Sections 34 and 35, chapter 12, Oregon Laws 2020 (first special session), provide:
Sec. 34. Section 35 of this 2020 special session Act is added to and made a part of ORS 285C.050 to 285C.250. [2020 s.s.1 c.12 §34]
Sec. 35. 2020 termination extensions. (1) Notwithstanding ORS 285C.245 (2):
(a) An enterprise zone that would otherwise terminate on June 30, 2020, shall terminate on December 31, 2020.
(b) If this section takes effect after June 30, 2020, the sponsor of an enterprise zone that terminated on June 30, 2020, may rescind the termination and the enterprise zone shall terminate on December 31, 2020.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS 285C.250 (1)(a), the sponsor of an enterprise zone described in subsection (1) of this section may redesignate the enterprise zone under ORS 285C.250 on any date before January 1, 2021. The redesignation may not take effect before December 31, 2020.
(3) All other deadlines that relate to the termination date and redesignation of an enterprise zone described in subsection (1) of this section shall be interpreted as relating to December 31, 2020. [2020 s.s.1 c.12 §35]