Section 49-22-16 - Effect of issuance of certificate or permit - Local land use, zoning, or building rules, regulations, or ordinances - State agency rules1. The issuance of a certificate of site compatibility or a route permit shall, subject to subsections 2 and 3, be the sole site or route approval required to be obtained by the utility.2. A certificate of site compatibility for an electric energy conversion facility may not supersede or preempt any local land use, zoning, or building rules, regulations, or ordinances and a site may not be designated which violates local land use, zoning, or building rules, regulations, or ordinances. A permit for the construction of an electric transmission facility within a designated corridor supersedes and preempts a local land use, zoning, or building rule, regulation, or ordinance, upon a finding by the commission that the rule, regulation, or ordinance, as applied to the proposed route, is unreasonably restrictive in view of existing technology, factors of cost or economics, or needs of consumers regardless of location. Without such a finding by the commission, a route may not be designated which violates a local land use, zoning, or building rule, regulation, or ordinance.
3. Utilities subject to this chapter shall obtain state permits that may be required to construct and operate electric energy conversion facilities and electric transmission facilities. A state agency in processing a utility's facility permit application shall be bound to the decisions of the commission with respect to the site designation for the electric energy conversion facility or the corridor or route designation for the electric transmission facility and with respect to other matters for which authority has been granted to the commission by this chapter.4. A site or route may not be designated which violates the rules of a state agency. A state agency with jurisdiction over any aspect of a proposed facility shall present the position of the agency at least thirty days before the public hearing on an application for a certificate, a permit, or a waiver, which position clearly must state whether the site, corridor, or route being considered for designation will be in compliance with the agency's rules. For purposes of this chapter it is presumed a proposed facility will be in compliance with a state agency's rules if the agency fails to present its position on the proposed site, corridor, or route at least thirty days before the appropriate public hearing.Amended by S.L. 2019, ch. 389 (SB 2038),§ 3, eff. 8/1/2019.Amended by S.L. 2019, ch. 56 (HB 1383),§ 6, eff. 7/1/2019.Amended by S.L. 2017, ch. 327 (SB 2286),§ 3, eff. 8/1/2017.Amended by S.L. 2017, ch. 328 (HB 1144),§ 17, eff. 7/1/2017.