SOLAR ENERGY EASEMENTS
105.880 Conveyance prohibiting use of solar energy systems void. (1) No person conveying or contracting to convey fee title to real property shall include in an instrument for such purpose a provision prohibiting the use of solar energy systems by any person on that property.
(2) Any provision executed in violation of subsection (1) of this section after October 3, 1979, is void and unenforceable.
(3) For the purposes of this section, "solar energy system" means any device, structure, mechanism or series of mechanisms which uses solar radiation as a source for heating, cooling or electrical energy. [1979 c.671 §5]
105.885 Definitions for ORS 105.885 to 105.895. As used in ORS 105.885 to 105.895:
(1) "Instrument" means a deed, contract, covenant, condition, permit or order that creates an access right to sunlight.
(2) "Solar energy easement" means any easement, covenant or conditions designed to insure the passage of incident solar radiation, light, air or heat across the real property of another.
(3) "Solar envelope" means a three-dimensional space over a lot representing height restrictions for structures and vegetation on the lot designed to protect access to sunlight for neighboring lots.
(4) "Sun chart" means a representation showing the plotted position of the sun. The chart shall display the path of the sun during each hour of the day and each month of the year at the nearest degree of latitude to the property. [1979 c.671 §6; 1981 c.722 §7]
105.890 Solar energy easement appurtenant; termination. (1) A solar energy easement shall be appurtenant to and run with the real property benefited and burdened by such an easement.
(2) A solar energy easement shall terminate:
(a) Upon the conditions stated therein;
(b) By judgment of a court based upon abandonment or changed conditions; or
(c) At any time by agreement of all owners of benefited and burdened property. [1979 c.671 §7; 2003 c.576 §370]
105.895 Requirements for easement creation by instrument; recordation. (1) Any instrument creating a solar energy easement or any other access right to sunlight shall contain:
(a) A legal description of the real property benefited and burdened by the easement; and
(b) A description of the solar energy easement sufficient to determine the space over the burdened property which must remain unobstructed by means that shall include, but not be limited to:
(A) A sun chart showing the plotted skyline, including vegetation and structures from the perspective of the center of the lower edge of the collector surface, and a drawing showing the size and location of the collector surface being protected and its orientation with respect to true south; or
(B) A description of the solar envelope sufficient to determine the space over the burdened property that must remain unobstructed.
(2) The instrument creating a solar energy easement or any other access right to sunlight shall be recordable under ORS 93.710. The instrument shall be recorded in the chains of title of the benefited and burdened properties as a transfer of the easement or access right from the owner of the burdened property to the owner of the benefited property.
(3) When an instrument creating a solar energy easement is issued by a city or otherwise requires approval from a city, the instrument shall be attested to and contain the original signature of a city official in addition to the descriptions and chart required under subsection (1) of this section.
(4) An instrument creating a solar energy easement shall be indexed when recorded by the name of the city and the names of all parties claiming any interest in the real property benefited or burdened by the easement. [1979 c.671 §8; 1981 c.590 §6; 1981 c.722 §8; 1991 c.230 §23]