COQUILLE — The company proposing a liquefied natural gas terminal on Coos Bay's North Spit has received a renewed vote of approval from Coos County commissioners.

The commissioners Thursday unanimously approved changes to the developers' land use application. The changes address concerns raised by Oregon's Land Use Board of Appeals, after opponents appealed the county's previous approval in 2007.

The commissioners' approval completes one segment of the complicated LNG approval process, unless opponents file an appeal of Thursday's decision. In the meantime, the decision allows the developer, Jordan Cove Energy Project, to turn its attention to state and federal permits.

The county agreed to enforce 50-foot setbacks from wetlands depicted in its inventory maps. The original plan called for same kinds of setbacks, but it used maps supplied by Jordan Cove.

The commissioners also ensured the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians can request a county hearing if they can't agree with Jordan Cove about protecting graves and other archaeological artifacts.

And the commissioners accepted the county staff's recommendations to clarify that the state will resolve questions about wastewater and foundation soils.

Not all decisions were unanimous among the commissioners.

While the Confederated Tribes didn't object to the proposed changes, they weren't happy about the meeting's scheduling. J.D. Williams, an attorney representing the tribes, said they are neutral on the project. However, if they can't reach an agreement with Jordan Cove on archaeological preservation, the tribes would oppose the project, he said.

He explained to the commissioners that the two sides have a conceptual agreement, but it might be several weeks before a final one can be completed. He asked that the record remain open until negotiations are completed.

"We want an opportunity to argue against the project if we don't reach an agreement," he said.

Commissioner Bob Main said he was in favor of keeping the record open until the two sides could complete their negotiations. That would have meant delaying the county's final decision.

But Chairwoman Nikki Whitty and Commissioner Kevin Stufflebean said the tribes have a right to appeal to the county if they haven't reached a decision by the time Jordan Cove requests a zoning compliance letter. They said that was enough and voted 2-1 to close the record.

In the hearing, opponents of the Jordan Cove project primarily focused on the map issue. They contend the county doesn't have the inventory map and is trying to pass off a different kind of map as the real one.

"They are not being honest here," said Jody McCaffree, the leader of local opposition to the LNG terminal.

Main asked about the map, and Planning Director Patty Evernden produced it from among the thousands of pages of material in the record. LUBA apparently failed to notice the map's inclusion in the county's initial documents, Main said.

"I think LUBA was confused," Evernden replied.

Several other opponents complained about the format of the meeting, insisting they should be allowed to talk about other aspects of the project beside the three issues specified by LUBA.

Ronnie Hearne compared the proceedings to a kangaroo court, with the county going along with whatever Jordan Cove's attorneys requested. Diane Phillips of Azalea questioned postponing a decision on the archeological issue, suggesting it assumes such problems can be readily resolved.

"It sets a bad precedent for dealing with archeological issues," she said.

No one aside from Jordan Cove' lawyers spoke in favor of the project, though a number of supporters sat in the audience. They applauded when the commissioners voted unanimously for the land-use application changes.

Main said he agreed to approve the changes to the application because the tribes accepted them. He suggested he might have voted differently if other aspects of the project had been up for discussion.

Jordan Cove Energy Project will write up the findings from Thursday's meeting for the commissioners to make a formal decision next month.