That pipeline runs through city right of way, triggering a requirement that it have a franchise agreement with the city. Under the city charter, any transfer of a franchise agreement requires approval by the Portland City Council. “The franchise agreement with Zenith requires that the city not unreasonably withhold or delay its consent to a transfer if the conditions in the franchise agreement for such transfer have been met.” Critics want the City Council to use the transfer of the franchise agreement to leverage greater control over the next owner. (When Zenith acquired the terminal in 2018, the transfer of the franchise agreement took just over a month.)