Fire Protection Committee Introduces Itself to Landowners

There are over 7,000 properties in Coos County affected by the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fore Protection Act of 1997 (Senate Bill 360).  Last week, Coos County 's Interface Committee sent notices of a public hearing regarding this act to all affected landowners. A public hearing will be held February 10, 2010 at 6:30p.m. at the Coquille Community Center, located at 115 N. Birch in Coquille.  The notice states, "Objections, remonstrances or suggestions relating to the proposed classification will be heard at this time.  Following the hearing, formal notifications will be mailed to affected property owners."

WHAT PROPERTIES MEET THE GUIDELINES?

  • Lands within the county that are also inside an Oregon Department of Forestry protection district.
  • Lands that meet the state’s definition of “forestland.”
  • Lands that meet the definition of “suburban” or “urban”; in some cases, “rural” lands may be included within a forestland-urban interface area for the purpose of maintaining meaningful, contiguous boundaries.
  • Lots that are developed, that are 10 acres in size or smaller, and which are grouped with other lots with similar characteristics in a minimum density of four structures per 40 acres.

The 1997 Act was initiated as a wildfire prevention measure, and the majority of properties in Coos County do not meet the guidelines to be affected by this initiative.  The law is intended for homeowners in wildland urban areas of state-protected forestlands to reduce their risk if a fire occures close to (or on) their property.

 The Oregon Department of Forestry will assume administrative responsibility, and notifies the owners of properties within the forestland-urban interface boundaries.  "Property owners have two years after receiving their letter of notification to comply with the fuel-reduction standards described in OAR 629-044-1050 through 629-044-1085.

WHAT IF A LANDOWER DOES NOT COMPLY?

The Oregon Department of Forestry website states that a certification card will be sent to forestland-urban interface property owners, which may be signed and returned to ODF after the fuel-reduction standards have been met.  Return of aforementioned card is VERY important for landowners.  The return of a certification card  relieves a property owner from the Act's fire cost-recover liability.  For a landowner without a certification card, the State of Oregon may seek to recover certain fire suppression costs from a property owner if the fire originates on the owner's property, the fuel reduction standards have not been met, and ODF incurs extraordinary suppression costs.  The cost-recovery liability is capped at $100,000.  A certification card is void when a property sells or a structure is added.  It is also void when the land is reclassified.

If you have received a preliminary letter from the Coos County Forestland-Urban Interface Committee, it is in your best interest to visit the website, attend the meeting, and make sure that you know the rules and regulations of this Act.  Certification forms can be downloaded from the website as well. Curiously, no information on the Coos County are is available online.  Another reason to attend this meeting.

Written By: Rushel Reed, Broker

By: rushelreed | In: Real Estate Information | Comments: 0 | On: 01/26/2010 15:58:51

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