Oregon Revised Statutes

Chapter 226 — City Parks, Memorials and Cemeteries

48 sections

226.010 Control of municipal corporation over property outside boundaries

Every incorporated city or municipal corporation owning or controlling any lands without its boundaries may enact any police or penal ordinance necessary to protect the same or preserve the peace and order therein or regulate the use of such park, enforce the ordinance by penalties of fine or imprisonment and make arrests and serve process of courts therein …

226.110 Definitions for ORS 226.120 to 226.240

As used in ORS 226.120 to 226.240, unless the context requires otherwise: “Board” means board of city park commissioners. “City” means incorporated city containing not less than 3,000 inhabitants. “Commissioner” means city park commissioner.

226.120 Composition and selection of board of park commissioners

The board of park commissioners of the city shall be composed of the mayor and city engineer, if there is one, and if not, the city auditor, together with five citizens thereof, to be appointed by the circuit court in which the city is located. If there is more than one circuit judge in the circuit in which the city is located, the appointment shall be made …

226.130 [Repealed by 1983 c.350 §53 (226.131 enacted in lieu of 226.130)]

226.131 Vote required for creation of park commission; conduct of election

The question whether ORS 226.110 to 226.240 shall take effect in a city shall be decided by election as provided in this section. The governing body may submit the question to the electors of the city at an election on a date specified in ORS 221.230. The election shall be conducted under ORS chapters 246 to 260.

226.140 Organization of board; compensation

The commissioners shall organize at a meeting thereof, to be called by the mayor not less than 30 nor more than 60 days after appointment of the commissioners is complete. The mayor shall be chairperson of the board. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the board appointed under ORS 226.120, the proper judge or judges shall fill the vacancy. Commissioners shall not …

226.150 Duties of secretary

The board shall appoint a secretary, who shall keep an accurate record of all proceedings of the board, including all rules and regulations adopted for government or use of the parks.

226.160 Duties of treasurer

The city treasurer shall be treasurer of the board. The treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all moneys received and paid out on account of the board apart from all other accounts, and shall pay out no moneys on account of the board, except upon a warrant drawn upon the treasurer by the chairperson or acting chairperson, countersigned by the secretary…

226.170 Publication of penalties

The rules and regulations of the board for violation of which penalties are fixed shall be made public, as the board determines.

226.180 Meetings; requirements for business transactions

Regular meetings of the board shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson upon application of three members of the board. No business shall be transacted at any meeting of the board without the presence of three or more of the commissioners. No land shall be purchased without concurrence of a majority o…

226.190 Prohibition of member interest in board contracts

No commissioner shall be interested in any contract to which the board of which the commissioner is a member is a party or in which it is interested.

226.200 [Repealed by 2023 c.173 §1]

226.210 General powers of board; rules

The board shall have full and exclusive control of all parks within or connected with its respective city. For that purpose it may: Lay out and improve such parks. Appoint all necessary engineers, surveyors and all other employees, including a police force to act in the parks and fix the amount of their compensation. Do all acts needful and proper for the…

226.220 Vote required for special tax levy

If necessary, the board may provide for payment of land purchases under ORS 226.210 (1)(f) by a special tax, not to exceed one-half mill on the dollar in any one year, on taxable property in the city, to be levied by the board and collected like other city taxes. Before such tax shall be levied and upon written application of the board, signed by its chairp…

226.230 Abolition of board

If the governing body of a city with a park board created under ORS 226.120 decides that the city should abolish the board and transfer its powers, functions and duties, as defined in ORS 226.110 to 226.220, to the governing body of the city, the governing body shall submit the question of the transfer to the electors of the city. The election shall be held …

226.240 Transfer of commission powers on favorable vote

If the electors of the city approve abolition of the park board under ORS 226.230, the park commission shall cease and the offices of park commissioner terminate within 30 days after the returns of the election have been canvassed. Thereafter, all powers, functions and duties of the park commission shall be exercised and performed by the city council or city…

226.310 Definition of “city” for ORS 226.320 to 226.400; public use

As used in ORS 226.320 to 226.400, “city” means any incorporated city having 5,000 inhabitants or more. The taking, using, acquiring and appropriating of private property for any purpose specified in ORS 226.320 to 226.390 is declared to be done for public use.

226.320 Authority to acquire land for certain purposes

Whenever the municipal authorities determine by ordinance to do so, the city may purchase, acquire, take, use, enter upon and appropriate land and property within or without its corporate limits for the purpose of: Public squares, parks, memorial monuments or buildings, pioneer memorials, pioneer museums, memorials and monuments to United States war veteran…

226.330 Acquisition of property in excess of needs

The city may purchase, acquire, take, use, enter upon and appropriate land and property in excess of what may be needed for any public squares, parks or playgrounds.

226.340 Terms of appropriation ordinance

In the ordinance providing for an appropriation under ORS 226.330, the municipal authorities shall specify and describe the land authorized to be taken, purchased, acquired, used and appropriated. Such land shall not embrace more than 200 feet beyond the boundary line of the property to be used for the public squares, parks or playgrounds in order to protect…

226.350 Sale of excess land; restrictive covenants in deed of resale

After so much land and property referred to in ORS 226.330 as is needed has been appropriated for public squares, parks or playgrounds, the municipal authorities of the city may by ordinance authorize the sale of the remainder of such land or property and impose such restrictions in any deed of resale as may be deemed necessary or proper. The ordinance shall…

226.360 Application of proceeds from sale of excess land

The proceeds from resale of any neighboring property taken in excess of what may be necessary for actual construction, opening, widening, extending and laying out of any public square, park or playground as provided in ORS 226.310 to 226.390 shall be deposited in the city treasury and used in payment of interest and as a sinking fund to retire any bond issue…

226.370 Notice and conduct of sale of excess land

Before selling the neighboring lands or property acquired under ORS 226.320 to 226.360, or any part thereof or any right or interest therein, the municipal authorities of the city shall give a notice of such sale by publication for five successive days in one or more daily newspapers of the city having a general circulation therein and by posting a similar n…

226.380 Condemnation procedure

When it is intended by the municipal authorities of the city to take, use and appropriate private property for any of the purposes mentioned in ORS 226.320 to 226.340 and the owners and the municipal authorities cannot agree upon compensation and damages arising therefrom, compensation and damages shall be considered, ascertained, determined, awarded and pai…

226.390 Financing of projects by bond issues

The municipal authorities may issue bonds for the costs and expenses of acquiring the private property for any of the purposes mentioned in ORS 226.320 to 226.380. The bonds shall be at such rate of interest and for such length of time as the municipal authorities determine, shall be advertised and sold in such manner as the municipal authorities determine a…

226.400 Construction of memorials or veterans’ facilities in parks within city limits

The city may permit and authorize the following uses of parks, which are lawful uses of any grounds or premises dedicated as public parks, unless the use thereof for such purposes is forbidden by the terms of the conveyance creating such parks: The erection and construction of memorial monuments and buildings. Pioneer memorials and pioneer museums. Memori…

226.410 Authority to establish facilities for disposition of human remains within or without city limits

Any incorporated city may acquire, own, maintain and operate cemeteries, crematoria and other facilities authorized for the disposition of human remains either inside or outside its corporate limits, in accordance with such plans as the city governing body deems best.

226.420 Acquisition of property of cemetery association

Any incorporated city may acquire, by purchase or gift, any ground or other property belonging to any cemetery association, situate within the corporate limits of the city, for the purpose of owning, controlling or operating such cemetery and the interment of the body of any deceased person therein, or the disinterment and removal to a different cemetery of …

226.430 Control by city after conveyance

Whenever any cemetery association transfers to any incorporated city, as provided in ORS 226.420, the ground and property of such cemetery association, from and after such transfer the city shall have exclusive control of such cemetery and all property connected therewith.

226.440 Sale of lots by city

Any incorporated city acquiring incorporated cemetery association property as provided in ORS 226.420, may sell or otherwise dispose of any lots or blocks situate in and being a part of such cemetery in the manner prescribed by the common council of such city.

226.450 Authority to expend funds for maintenance of cemeteries

All cities owning and controlling lands, lots or parcels of ground used for cemetery purposes may expend, for the purpose of beautifying, caring for and keeping up all such lands and premises, such public funds as have been included for that purpose in their annual budget.

226.480 [1953 c.51 §1; repealed by 1981 c.48 §8]

226.490 [1971 c.38 §1; repealed by 1981 c.48 §8]

ABANDONED CEMETERIES

226.510 Certain cemeteries as menace to public; acquisition and removal of such cemeteries declared public use

It hereby is found and declared: That there exists within municipal corporations of the state, cemeteries which have been abandoned and cemeteries which have deteriorated and become dilapidated and overgrown with weeds, trees, shrubs or other uncontrolled growth. That such cemeteries, by reason of their unsightly appearance, fire hazard, and by reason of t…

226.520 Definitions for ORS 226.510 to 226.640

As used in ORS 226.510 to 226.640: “Abandoned cemetery” means a cemetery in which remains have not been interred in the last five years and: That does not have a known owner; For which the last known owner is deceased and the title was not conveyed; or That was owned by an entity that no longer exists and that did not convey title. “Cemetery” means a tr…

226.530 Powers of city to acquire and remove cemeteries to another site

Any municipal corporation, by and through its governing body, in addition to the powers and privileges heretofore conferred upon municipal corporations by the laws of this state, shall for the purposes of ORS 226.530 to 226.630 have the power to: Acquire cemeteries and cemetery properties, by eminent domain, conveyance or otherwise. Acquire real property f…

226.540 Public hearing concerning abandoned or neglected cemetery

The governing body of a municipal corporation may hold a public hearing regarding an abandoned cemetery, or deteriorated and neglected cemetery, that is within the boundaries of the municipal corporation if: The cemetery could, because of its location, endanger the health, welfare, comfort or safety of the public; The municipal corporation verifies that th…

226.550 Governing body to publish resolution or ordinance upon finding that cemetery should be relocated

Upon a finding by the governing body of a municipal corporation, after such hearing, that a cemetery located within such corporation is abandoned, or has become deteriorated or dilapidated and overgrown with weeds, trees, shrubs or other uncontrolled growth, and is so located as to endanger the health, welfare, comfort or safety of the public, and that the p…

226.560 Expenditure of public funds for removal and reinterment of remains from discontinued cemetery

Upon the adoption of a resolution or ordinance, as provided for by ORS 226.540 and 226.550, the governing body of said municipal corporation may provide for the expenditure of public funds necessary for the disinterment, removal and reinterment of remains and any and all other expenses incident thereto, including, but not limited to, acquisition of property,…

226.570 Power of city to condemn cemetery

Upon the adoption by the governing body of a municipal corporation of an ordinance or resolution, as provided by ORS 226.540 and 226.550, such governing body shall have the authority, by an action filed in the circuit court of the State of Oregon for the county in which such municipal corporation is located to condemn any cemetery subject to condemnation by …

226.580 Parties defendant to condemnation suit

The complaint in any suit brought under the provisions of ORS 226.510 to 226.640 shall include as defendants the names of all record owners of lots, or plots located in the cemetery sought to be condemned or any portion or parcel of such cemetery, and the names of the heirs of all record owners as shown by the probate records of the county in which such ceme…

226.590 Service of summons

The summons in the action shall be served on all named defendants who, by diligent search, can be found, in a like manner as service of summons in a civil action. Service of summons on named defendants who cannot be found may be made by publication as provided in ORCP 7. Service of summons on the defendants included in the complaint as “all other persons or …

226.600 Effect of service by publication on persons or parties in interest

All such persons or parties having or claiming any right, title, estate or interest in the real property in controversy, so served by publication as in ORS 226.590 provided, shall have the same rights as provided by law in case of all other defendants upon whom service is made by publication, and the suit shall proceed against such persons in the same manner…

226.610 Compensation for condemned property determined by jury; factors to be considered

The matter of compensation, if any, shall be determined by a jury called for such purpose; and the court shall, in addition to other instructions, instruct that the jury shall consider the following factors as a benefit and offset: The cost of a suitable reinterment site. The cost of preparation of site and its perpetual care and maintenance. The cost of …

226.620 City acquiring condemned cemetery to proceed with removal and reinterment of remains

Whenever any municipal corporation shall have proceeded under ORS 226.510 to 226.640, and a judgment of the court shall vest in said municipal corporation the title to such cemetery properties, as referred to herein, by eminent domain, such municipal corporation shall proceed with the removal of remains, stones, monuments and any and all evidences of a grave…

226.630 Acts to be done by city in removing and reinterring remains; compliance as complete defense in action for damages

The removal of remains, headstones and other evidence of the locations of graves, and the clearance of the cemetery property, may be done under the direct supervision of the governing body of the municipal corporation, or such commission as such governing body may appoint, and such removal, reinterment, clearance and other acts in connection with this progra…

226.640 Issuance of permit to restore, maintain and preserve abandoned cemetery; rules

The State Parks and Recreation Department may issue a permit to an entity to restore, maintain and preserve an abandoned cemetery. An entity issued a permit under subsections (1) to (5) of this section may: Restore, maintain and preserve the grounds of the abandoned cemetery; Take custody, for the time during which the entity holds a valid permit, of docu…

226.990 Penalties

Violation of ORS 226.190 is punishable, upon conviction, in the same manner and to the same extent as for a crime defined in ORS 164.043, 164.045, 164.055 and 164.057. _______________