ORS 477.277 Annual surcharge

In addition to any other assessment prescribed by ORS 477.205 to 477.281, a surcharge shall annually be levied and assessed in the amount of $58 for each improved lot or parcel to defray the increased cost of fire suppression on forestland that is caused by the existence of the improvements.

Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the surcharge established by paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be adjusted annually for inflation since 2025 based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor.

If the annual adjustment under this paragraph results in a surcharge that is lower than the surcharge for the previous year, the surcharge shall remain unchanged from the previous year.

All surcharge moneys collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund.

If an owner of forestland files a forest protection plan with the forester which is approved by the State Board of Forestry under ORS 477.210 (2), the owner shall not be required to pay the surcharge levied under subsection (1) of this section.

Contiguous lots included in a combined lot that is described in ORS 477.295 (2)(a) and whose owner has made application to the forester under ORS 477.295 (3) are considered one lot for purposes of subsection (1) of this section.

As used in this section, a lot or parcel is “improved” if it is indicated as improved in the county assessor’s property classification files or if a manufactured dwelling is sited on the lot or parcel.