Oregon Statutes - Chapter 477 - Fire Protection of Forests and Vegetation - Section 477.029 - Local land classification committee; members; officers; terms; rules.

(1) Pursuant to a request by the State Forester, the governing body of a county containing forestland-urban interface may establish a county forestland-urban interface classification committee of five persons, of whom one shall be appointed by the State Forester, one by the State Fire Marshal and three by the governing body. Of the members appointed by the governing body, one must be an owner of land within the forestland-urban interface who permanently resides on the land. Each appointing authority shall file with the State Forester the name of its appointee or appointees, and the persons so named shall constitute the committee for the county. Unless otherwise provided for by the appointing authority, members of the committee shall serve a term of four years and may be reappointed to any number of terms. Each member of the committee at all times is subject to replacement by the appointing authority, effective upon the filing with the State Forester by that authority of written notice of the name of the new appointee.

(2) The committee shall elect from among its members a chair and a secretary and may elect other officers as it finds advisable. The committee shall adopt rules governing its organization and proceedings and the performance of its duties, and shall keep written minutes of all its meetings. A quorum of the county forestland-urban interface classification committee for official actions is three members, and a quorum of a committee established pursuant to subsection (4)(a) of this section is four members.

(3) The governing body of the county may provide for the committee and its employees such accommodations and supplies and such county funds not otherwise appropriated as the governing body finds necessary for the proper performance of the committee’s functions. The members of the committee shall receive no compensation for their services, but the governing body may reimburse them for their actual and necessary travel and other expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. By written agreement between the State Forester and the governing body, the State Forestry Department may provide the functions or be responsible for part or all of the expenses referred to in this subsection.

(4) In the interest of efficiency, by written agreement between the State Forester and the governing body, if a forestland classification committee is established and active within a county pursuant to ORS 526.305 to 526.340, the members of that committee may also serve on the county forestland-urban interface classification committee established by subsection (1) of this section. In the event that this agreement is made, the State Forester and the governing body shall ensure that either:

(a) A State Fire Marshal appointee and an owner of land within the forestland-urban interface who permanently resides on the land are added to the county forestland classification committee to bring the total number of committee members to seven; or

(b) The State Fire Marshal approves of the current membership of the county forestland classification committee and the committee includes an owner of land within the forestland-urban interface who permanently resides on the land. [1997 c.429 §11; 2007 c.30 §4]

Note: Section 14, chapter 30, Oregon Laws 2007, provides:

Sec. 14. (1) The amendments to ORS 477.029 (1) by section 4 of this 2007 Act establishing a four-year term for members of county forestland-urban interface classification committees do not apply to members who are serving on the effective date of this 2007 Act [January 1, 2008], but a member serving on the effective date of this 2007 Act may not serve more than four years after the effective date of this 2007 Act unless the member is reappointed. If a member is reappointed after the effective date of this 2007 Act, the term of the reappointed member is four years.

(2) The amendments to ORS 477.029 (2) by section 4 of this 2007 Act apply to meetings of a county forestland-urban interface classification committee taking place on or after the effective date of this 2007 Act.

(3) The amendments to ORS 477.059 by section 9 of this 2007 Act only apply to initial certifications, supplemental certifications and renewal certifications that are required on or after the effective date of this 2007 Act. [2007 c.30 §14]

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Last modified: August 7, 2008