Critical Wildfire Map & Session Update

In this update from Salem, we’ve got good news and we’ve got bad news.

The Good News – You’ve Got Their Attention

Your emails, calls, and messages are being heard in Salem! The Legislature is hearing a lot about the maps and how they impact rural Oregon families. Legislators from both parties are talking about the map and the concerns coming from rural Oregon.

Because of your efforts, the Legislature is considering changes to address some of your issues. There are dozens of wildfire bills already dropped for Session, and we know that more are coming in the next few days that are going to try and address some of your most critical concerns related to the map.

The Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee even held a hearing this week exclusively on the issue of insurance and wildfire hazard. You can watch a recording of that hearing and view the materials here: Watch Hearing & View Materials.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION HOWEVER – Even if lawmakers decide to act, it is highly unlikely that a bill will pass before the deadline to appeal your map designation ends. Therefore, if you’re going to appeal, you should continue those efforts.

Unfortunately, because our team (of two) is focused on legislative solutions, we are not able to represent individual landowners on appeals.

However, we are working with an awesome group of attorneys and law firms that are examining this issue. We are looking at ways in which large groups of property owners or other entities may be able to appeal on behalf of others. We are also gathering a list of attorneys who do have the capacity to help individual landowners.

We will send more information out next week. In the meantime, if you are able to appeal yourself, continue to do so.

The Bad News – The Attack On Rural Oregon Is WAY Bigger Than Just The Wildfire Map

We have known for a long time that for many special interest groups and environmental activists, the state’s wildfire program has less to do with protecting Oregonians from the impacts of wildfire, and more to do with preventing rural Oregonians from living and working in the country.

These activists push their vision for urbanized-Oregon under the guise of “farmland preservation” to try to appeal to farmers, ranchers, and rural legislators. Unfortunately, their narrative isn’t based on reality. You can read the truth about Oregon’s “farmland loss” here: Are We Really Losing Farmland in Oregon? No, But Don’t Let the Truth Get in the Way of a Good Story.

While the wildfire map was the start of a campaign against rural living, they have expanded their efforts with a package of bills designed to keep people from living and working outside of town. These bills are active in the Oregon Senate and were introduced as committee bills in the Senate Committee on Wildfire and Natural Resources.

Over the next few weeks, we will try and break down each of these bills, but we will start with the one that has the potential to cause the most damage – Senate Bill 79.

Under SB 79, almost no new houses could be built on farm or forest land if the property has any one of following overlays on it. To note, nearly all land outside of town is zoned as “farmland” or “forest land” because of LCDC and county mistakes made nearly 50 years ago. So, really, we are talking about limiting rural homes on nearly all land outside of city limits.

Un SB 79, land is off limits for “new dwellings” if it meets ANY of the criteria below:

• Is identified as high wildfire hazard and within the wildland-urban interface;
• In a ground water restricted area;
• Contains essential, limited, important or irreplaceable wildlife habitat;
• In a high priority wildlife movement or habitat connectivity areas; or
• Contains “high-value” farmland soils.

What does that look like in real life?

Here’s a map of Jackson County – the dark blue lots would be off-limits to rural homes under Senate Bill 79, while the orange lots would be places you could still build. However, many of the orange lots will likely turn dark blue once the definition of “essential, limited, important or irreplaceable wildlife areas” is defined and counties start collecting that data.

If SB 79 passes, an average of 5 out of every 6 homes in rural Oregon would be disallowed.  Other counties will be just as bad if not worse than Jackson County.

Rural Oregon is under an assault in the Oregon Senate that is the worst I’ve ever seen in my nearly 30 years working for property owners in the Capitol. This cannot and is not the “Oregon way.”

TAKE ACTION: Don’t Let Up – Your Voice Needs to Be Heard!

The best thing you can do to push back against these bills is to keep the pressure on the Senate to abandon these bills. Oregon has a super-majority legislature this session. That means to move the needle you need to contact BOTH republicans and democrats and ask them for help.

You can find contact information for everyone in the Oregon Senate: FIND CONTACT INFO. Send them an email and tell them to vote NO on SB 79, 78, 77, and 73.

Remember, when you contact a legislator, write with respect. If you name-call or use profanity, they will disregard your email or call and they won’t take the issue seriously.

Here is a sample message you can send:

Dear Senator,

I am writing today for two important reasons. First, to express significant concerns about SB 79, 78, 77, and 73. Each of these bills is designed to limit our opportunity to build homes and have home businesses in rural Oregon.

Rural Oregonians need your support this session, not another attack. These bills will only further the urban-rural divide and make our housing crisis worse.

We want to protect farmers and rural Oregonians.  If you want to protect farmers, support their bottom-line and give them more opportunities to succeed. Do not take away our opportunities to live, work, and thrive in rural Oregon.

Thank you.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not represent the opinions or positions of any party represented by the OPOA Legal Center on any particular matter.