The Josephine County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved the adoption of an amendment to the Rural Land Development Code pertaining to wildfire and emergency safety standards for new homes on forested properties.
Following a public hearing on Wednesday, the Board voted 3-0 to approve the second reading and adopt the ordinance that amends the development code criteria for the permitting of new dwellings in forest commercial and woodlot zones.
Assistant Legal Counsel Stephanie Nuttall testified that the first reading of the ordinance was held February 14th after being continued from the January 31st meeting. She said the amendment changes language in the existing ordinance, dropping the requirement for developers of forested properties to obtain additional fire protection before a permit can be issued. Redundant language was eliminated.
Board Vice-Chair Herman Baertschiger said the only state requirement for new homes on forested land is that there is fire protection. He added that the Oregon Department of Forestry charges an annual fee for fire protection on those lands and that satisfies the requirement. The changes do not prevent a rural property owner from acquiring fire protection from an existing district or private provider.
The Commissioners heard a presentation from Kevin Gill of the Oregon Ground Water Association. Gill said state government wants to shut down the acquisition of new water rights in Oregon and his organization is asking the Oregon Water Resources Commission to pause its rule-making. He said a "one-size-fits-all" policy on ground water is bad for the state given its varied geography, adding that it could eventually impact domestic water wells and those used for agriculture.
As part of the Consent Calendar, the Board approved the appointment of Mark Stutzman to the Josephine County Elected Officials Compensation Committee.
