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County creates fee for Measure 7 claims By Dani Dodge The Jackson County Board of Commissioners approved a form and a fee Wednesday for people who want to make claims under Measure 7. The form: must be typed on 8�- by 11-inch paper and include notarized signatures of property owners, title reports, appraisals, and much more. The fee: $1,040. "Our intention is to follow the people�s desires in Measure 7," said Commissioner Jack Walker. "And we are doing it the best way we know how." Approved by Oregon voters on Nov. 7, Measure 7 would require state and local governments to compensate landowners when regulations reduce property values. It was to take effect today , but a court injunction approved in Salem Thursday delayed its implementation. Across the state, government agencies are scrambling to come up with a way to deal with the requests for money expected under the measure. Wednesday, Jackson County commissioners passed an emergency ordinance that will be in effect for 120 days. Usually, an ordinance of this kind would require at least two meetings including a public hearing. But because of the emergency nature, the commissioners approved it in one meeting. At Wednesday�s meeting, Jackson County Administrator Sue Slack said she understands that other governmental agencies have set their fees for the process at between $600 and $1,500. The Jackson County fee is based on what the county charges people applying for a conditional use permit � $840 � plus $200 for extra work expected beyond the conditional use permit process. Slack said the fee is intended to cover the county�s costs in processing the applications, but could change down the road. "We are very uncertain the amount of work that will go into these claims," she said. Slack declined to even offer a guess about how much Measure 7 will cost the county. Jackson County Attorney Mike Jewett said he has no idea how many applications will come in if the injunction is lifted. "It may be a flood or it may be a trickle," he said. In order to apply for a claim under Measure 7, property owners must provide a number of items to the county, including: An assessor�s map or survey; A preliminary title report; Ownership documents; A complete list of interests or encumbrances; A specific and detailed reference to each and every regulation that the owner asserts restricts the use of the property and reduces its value; A specific and detailed explanation of how and why the code�s sections restrict property use and impacts value; A list of compensation claims; development or permit applications previously filed with any governmental agency; Copies of appraisals, market studies, economic feasibility studies, development schemes, environmental assessments related to the property within the last two years; All documentation in support of the claim; A description of desired use of property; An appraisal that looks at current value and possible value based on desired changes. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.