Last week, the Deschutes County Commission voted 2-1 to file a mass appeal of the state’s wildfire hazard map on behalf of the 21,258 properties within Deschutes which the map designates as the highest hazard. This action comes in response to massive public controversy following the map's unveiling.
While individual property owners are still encouraged to file their own appeals by the March 10th deadline, Deschutes County Commission wanted to send a message to state lawmakers as calls to repeal the controversial map continue.
In a February 12th meeting, the County Commission heard from impassioned landowners who were upset about the map's designation of their land - a designation that comes along with potentially lower property valuation, and the potential for necessary compliance with new "home hardening" requirements should the owner decide to build or remodel. These requirements are still undergoing rulemaking at the state level.
In Deschutes County, 20% of properties are in both the high hazard and wildland-urban-interface designations, making it among the top five counties in the state for the number of properties that might be subject to new state codes.
Republican Commissioners Tony DeBone and Patti Adair both voted in favor of the bulk appeal, while Commissioner Phil Chang voted against the county’s appeal. Adair, who has perhaps been the most outspoken about the map, cited landowner's concerns that the map hurts property values, infringes on private property rights, and places an undue burden on landowners to deal with wildfire risk.
Commissioner Chang, however, understands the opposition to the map, but has stated that he believes taking steps to better prepare Oregon homes against wildfires is critical.
“MY INTEREST IS ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING FOR THE PEOPLE OF DESCHUTES COUNTY SO THAT THEIR HOUSE DOESN’T BURN TO THE GROUND”
-Deschutes County Commissioner Chang
According to Derek Gasperini, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry, Deschutes County isn't the only county interested in filing a bulk appeal, citing similar discussions in Jackson, Josephine and Coos counties.
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