Property rights alert for all Eugene landowners

For those of you that own rural property in Lane County, there is an important meeting tonight at Harris Hall (125 E. 8th St.) in Eugene.
By Oregonians In Action

The Lane County Commissioners are considering making sweeping changes to the Lane County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan that would have tremendous effect on rural property owners. These changes include a ban on all Goal 3 or Goal 4 exceptions, the elimination of the county’s non-resource zone, and the alteration of the county’s template dwelling standards. If these changes are adopted, rural property owners in Lane County would have no way to change the zoning of their rural property, even if the property is miszoned as farm or forest land, or even if the property has been completely surrounded by development. Lane County would be the only county in the state to take this radical position – even Multnomah County has not considered such extreme measures.

Not only would these changes be devastating to rural Lane County property owners, they would trigger Measure 49 claims which would cost Lane County thousands of dollars to defend. In these times, counties don’t have tax dollars to waste to defend themselves from lawsuits that could easily be avoided.

Tonight’s meeting is being billed by Lane County as a “stakeholders meeting.” Anyone who attends tonights meeting will be given an opportunity to complete a card listing your support or opposition to each proposal, and your reasons (if you want to list any) why you support or oppose the proposal. There will be public testimony taken, so you don’t have to stand and speak to give your opinion.

I know it is late notice, but if you can attend tonight’s meeting, please do so. Lane County property owners need your help!

Dave Hunnicutt
President
Oregonians In Action