Current through 2024 Regular Session legislation effective June 6, 2024
Section 545.075 - Requirements that may be imposed upon petitioners in western Oregon district; charges or assessments(1) Notwithstanding ORS 545.067, in any irrigation district lying entirely west of the summit of the Cascade Mountains, the board of directors may require as a condition precedent to the granting of the petition that the petitioners severally pay, contract to pay, become liable to the district for or consent that the lands petitioned to be included be charged or assessed by the district for such sums as the board of directors determines. However, these sums shall not exceed the amount the petitioners or their predecessors in interest would have been required to pay to the district for charges and assessments for the payment of: (a) Their pro rata share of all bonds and the interest thereon previously issued by the district, or other indebtedness previously incurred, had such lands been included in the district at the time it was originally formed, or when the bonds were so issued or such indebtedness incurred; and(b) The cost of any additional facilities required to deliver water to the lands of the petitioners.(2) The board of directors may provide for the payment of any charge or assessment under this section in annual installments. The order of inclusion shall set forth the description of the lands included, the amount of the charge or assessment on the lands and the manner of payment. After the order is recorded under ORS 545.079, the order is an assessment of the district upon the lands of petitioners for any bonded indebtedness or federal or state contract obligation in accordance with the provisions of the order of inclusion, and the lands are included within the boundaries of the district.(3) The annual installments may be included with the annual charge or assessment of the district upon the water user for district purposes. The annual installments shall bear interest, be subject to a lien of the district upon the lands and be collected or foreclosed in the same manner and with the same effect as charges and assessments of the district for district purposes.(4) Upon foreclosure of charges or assessments of the district upon any included lands, the amount of the unpaid balance of the charge or assessment provided for in subsection (1) of this section and not included in any foreclosure proceedings remains a charge and assessment lien of the district upon the lands. However, when the district is the purchaser at any sale on foreclosure it may, upon a resale of any lands included in the foreclosure sale, release the lands from the lien of any unpaid balance of the charges and assessments.(5) For the purposes of this section the summit of the Cascade Mountains is considered to be a line beginning at the intersection of the western boundary of Hood River County with the northern boundary of the State of Oregon, thence southerly along the western boundaries of the counties of Hood River, Wasco, Jefferson, Deschutes and Klamath to the southern boundary of the State of Oregon.