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House approves bill easing transfers of land to conservation nonprofits for protection
Summary
HB 2256 narrows liability concerns and eases barriers for landowners and trusts transferring land to conservation nonprofits for habitat, open space, and drinking water protection; sponsor said the change does not create legally established lots where none existed.
The Oregon House on March 7 passed House Bill 2256, intended to remove barriers that can delay or block transfers of land to conservation land trusts.
Representative Fratella, sponsor of the bill, said conservation land trusts partner with utilities and local governments to protect fish and wildlife habitat, recreational open space and municipal drinking-water sources, and that technical land-use requirements have sometimes impeded transfers. The sponsor said the measure applies narrowly to land acquired for conservation purposes by a conservation nonprofit and exempts sellers from certain potential liabilities tied to transfers for conservation use.
Fratella emphasized the bill does not create legally established lots if they did not previously exist and does not provide exemptions from other kinds of liability. Stakeholders, including the McKenzie River Trust and Eugene Water & Electric Board, were cited as having advised the bill; sponsors said amendments were made to align the measure with current statutory definitions.
The clerk announced the bill had received the constitutional majority and declared it passed.
