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Josephine County to file appeal of state wildfire hazard map under SB 762
Summary
The Board of Commissioners authorized county legal counsel to file an appeal of the statewide wildfire hazard map produced under Senate Bill 762, citing process concerns and including a signature sheet of affected property owners.
Josephine County commissioners on a Wednesday in March 2025 authorized county legal counsel to file an appeal of the statewide wildfire hazard map developed under Senate Bill 762, citing concerns about the process used to draw hazard zones.
Wally Hicks, county legal counsel, presented the item and declared a potential conflict of interest because he owns property within the wildland-urban interface that is implicated by the proposed map. Hicks said the state law implementing the map (described in the packet as Senate Bill 762 and related provisions of the Oregon Revised Statutes) requires the State Forestry Department to develop a comprehensive statewide wildfire hazard map and allows property owners and local governments to appeal property assignments.
Hicks recommended the county file a single formal appeal on behalf of all tax lots in Josephine County and attach a signature sheet collected from property owners who request inclusion in the appeal. He told the board the governor had directed that appeals by public bodies and private owners be held until the legislature reviews the law, but that the county should still file before the stated deadline so the appeal would be on record.
Commissioner Barnett moved to approve the county appeal letter and attachment; Commissioner Black seconded. The board voted — Commissioner Smith: yes; Commissioner Barnett: yes; Commissioner Black: yes — and the motion carried 3 to 0.
Hicks read from the packet outlining nine specific grounds for appeal, which he said largely relate to process rather than the characteristics of particular parcels. The board and members of the public discussed coordinating county-level assistance for property owners preparing appeals; John West reported volunteers helping roughly "50 to 200" people complete appeals at the floral building at the fairgrounds.
Hicks's declaration of a potential conflict and the board's earlier public declarations that commissioners own property in Josephine County were recorded in the meeting minutes. The appeal as approved directs county counsel to file the form and include the collected signature sheet; no adjudication or final determination was made at the meeting — the appeal initiates the administrative process with the state.
