Clatsop County surveyor proposes raising public land corner fee to $30; public hearing set

Clatsop County Surveyor Vance Swenson told the Board of Commissioners at a Wednesday work session that the county will propose raising the public land corner preservation fee from $10 to $30 to restore a full‑time public land corner technician.

Swenson said the current $10 fee, set by county ordinance in 1985 and previously capped in statute, has lost purchasing power to inflation. "The proposal is to go from $10 that we collect now up to $30," he said, adding that the county successfully pursued legislative relief to remove the statutory cap.

Why it matters: the county uses the fee to maintain public land survey corners, permanent markers that anchor legal property descriptions. Swenson told commissioners that accurate corners reduce the cost of loans and development because title companies and banks rely on clear boundaries. He said steady maintenance is more cost‑effective than attempting to replace disappeared corners.

Details and numbers: Swenson presented county records showing roughly 5,900 land‑related deeds recorded in the referenced fiscal year and a revenue line near $59,082 used to calculate the adjustment. The $30 figure is intended to cover the wages and benefits of a full‑time survey technician and associated program expenses; Swenson said the county currently maintains a program balance sufficient to cover several years of work while the office rebuilds staffing.

Legal and procedural steps: Swenson said the Legislature passed House Bill 3175 to remove the $10 cap at the state level, clearing the way for counties to set different fees. He told the board the county attorney advised that amending the county ordinance will require two sessions and that the proposal will be presented at a public hearing on Jan. 14. Swenson said the board can later adjust the fee up or down if collections materially differ from projections.

Board response and questions: Commissioners praised the historical overview and accepted the staff calculations as reasonable. Commissioner Webb asked whether the deed counts reflected transactions or simply recorded instruments such as refinances; Swenson explained the fee applies to a defined list of land‑related instruments recorded by the clerk. Commissioner Thompson asked whether there had been opposition; Swenson said initial objection at the legislature related only to removing the statutory cap, and that statewide banking representatives ultimately supported raising the fee after consultation.

Next steps: The board did not take a formal vote at the work session. Staff will draft ordinance language, return the item for two sessions as required, and present the fee adjustment at the Jan. 14 public hearing.