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Council opts into updated recreational-immunity protections for city trails and easements
Summary
The Wood Village City Council voted to adopt Resolution 2-20-26, expressly opting the city into updated recreational-immunity statutory language to extend liability protections for free public trails, easements and certain volunteer activities; staff and the insurer advised local opt-in was required.
The Wood Village City Council on March 24 approved Resolution 2-20-26 to opt the city into recent changes to Oregon’s recreational-immunity law, a staff presentation said.
“If you provide space and land to recreate at no charge, you are exempt from, I’ll call it, most liabilities from injuries, property damage while recreating,” City Manager Greg said in a presentation outlining the scope and recent court and legislative developments. He explained the change had to be adopted locally because the Legislature required an explicit opt-in after a court narrowed immunity in a commuting-vs.-recreation ruling.
Councilors asked whether the immunity would cover community events that cross non-city property (for example, fun runs that pass onto Edgefield property) and whether waivers change coverage; staff said events held on city property at no charge retain the defense, while fee-based activities or unaddressed hazards (for example, a known sinkhole) would not be covered. A council member moved to adopt the resolution; a second was recorded and the mayor announced the motion carried. The transcript records the vote as 'aye' and 'carries' but does not include a roll-call tally.
