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Members debate how to bill county buyouts and 'lava lots' after 2018 eruption
Summary
Board members discussed complications from the 2018 eruption: large numbers of 'lava lots' and county buyouts reduce the active parcel base, create quorum and assessment-proration questions, and may include deed restrictions that prevent future construction; members proposed forming a committee and meeting with the county for clarity.
Members spent substantial time on 'lava lots' — parcels affected by the 2018 eruption — and how county purchases and federal funding have altered the association’s tax/assessment base. One board member warned that deeds tied to federal funding may now prohibit future construction on many purchased lots, and that the county’s ownership could create a practical quorum that changes billing and collection math.
Members debated whether to charge buyout lots full assessments or prorate dues; several said the bylaws require pro rata assessments but that enforcement and locating owners of remote lava lots are operationally difficult. A member suggested adding county and bank representatives to a working-group meeting to work out practical billing and road-access implications.
Quote: "Because of the money being federally funded to the county, the deeds are changed such that no construction can be ever, permitted on those lots," a member said.
What’s next: The board proposed forming a lava-lot committee, contacting the county for clarification on deed restrictions and assessing options for prorating or exempting certain parcels.
