New Open Space Tax Rules for Douglas County....

[509]

How about something like this:

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/jul/31/douglas-county-changes-open-space-rules/

[Fl0und3rz]

So long as it does not devolve into yet another system of governmental graft, whereby a few preferred donors can write loopholes to benefit themselves without providing any real benefit (making land open to public but charging huge access fees or whatever you want to call it), then it sounds like it could be a step in the right direction.

How much potential land access are we talking about? Anybody familiar with Douglas county have a ballpark guess?

[fireweed]

Counties can't do this with "designated timberland"--only open space classifications.  It's all very confusing and convoluted, and points back to the power of the industry backing.  No big industry is classified as simple "open space" so the tax breaks are much less, and counties can put strings on.  (our county adopted a $2000 filing fee along with the public benefit rating system scale!!!)  But industrial timberland has no fee (grandfathered) and the values are set by the state  based only on log prices.