Oregon Statutes 274.043 – Exemptions from leasing requirements; rules; registration; use without charge; use with charge; indemnification

(1) A privately owned float or dock occupying an area of 200 square feet or less is exempt from the leasing requirements of ORS § 274.040 if:

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Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 274.043

City: includes any incorporated village or town. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
Department: means the Department of State Lands. See Oregon Statutes 274.005
Director: means the Director of the Department of State Lands. See Oregon Statutes 274.005
Land: includes water, water rights, easements of every nature and all appurtenances to land. See Oregon Statutes 274.005
Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.

(a) The structure belongs to the immediately adjacent riparian landowner; and

(b) The float or dock is uncovered, unenclosed and open on all sides.

(2) A privately owned float or dock constructed prior to September 29, 1991, and exempted under ORS § 274.042 (1989 Edition) is exempt from the provisions of ORS § 274.040.

(3) The Department of State Lands by rule may provide for additional exemptions to the leasing requirements of ORS § 274.040.

(4) Any float or dock described in subsections (1) to (3) of this section shall be registered with the department.

(5) The department may authorize the following uses of state-owned submerged and submersible lands without charge:

(a) Structures on state-owned submerged and submersible lands maintained by a drainage district organized under the provisions of ORS Chapter 547.

(b) Riprap, as defined in ORS § 196.815, used to stabilize the banks along state-owned submerged and submersible lands.

(c) Rights of way established prior to November 1, 1981, for any county road over state-owned submerged and submersible lands, and rights of way established prior to November 1, 1981, for any city street over state-owned submerged and submersible lands.

(d) Voluntary habitat restoration work on state-owned submerged and submersible lands. For purposes of this paragraph, voluntary habitat restoration work does not include:

(A) Activities undertaken to satisfy any actual or potential legal obligation, or for which the entity completing the habitat restoration work receives compensation of any kind.

(B) Habitat restoration work completed by an entity to satisfy an environmental mitigation obligation, or to generate, sell or obtain credit as an offset against actual or potential natural resource damages liability.

(6) The department is entitled to charge, in accordance with rules adopted by the department, for the use of state-owned submerged and submersible lands for any environmental mitigation credit, or settlement of or credit obtained as an offset against natural resource damages liability, acquired by any party for habitat restoration work on state-owned land.

(7) The uses described in subsections (5) and (6) of this section must be registered in accordance with rules adopted by the department. Any person issued a registration to use or occupy state-owned submerged and submersible lands under subsections (5) and (6) of this section shall indemnify and hold harmless the state from all liability and claims arising from or attributable to the use or occupation.

(8) The department by rule may authorize the use of specific state-owned submerged or submersible lands without charge if the department determines that the use is minimally intrusive to any public rights of navigation, fishery or recreation. [Subsections (1) to (3) enacted as 1991 c.521 § 2 in lieu of 274.042; subsection (4) enacted as 1991 c.521 § 6; 2011 c.713 § 2; 2015 c.205 § 1]

The amendments to 274.043 by section 12, chapter 403, Oregon Laws 2023, become operative on the earlier of the effective date of rules first adopted by the Director of the Department of State Lands under 196.806 or January 1, 2026. See section 15, chapter 403, Oregon Laws 2023. The text that is operative on and after the earlier of the effective date of the rules adopted by the Director of the Department of State Lands or January 1, 2026, is set forth for the user’s convenience.