(1) Notwithstanding ORS § 321.716 (1)(a), if the sale or transfer of small tract forestland is to a person who, following the date of the sale or transfer, does not own or hold in common ownership less than 10 acres or 5,000 acres or more of forestland in Oregon, the sold or transferred forestland may remain small tract forestland, if:

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(a) Within 30 days after the date the county assessor issues the notice of intent to disqualify under ORS § 321.716, the purchaser or transferee has applied for continued qualification of the small tract forestland;

(b) The purchaser or transferee is otherwise eligible to be an owner of small tract forestland under ORS § 321.700 to 321.754; and

(c) Any forestland owned or held in common ownership by the purchaser or transferee that is a contiguous parcel to the purchased or transferred forestland is:

(A) Qualified as small tract forestland or is the subject of an application for qualification under ORS § 321.706; or

(B) Included as part of the application for continued qualification filed under this section, and the additional information required in an application for qualification of small tract forestland under ORS § 321.706 is included in the application for continued qualification filed under this section.

(2)(a) A purchaser or transferee described in subsection (1) of this section shall apply for continued qualification to the county assessor of the county in which the forestland that is the subject of the sale or transfer is located. If the forestland is located in more than one county, the purchaser or transferee shall apply for continued qualification to the county assessor of each county in which the forestland is located.

(b) The application shall be on a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue and supplied by the county assessor that contains:

(A) The name and address of the seller or transferor of the small tract forestland;

(B) The name, address and taxpayer identification number of the purchaser or transferee of the small tract forestland;

(C) A statement listing the county and containing a description sufficient to identify the location of the small tract forestland being purchased or transferred;

(D) A statement listing the county and containing a description sufficient to identify the location of all parcels of land owned or held in common ownership by the purchaser or transferee that are contiguous to the small tract forestland that is being purchased or transferred;

(E) The total acreage of Oregon forestland owned or held in common ownership by the purchaser or transferee;

(F) A statement that the applicant is aware of the potential tax liability that arises under ORS § 308A.707;

(G) An affirmation that the statements contained in the application are true; and

(H) Any other relevant information the department may prescribe.

(3) The assessor shall review the application and grant the continued qualification of the land as small tract forestland following the sale or transfer if the purchaser or transferee satisfies the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.

(4)(a) If the application for continued qualification is filed prior to July 1 of the assessment year, the assessor shall process the application for continued qualification for the tax year beginning that July 1.

(b) If the notice of intent to disqualify is issued on or after June 1 of the assessment year, the assessor may not disqualify the land as small tract forestland for the tax year beginning July 1, and shall process the application for continued qualification for the tax year beginning the next succeeding July 1.

(c) An application for continued qualification shall be deemed approved unless, within three months of the date the application was made or before August 15 of the year in which the application was filed, whichever is later, the county assessor notifies the purchaser or transferee in writing that the application has been wholly or partially denied.

(5) A purchaser or transferee may appeal the decision of the county assessor to wholly or partially deny an application for continued qualification to the tax court in the time and manner prescribed under ORS § 305.404 to 305.560.

(6) In the case of an application for continued qualification that is approved by the county assessor, the assessor shall send a written notification of the approval and a copy of the application to the department.

(7) For purposes of computing additional taxes under ORS § 308A.707, upon a subsequent disqualification of small tract forestland that is granted continued qualification under this section, the small tract forestland is considered to have been subject to small tract forestland assessment without interruption from the period before the sale or transfer to the date of subsequent disqualification from small tract forestland assessment.

(8) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a purchaser or transferee of small tract forestland may file an application for continued qualification of the small tract forestland after the date prescribed in subsection (1) of this section if:

(a) The application is filed on or before December 15 of the first tax year for which the forestland would otherwise be disqualified from small tract forestland assessment; and

(b) The applicant pays a $200 late filing fee at the time the application is filed. [2003 c.621 § 109; 2005 c.400 § 2]

[1961 c.714 § 3; 1969 c.326 § 5; 1975 c.617 § 1; 1977 c.892 § 42; 1977 c.893 § 3; 1979 c.787 § 1; 1985 c.157 § 2; 1991 c.459 § 307; 1997 c.541 § 397; 1997 c.586 § 4; 2001 c.816 § 5; 2001 c.860 § 6; repealed by 2003 c.454 § 81 and 2003 c.621 § 49]

[1975 c.617 § 2; repealed by 1991 c.459 § 321]