By Marcy Stamper
Property owners who charge a fee for use of part of their land — but who allow the public to use other areas for free — can now apply to Okanogan County for a property-tax reduction. The county commissioners approved the change to the county code on June 8.
The change permits owners of businesses such as campgrounds, RV parks, golf courses and country clubs to apply for the county’s open-space/open-space program, which provides a tax break for land that benefits the public — for example, by allowing water or trail access.
The property owners would still need to go through the formal application process, which assigns a score for benefits including lakes, historic sites and wildlife habitat.
Public access is required, and the tax break would apply only to the portion of the property that is open to the public without a fee. The landowner can receive up to a 50-percent reduction on the market value of the land.
Before this change, landowners who provided public recreational amenities on part of their land were ineligible for the tax-reduction program if they charged a fee for other activities.
Edelweiss to get tax break for open space
In a separate matter regarding the same open-space tax program, the county’s hearing examiner has recommended a 40-percent tax reduction on undeveloped land along the Methow River in the Edelweiss development near Mazama.
The 30-acre property includes a well-established beaver pond and river access, according to Dick Volckmann, general manager of the Edelweiss Maintenance Commission. It is on Goat Creek Road about 2 miles north of the Weeman Bridge.
The property was placed in a conservation easement in 2004 and there was no possibility of building there because it is in the floodplain, said Volckmann.
The property received points for its shoreline environment and for providing habitat for animals such as mule deer, bald eagles and harlequin ducks, according to the scored application. There are no special plants, wetlands or historic sites.
As part of the agreement, Edelweiss will have to allow public access year-round, and will be required to purchase and post official “Open-Space/Open-Space” signage from the county.
The hearing examiner recommended the open-space status on June 1. The county commissioners have to execute a formal contract before the agreement is final, according to the county’s planning director.
