OAR 629-044-1005
Definitions


(1)

The definitions set forth in ORS 477.001 (Definitions), 477.015 (Definitions) and OAR 629-041-0005 (Definitions) shall apply to 629-044-1000 (Wildland-Urban Interface — Purpose) to 629-044-1110 (Special Assessments), unless the context otherwise requires.

(2)

The following words and phrases, when used in OAR 629-044-1000 (Wildland-Urban Interface — Purpose) to 629-044-1110 (Special Assessments), shall mean the following, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)

“Community Wildfire Protection Plan” means a plan developed pursuant to the federal Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 and which has been approved, within the past five years, by the appropriate city or county, by the appropriate structural fire service provider and by the Oregon Department of Forestry.

(b)

“Concentration of structures” means dwellings in a density of four or more per quarter of a quarter section (an area approximately 40 acres in size), as determined by the Public Land Survey.

(c)

“Classification” means the process set forth in ORS 477.031 (Duties of committee) to 477.052 (Hearings on proposed classifications) and 477.057 (State Forester to classify land if county fails to act).

(d)

“Classified by a committee" means the end result of the classification process set forth in ORS 477.031 (Duties of committee) to 477.052 (Hearings on proposed classifications) and 477.057 (State Forester to classify land if county fails to act).

(e)

“Current zoning” means zoning which allows the siting of a dwelling as an outright use.

(f)

“Driveway” means the primary, privately owned vehicle access road that serves a dwelling, which is controlled by the owner of the dwelling, and which is longer than 150 feet.

(g)

“Dwelling” means a structure, or a part of a structure, that is used as a home, as a residence, or as a sleeping place by one or more people who maintain a household in the structure.

(h)

“Fire resistant roofing ” means roofing material that has been installed and is maintained to the specifications of the manufacturer and which:

(A)

Is rated by Underwriter’s Laboratory as Class A, Class B, Class C, or is equivalent thereto; or

(B)

Is metal.
(i)
"Fuel break” means a natural or a human-made area immediately adjacent to a structure or to a driveway, where material capable of allowing a wildfire to spread does not exist or has been cleared, modified, or treated to:

(A)

Significantly reduce the rate of spread and the intensity of an advancing wildfire; and

(B)

Create an area in which fire suppression operations may more safely occur.

(j)

“Geographic area” means an area which results from the partitioning of all or portions of a district into smaller segments, based on the presence of differing hazard factors, risks, or dwelling concentrations.

(k)

“Hazard factor” means one of the three factors which most influence the potential of a wildfire to spread. The three hazard factors are topography, natural vegetative fuels, and wildfire weather.

(l)

“Homeowner’s association” means a non-profit corporation organized under ORS chapter 65 and which is subject to the provisions of ORS 94.625 (Formation of homeowners association) to 94.700 (Duration and termination of initial management agreements and service and employment contracts).

(m)

“Included rural lands” means lands which meet the definition of “rural” but which have been classified by a committee as “suburban.”

(n)

“Ladder fuel” means branches, leaves, needles, and other combustible vegetation that may allow a wildfire to spread from lower growing vegetation to higher growing vegetation.

(o)

“Lands” means one or more tax lots.

(p)

“Non-fire resistant roofing” means roofing material that is not fire resistant including, but not limited to, cedar shakes.

(q)

“Private fire department” means a private entity which provides structural fire prevention and suppression services and which meets the safety requirements set forth in OAR 437-002-0182 (Oregon Rules for Fire Fighters).

(r)

“Road” means a road over which the public has a right of use that is a matter of public record.

(s)

“Rural” means a geographic area which has not been classified by a committee as suburban or urban and shall include:

(A)

Lands zoned primarily for farm or forestry uses;

(B)

Lands which have an average tax lot size of 10 acres or larger;

(C)

Lands not zoned to allow a concentration of structures; and

(D)

Lands which do not contain a concentration of structures.

(t)

“Safety zone” means an adequately sized area, which is substantially free of flammable materials, and which can be used as a refuge to protect human life from an advancing wildfire.

(u)

“Standards” means the actions, efforts, or measures which owners of suburban and urban lands shall take on their property, prior to a wildfire occurrence which originates on the property.
(v)
“Structural fire service provider” means a local government agency or a private fire department which provides structural fire prevention and suppression services.

(w)

“Structure” means a permanently sited building, a manufactured home, or a mobile home that is either a dwelling or an accessory building, which occupies at least 500 square feet of ground space, and which has at least one side that is fully covered.
(x)
“Suburban” means a geographic area which includes one or more of the following:

(A)

Lands where a concentration of structures exists;

(B)

Lands on which current zoning allows a concentration of structures; or

(C)

Included rural lands.

(y)

“Urban” means a geographic area that includes one or more of the following:

(A)

Lands within a city limit; or

(B)

Lands within an urban growth boundary.

(z)

“Urban growth boundary” is defined by ORS 197.295.

(aa)

“Wildfire” means an uncontrolled fire which is burning on forestland and which is damaging, or is threatening to damage, forest resources or structures.

(ab)

“Zoning” means a local governmental zoning ordinance, a land division ordinance adopted under ORS 92.044 (Adoption of standards and procedures governing approval of plats and plans) or 92.046 (Adoption of regulations governing approval of partitioning of land), or a similar general ordinance establishing standards for implementing a comprehensive plan.
Last Updated

Jun. 8, 2021

Rule 629-044-1005’s source at or​.us