RE: Sandy River Navigability....watch Channel 8 news at 6:00

[GBSkunk]

KGW Channel 8 news is doing a piece tonight about how "the state is legally taking away these peoples property". I just saw a preview on it. Thought others might be interested in watching it.

[DanS]

Whose property is being taken? Adjacent land owners, or the public? Please give us the details on how this issue is presented by the news story. Thanks in advance.......

[GBSkunk]

The state today finally determined that the Sandy River IS navigable. Therefore, the public owns the land up to the ordinary high water mark. (on the lower 37 miles of the river) Previously, private landowners owned the land to the middle of the river. Several times I have dropped my anchor, got out of my boat and, while still standing in the water, proceeded to fish. Angry landowners have come down and kicked me off saying the land is theirs to the middle of the river. This is particularly frustrating because you can't even fish out of a boat on the Sandy. I've always thought these landowners were overzealous. I mean I respect that they saved their money and bought riverfront property and don't want people camping, littering or maybe even walking the banks in front of their house. But when I'm standing in the water and they kick me off it peeses me off. Now they can't do that anymore and I say...........Thank you NW Steelheaders ASsoc. for requesting the navigability study in the first place. Now there are 12 rivers that are considered navigable. Lets get some more! How about the Trask and Kilches? http://statelands.dsl.state.or.us/nav_kilchis_trask.htm

[ 02-05-2002, 07:31 PM: Message edited by: GBSkunk ]

[wiser]

Only my understanding and a simple understandind at that.
The state of Oregon claims, and has claimed since statehood, the bed and banks of rivers that were navigable at the time of statehood. Navigable meant they could be, or were, used to transport people or goods.
Due to conflicts between persons who claimed ownwership of banks and beds and users of the rivers, this action was brought forward to clarify ownership. This recent action says the state is right in that they owned and still do own the bed and banks to the normal high water mark.
I understand an owners concern and disappointment if they had purchased property with the understanding they owned more than represented at the time of purchase. I think they need to pursue options available through title insurance purchased when the property was acquired and not continue with actions against the state. The state has only reclaimed property identified as property needed for the public good.
Just my take on this issue.

[blast and cast]

With having family that owns property along the Sandy river near Revenuers bridge, there is one point that I do not agree with. I have no problem with the State determining if the river is navigable, I may not agree, but it is the states right. My issue is in the fact that many if not all of these owners will now be required to pay taxes on property that they no longer actually own. Yes, there are ways to have this changed but those actions cost money. Will the state be paying for these actions, I doubt it.

[wiser]

I may be wrong, but it was my understanding that taxable acreage was decreased sevaral years ago on properties that included land within the states claim. As we all know, Taxation on real property is generally less than taxation on improvements on the property. Any decrease in taxable property size may not have been noticable on the tax bill.