Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program on the Land Conservation Assistance Network

Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program
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last updated: December 2021

Riparian Lands Tax Incentive

The Riparian Tax Incentive Program, authorized by ORS 308A.350—308A.383, offers a property tax incentive to property owners for improving or maintaining qualifying riparian lands. Under this program, property owners receive complete property tax exemption for their riparian property. This can include land up to 100 feet from a stream.

When the Riparian Tax Incentive law was passed in 1981, the Oregon Legislative Assembly declared that "it is in the best interest of the state to maintain, preserve, conserve and rehabilitate riparian lands to assure the protection of the soil, water, fish and wildlife resources of the state for the economic and social well-being of the state and its citizens." Healthy riparian zones are important to the resource by providing: cooler water due to shading resulting in better habitat for salmon, trout and steelhead; more and better varieties of habitat for wildlife; increased water during summer low flow periods; erosion control by stabilizing streambanks with protective vegetation; and flood control.

A landowner and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife must sign a riparian management plan and agreement. A management plan must detail measures the landowner will implement to preserve, enhance or restore the riparian area.

For riparian land to qualify for this program, it must be outside adopted urban growth boundaries, and planned and zoned as forest or agricultural lands (including rangeland), or must have met these criteria as of July 1, 1997.

Statute (ORS 308A.350 - 308A.383)
Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs 300-430)

Required Application Forms

Riparian Management Plan (pdf)
Riparian Management Agreement (pdf)

Contact Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program

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Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.