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Rep. Hastings To Introduce "Cabin Fee Act"

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Mission Statement

"National Forest Homeowners is a member-directed organization representing cabin-owner recreation residence permittees on our national forests. NFH provides leadership, member information and assistance, and advocacy for continuation of all recreation residence cabins.  It is dedicated to educating its members and others in sound science stewardship of our national forests."

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NFH Logo Okanogan-Wenatchee N.F. Orders New Appraisal For Recreation Residence Fees

WENATCHEE—Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest officials have determined 2009 and 2010 recreation residence lot fees on the Wenatchee portion of the national forest will be withdrawn and recalculated using a land appraisal in effect prior to 1999.
The decision applies only to recreation residence lots on the Wenatchee portion of the national forest, which was combined with the Okanogan N.F. in 2000. The officials made the decision after completing a review of fees that were based upon the 1999 appraisal, which 84 recreation residence permit holders appealed.

In September 2009, Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath requested the regional appraiser's help in a review of the 1999 appraisal used for all Wenatchee N.F. recreation residence lots. The regional appraiser determined the 1999 appraisal lacked sufficient information to provide meaningful responses to some concerns raised in the appeals.
"Agency appeal regulations are intended to ensure appellants receive a fair and deliberate review of decisions," Heath said. " Aclose look at the appraisal revealed supporting documentation was lacking so withdrawing the 2009 and 2010 recreation residence billings is the correct course of action at this time. I appreciate that permittees examined the appraisal and brought deficiencies to our attention through the appeals process."

All 653 recreation residence lots on the Wenatchee portion of the national forest will now pay annual fees based on the appraisal in effect prior to the 1999 appraisal, adjusted for inflation.

Okanogan-Wenatchee N.F. officials will soon contact permittees on the Wenatchee portion of the national forest regarding billing adjustments that will result from the decision. The decision does not affect the Okanogan portion of the national forest where a separate appraisal was prepared and permit holders did not file appeals.

Appraisals are intended to reflect the market value of the privileges enjoyed by each permit holder’s use and occupancy of land within national forests. Cabins and other structures belong to permit holders and are not considered in appraisals. Year-round occupancy or use as a primary residence is prohibited.

Forest Service regulations require recreation residence lots be appraised every 10 years. Contract appraisers will complete appraisals this year for recreation residence lots on the Okanogan-Wenatchee N.F. that will determine 2012 fees.

 

Representative Hastings Introduces "Cabin Fee Act" in Congress

Greetings All,
Yesterday at 10:00 am in Yakima, Washington in the presence of over 25 cabins owners, Congressman Doc Hastings (R-WA) held a press conference and announced that he will introduce new cabin fee legislation, called the ‘Cabin Fee Act of 2010′ (CFA), in the House of Representatives next week. This legislation is designed to replace the Cabin User Fee Fairness Act of 2000 (CUFFA).  The Press Release announcing this introduction is available here.
(The audio of the press conference are posted at this location.) Note: This file is large (22 mgs) and not suited for dial-up connections.

Please distribute this Press Release to all cabin owners on your distribution lists.  We have been asked to encourage sharing this document with your local newspapers.  Cong. Hastings welcomes broad distribution of this Press Release.  Please Help.  Also, share this immediately with your Representative and Senator to keep them informed.

Next week, following formal introduction in the House and the assignment of a bill number, cabin owners everywhere will be asked to contact their Representative (again) encouraging them to join Cong. Hastings in co-sponsoring this legislation.  It is especially important that we get both Democratic and Republican Representatives to make this a bipartisan bill.  This is an important time.  Your state and tract level efforts and follow through will be critical to our ultimate success.  Also, this may not be the last time we request your support in contacting your Representatives and Senators.  Please do your part.

I’ll be contacting everyone again next week once the bill is formally introduced.  Again, to all, Thank You for every effort made.  We share the burden and the results.

Pete Bailey
C2 Legislative Contact Committee Chair

CABIN OWNER FORUM
To be Held in Albuquerque

By Dick Burrows
Vice President National Forest Homeowners and Forum Planner

The next in the continuing series of cabin owner forums will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the MCM Elegante Hotel and Event Center from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 23, 2010.  Registration starts at 12: noon. 

Cabin owners, family and others who have an interest in the recreation residence program are invited to attend.  The entry fee is only $15.00 per person to experience an information packed afternoon highlighting subjects sure to be of interest to cabin owners having cabins on Forest Service lands in New Mexico and adjacent states.

A number of very important subjects are being planned for the program. The NFH and Coalition 2 legislative solution to the excessive appraisal valuations affecting cabin owners will be a popular session. We also plan a question and answer session on appraisals where you will have a chance to get answers to appraisal related questions from Forest Service and NFH experts.

Subjects that have been requested by local tract officers include fire and the use of prescribed burns as well as a session on cabin maintenance.  A popular presentation at the recent Sacramento forum was Healthy Forests and Insect Infestation.  Forests across the west are being assaulted by a variety of insects with large swaths of forest dead or dying.  Forests in the New Mexico area are afflicted by the Spruce Bud Worm, Pine Bark Beetle and Aspen Decline.  We hope to present a session focused on insect infestation in the forests of New Mexico and Arizona.

As always we will have an end of meeting general question and answer session where your questions can be answered by the experts.

The location of the MCM Elegante Hotel and Event Center is:
2020 Menaul Boulevard
Albuquerque, NM 87107
 (505) 884-2511

We hope you, family and friends can join us on Saturday January 23, 2010, for this important and informative cabin owner forum.

Download the registration form here.

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2009 Economic Survey Summary
Results Released!

The 2009 Economic Impact Survey preliminary survey results were presented to influential legislators and staffers in March. It was very well received. Feedback from the Forest Service and other Washington experts was also solicited and incorporated.

The final report was delivered to Congress and the Forest Service in May. We are extremely encouraged by the response rate and survey findings.

The final report and additional results are now available for download here.

More detailed analyses/breakdowns may be possible through
special request at NFH.

 

C2 Fee Model Package Unveiled

Cabin owner representatives in the NFH and C2 have developed an alternative approach to CUFFA that is a better, more equitable way to determine fees for recreation residences and has wide support among cabin owners.

This alternative will preserve a cherished source of family recreation enjoyed by multiple generations, will eliminate the serious friction between cabin owners and the Forest Service over the appraisal approach mandated by CUFFA and will accomplish these goals without imposing an additional burden on the Federal budget. 

The authorizing committees in Congress will, of course, require some time to consider this alternative approach.  In the meantime, thousands of cabin owners are facing bills for excessive fees under CUFFA that will be due by the end of 2009. 

To protect those cabin owners and allow Congress time to consider this promising new alternative, a moratorium in the payment of fee increases for twelve months is essential in the appropriate fiscal year 2010 appropriations legislation.

Click Here for the Alternative Fee Model Proposal from the C2 Coalition

          

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