My wife and I are Special Use permit holders and there are 2 Lots listed on that single permit.  We own improvements on both lots.  The permit has been transferred down through our family through generations, beginning in the late 1920s or early 1930s.  Since permits (and presumably the improvements allowed on a lot) are limited to one per family, the FS is now requesting that our permit be changed to two permits, one for each lot.  Needless to say, correcting something that has been ongoing for 90 years may be problematic.

My question is:  Has anyone run into a similar issue?

Thanks,

Bob

We had something similar in our tract some years ago.  Not the exact circumstances, but I'll share in case there's anything to learn from the experience.  In our tract (Lake Wenatchee, WA), the original permit holder held two permits for two lots. The second lot bordered a creek and was smaller, so cabin owner's motivation was to permit the 2nd lot to prevent someone else building a cabin so close to his. He built his cabin on the first lot in 1941 and and his woodshed ended up the 2nd lot just over the lot line. In those days, the permit fee was $25/year so for a number of years he was ok paying two permit fees. When permit fees escalated in the 1970's-80's, he approached the Forest Service with a request to adjust (increase) his first lot size to include the woodshed so he could surrender the 2nd permit (lot). The Forest Service agreed by adjusting the lot line so all of his improvements were on a single lot with a single permit (1980's). The second lot, which after the lot line adjustment was even smaller has remained vacant since. While this example isn't exactly the same situation as yours, it introduces a possible solution which is to adjust the lot size, basically consolidating two lots into one usable lot and leaving the remaining portion of the second lot vacant. Not sure this solution is feasible with the layout of your improvements, but it may be worth considering.

I'll also mention that I believe there are a couple other examples of single permit for multiple lots, so yours is not the only one in the system.  As far as I can know, the Forest Service has not approached those permit holders to change their permits.

Doug Gann,
NFH President