Special Road Districts

The definition of a Special Road District is an area residents vote to establish a district which levies a property tax to fund maintenance and follows  Oregon State Legislature, Chapter 371 “Road Districts and Road Assessment Plans.”

SPECIAL ROAD DISTRICTS

      371.305 Authority to establish special road districts. Contiguous territory lying within any county and not incorporated within the limits of a city may be formed into, or included in, a special road district in the manner provided by ORS 371.305 to 371.360. [Amended by 1961 c.681 §1; 1965 c.498 §4; 2003 c.802 §104]

      371.336 Powers of district. A special road district may be formed for the purpose of improving roads within the district. A special road district has the power:

1.  To make contracts.
2.  To acquire, hold, receive and dispose of real and personal property.
3.  To sue and be sued.
4.  To exercise the power of eminent domain.
5.  To assess, levy and collect taxes on all taxable real property within the district.
6.  To do any other act necessary to carry out the purposes of ORS 371.305 to 371.360. [1961 c.681 §5; 1963 c.9 §20; 1965 c.498 §7; 1969 c.568 §2; 1971 c.727 §103; 1987 c.667 §6; 2003 c.802 §105]

      371.338 District board of appointed commissioners; qualification; term; vacancies; oath.

1. The powers of a special road district are vested in a district board of commissioners consisting of three commissioners appointed by the county court. Each commissioner shall be an elector of the district. The term of office of a commissioner is three years commencing on January 1 of the year of appointment. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by the county court by appointment for the unexpired term.
2. Notwithstanding the three-year term of office prescribed in subsection (1) of this section, of the commissioners first appointed to a board one commissioner shall be appointed for a term ending December 31 of the second year following the year in which that commissioner first takes office, one commissioner for a term ending December 31 of the year following the year in which that commissioner first takes office and one commissioner for a term ending December 31 of the year in which that commissioner takes office.
3. Before entering upon the duties of office, a commissioner shall take and subscribe an oath to support the Constitution and laws of the State of Oregon and of the United States, and to well and faithfully perform the duties of office to the best of the commissioner’s knowledge and ability. [1961 c.681 §6; 1983 c.83 §81]