OAR 736-008-0030: Conversions

(1) Conversion Requirements: Property acquired or developed with LWCF and ORLP assistance shall be retained and used for public outdoor recreation in perpetuity. Any property so acquired, developed, or both shall not be wholly or partly converted to other than public outdoor recreation uses without the approval of the Department and of the National Park Service pursuant to the LWCF Act (54 U.S.C. section 200305(f)(3) and the regulations in of the LWCF Act, 36 CFR Part 59, and the regulations in the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants Manual,” Volume 71 (March 11, 2021). (a) If the current lease is within 5 years of termination, the Department will require a letter of intent to renew the lease from the leasing agency. Project sponsors must insure that the land within the project boundary will be used only for park and recreational purposes, Project Sponsor controls or will control the land, and that the Project Sponsor will not change the use of, sell, or otherwise dispose of land within the LWCF boundary, except upon approval of the Department and the National Park Service. (b) Project Sponsors that have not addressed or submitted documentation to the Department or the National Park Service for review and approval of an active conversion through the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program are not eligible to apply for LWCF funding assistance. (c) Project Sponsors who have addressed a conversion at the local level and have submitted documentation to the Department, the National Park Service, or both for review and approval of the conversion through the LWCF program may apply for funding assistance. (2) Assessment for Services. Any project sponsor requesting a conversion may be required to pay an advance deposit to the Department. The deposit would cover staff salary and Other Payroll Expenses (OPE), and administrative fees to process the conversion. The advance deposit amount will be based on the appraised value of the property to be converted. If the advance deposit does not cover all costs, the project sponsor will be billed for the balance due. If the total costs are less than the deposit, the Department will reimburse the project sponsor for the unused deposit amount. (a) Converted property appraised up to $50,000 will require a $1,000 deposit; (b) Converted property appraised from $50,001 to $100,000 will require a $2,000 deposit; (c) Converted property appraised above $100,000 will require a $3,000 deposit.