Wasteland qualifications; annual application

(1) Wasteland, dry or covered with water, neither economically tillable nor grazeable, lying in or adjacent to and in common ownership with nonexclusive farm use zone farmland described in ORS 308A.068, and that is not currently being used for any economic farm use shall qualify for farm use special assessment under ORS 308A.068 if the farmland was operated as part of a farm unit that produced more than one-half of the adjusted gross income of the owner or owners in the year prior to the year an application is filed under this section. (2)(a) An owner of wasteland shall make annual application to qualify the wasteland as nonexclusive farm use zone farmland under ORS 308A.068. (b) The application shall be filed with the county assessor on or before April 15 of each year qualification is desired. The application shall be made on forms prepared by the Department of Revenue and supplied by the county assessor and shall include any information as may be reasonably required to determine qualification, including copies of applicable state income tax returns. All information provided, including determinations made under administrative and court proceedings relating to the assessment of the wasteland, shall be confidential information of the assessor’s office and shall be used only for purposes of ORS 308A.050 to 308A.128. (c) There shall be attached to each application an affidavit or affirmation from the applicant providing that the statements contained in the application are true. (3) For purposes of this section, “owner” or “owners” means the person or persons entitled to file for special assessment under ORS 308A.077 (2)(b).