NFH 2020 VIRTUAL CONFERENCEResponsible Cabin Ownership: Test Your Knowledge
Session Overview
• Test your basic knowledge of cabin rules.
• Zoom polling feature for a 14-question quiz.
• Time to respond to each question.
• Responses are anonymous and tallied instantaneously.
• Correct answer will be given and explained.
• Ask additional questions using Zoom Q&A feature.
• Time at end for additional questions and discussion.
Agenda for Session
Workshop Uses Five Focus Areas:
1 – Forest Service2 – Permits3 – Using Your Cabin4 – Fees5 – Improvements
Forest ServiceFOCUS AREA ONE
Forest Service
Question 1: What is the formal name of the cabin program?
a. The Cabin Programb. Summer Home Programc. Recreation Cabin Programd. Recreation Residence Program
Forest Service
Question 1: What is the formal name of the cabin program?
a. The Cabin Programb. Summer Home Programc. Recreation Cabin Programd. Recreation Residence Program
We use this becauseit’s easy
This was the program’s early name, still heard today some places,
suggested cabins are summer only
Forest Service
Question 2: What is the chain of command within the Forest Service?
a. This is a military concept and does not apply.b. District Ranger, Forest Supervisor, Regional Forester, the
Chief of the Forest Service.c. Recreation Planner, District Ranger, Forest Supervisor,
Regional Forester. d. Special Uses Administrator, District Ranger, Regional
Forester, the Chief.
Forest Service
Question 2: What is the “chain of command” within the Forest Service?
a. This is a military concept and does not apply.b. District Ranger, Forest Supervisor, Regional Forester, the
Chief of the Forest Service.c. Recreation Planner, District Ranger, Forest Supervisor, Regional
Forester. d. Special Uses Administrator, District Ranger, Regional Forester,
the Chief.
Forest Service Chain of CommandLot X in Tract Y, Z National Forest
[Realty Specialist/Assistant Ranger or Special Uses Administrator]
District Ranger
Forest Supervisor
Regional Forester
Chief of Forest Service – Vicki Christiansen
Under Secretary of Agriculture, Natural Resources - James Hubbard
Secretary of Agriculture – Sonny Perdue
Forest Service
Question 3: What laws does a cabin owner have to follow?
a. Term Special Use Permit for Recreation Residences.b. Applicable sections of FS Manual, FS Handbook and
Regional Supplements.c. All applicable present and future federal, state, county
and municipal laws and regulations.d. Operating and Maintenance Plan.e. Annual Forest Service Bill For Collection. f. All the above
Forest Service
Question 3: What laws does a cabin owner have to follow?
a. Term Special Use Permit for Recreation Residences.b. Applicable sections of FS Manual, FS Handbook and
Regional Supplements.c. All applicable present and future federal, state, county
and municipal laws and regulations.d. Operating and Maintenance Plan.e. Annual Forest Service Bill For Collection. f. All the above
Forest Service
Forest Service Manual vs. Forest Service Handbook?
Manual = legal authorities and policies Handbook = instruction for carrying out
Manual policies
In general, the manual is more significant; however, handbook guidance is often equally important.
Forest Service
Regional Supplements to Forest Service Handbook
These provide important detail on construction, maintenance and use of cabins.
Regions 4,5,6 and some Forests have supplements
Forest Service
Question 4: What is a permit?
a. A lease.b. A contract that gives us specified use of our lots.c. A federal license that is revocable and terminable.d. None of the above.
Forest Service
Question 4: What is a permit?
a. A lease.b. A contract that gives us specified use of our lots.c. A federal license that is revocable and terminable.d. None of the above.
“This permit, which is revocable and terminable, is not a contract or lease, but rather a federal license.”
Your PermitFOCUS AREA TWO
Your Permit
Question 5: How long is your permit good for?
a. 30 Years.b. For the Lifetime of the Permittee.c. 99 Years -- They don’t expire.d. 20 Years.
Your Permit
Question 5: How long is your permit good for?
a. 30 Years.b. For the Lifetime of the Permittee.c. 99 Years -- They don’t expire.d. 20 Years.
Occupancy Act of 1915 allowed permit terms up to
30 years
Your Permit
Question 5: How long is your permit good for?
a. 30 Years.b. For the Lifetime of the Permittee.c. 99 Years -- They don’t expire.d. 20 Years.
A few permittees have“Life Tenure” due to local circumstances.
Your Permit
Question 5: How long is your permit good for?
a. 30 Years.b. For the Lifetime of the Permittee.c. 99 Years -- They don’t expire.d. 20 Years. Permits prior to 1915
were One Year Renewable permits, often called “99 Year
Leases”
Your Permit
Question 6: What happens when a permit expires?
a. The permit is extended for another 20 years.b. A new permit will be issued for 20 years.c. An analysis must be done before a new 20-year permit
can be issued.d. It can be auto renewed online.
Your Permit
Question 6: What happens when a permit expires?
a. The permit is extended for another 20 years.b. A new permit will be issued for 20 years.c. An analysis must be done before a new 20-year permit
can be issued.d. It can be auto renewed online.
What happens when a permit expires? Most permits will expire in 2028, others 2024 to 2030
Prior to expiration date, Forest Service will carry out a Consistency Review and Continuation Determination [CRCD] Consistency Review: Are cabins consistent with the
Forest Management Plan for future use of that area? Continuation Determination: Is the specific permittee in
compliance with their use fees? Are the improvements approved and in good repair?
If both are satisfied, a new 20-year permit will be issued.
If compliance issues exist, a short term permit can be issued.
Your Permit
Question 7: How many names and what names can be on a permit?
a. Up to 2, a single owner, married couple, or trustee of a Forest Service approved trust.
b. Only 1, the owner or managing partner of a Forest Service approved LLC.
c. Up to 4, which can be family members or joint owners.d. However many can fit on one line of text.
Your Permit
Question 7: How many names and what names can be on a permit?
a. Up to 2, a single owner, married couple, or trustee of a Forest Service approved trust.
b. Only 1, the owner or managing partner of a Forest Service approved LLC.
c. Up to 4, which can be family members or joint owners.d. However many can fit on one line of text.
“An individual, a married couple, or trustee of a Forest Service approved single asset trust.”
Using Your CabinFOCUS AREA THREE
Using Your Cabin
Question 8: What are the minimum and maximum days a cabin can be used per year?
a. 7 days minimum and no more than 180 days.b. 15 days minimum and 365 days maximum. c. Two weekends minimum and 6 months maximum.d. 15 days minimum and no specific maximum but cannot
be full-time residence.
Using Your Cabin
Question 8: What are the minimum and maximum days a cabin can be used per year?
a. 7 days minimum and no more than 180 days.b. 15 days minimum and 365 days maximum. c. Two weekends minimum and 6 months maximum.d. 15 days minimum and no specific maximum, but
cannot be full-time residence.
Using Your Cabin“…shall not be used as a full-time residence.”“Use…as a principal place of residence is prohibited..”
What is a “principal” or “full-time residence” ?
Region 5 Supplement defines a principal residence • Cannot simply be an address (like a PO Box)• Must be where the holder receives mail, is registered to vote,
from which children attend school, or holder commutes to work
Using Your Cabin
Question 9: Cabin rentals are permitted. What are the limits?
a. 30 days per year or up to $10,000.b. 60 days per year with no dollar limit.c. 14 days per year or up to the annual operating costs,
whichever is less.d. Renting is permitted but is discouraged by the Forest
Service.
Using Your Cabin
Question 9: Cabin rentals are permitted. What are the limits?
a. 30 days per year or up to $10,000.b. 60 days per year with no dollar limit.c. 14 days per year or up to the annual operating costs,
whichever is less.d. Renting is permitted but is discouraged by the Forest
Service.
Cabin rentals are permitted. What are the limits? Permit Requires:
Must have written approval in advance by Authorized Officer. Rental for commercial use is prohibited. [think AirBnB]
Region 6 [OR & WA]: Amount of rental income may not exceed holder’s annual
expenses for upkeep and maintenance. No maximum days specified.
Region 5 [CA]: No dollar limitations mentioned. No more than 14 days per year.
Some Forests = No Renting
FeesFOCUS AREA FOUR
Fees
Question 10: How much can our permit fee increase annually?
a. $100 per year.b. By an inflation factor that changes every year. c. Only by appraisal every 10 years.d. Our fees cannot be increased except by Congress.
Fees
Question 10: How much can our permit fee increase annually?
a. $100 per year.b. By an inflation factor that changes every year. c. Only by appraisal every 10 years. Before CFAd. Our fees cannot be increased except by Congress.
How much can our permit fee increase annually?
Cabin Fee Act [Public Law 113-291] Passed by Congress December 2014
Eliminated 10-year appraisals to set use fees
Established 11 fee tiers organized by last appraised values
Initial special use fees from $650 to $5,650
Fee adjusted annually using Implicit Price Deflator for the Gross Domestic Product (IPD-GDP, like CPI).
CFA ensured predictable and affordable fees
Fees
Question 11: How does the Forest Service use our annual special use fees?
a. To administer the Recreation Residence Program.b. To administer the program and fund recreation. c. To administer the cabin program and fight wildfires.d. Our fees go into the Treasury and not to the Forest
Service.
Fees
Question 11: How does the Forest Service use our annual special use fees?
a. To administer the Recreation Residence Program.b. To administer the program and fund recreation. c. To administer the cabin program and fight wildfires.d. Our fees go into the Treasury and not to the Forest
Service.
How does the Forest Service use our annual special use fees?
Under the Cabin Fee Act, beginning in 2025: Fee Retention“…the Secretary may retain, and expend…any fees collected under this section… to administer the recreational residence program and other recreation programs carried out on National Forest System land. “
NFH has developed a recommendation for how retained fees should be used by the Forest Service with most fees remaining on their home forest.
Fees
Question 12: Which of these will cause atransfer fee to be charged?
a. Sale of a cabin to a new owner.b. Transfer of a permit to an immediate family member. c. Change of the trustee of a FS approved trust.d. All of the above.
Fees
Question 12: Which of these will cause atransfer fee to be charged?
a. Sale of a cabin to a new owner.b. Transfer of a permit to an immediate family member. c. Change of the trustee of a FS approved trust.d. All of the above.
Transfer Fees
New with the Cabin Fee Act.
Initially set at $1200, increases annually by IPD-GDP.
Can be paid by buyer, seller or split [negotiable].
Some terms still being worked out.
ImprovementsFOCUS AREA FIVE
Improvements
Question 13: If your cabin were to be destroyed, which of these steps will be needed to rebuild?
a. FS must determine if lot can be reoccupied safely and use for cabin is consistent with Forest Plan.
b. Plans must be submitted and approved by FS and applicable county agency.
c. Plans must satisfy current FS building restrictions and be no larger than original cabin.
d. All of the above.
Improvements
Question 13: If your cabin were to be destroyed, which of these steps will be needed to rebuild?
a. FS must determine if lot can be reoccupied safely and use for cabin is consistent with Forest Plan.
b. Plans must be submitted and approved by FS and applicable county agency.
c. Plans must satisfy current FS building restrictions and be no larger than original cabin.
d. All of the above.
Improvementsc. Plan must satisfy current FS building restrictions and be no larger than original cabin.
• Some cabins have conditional approval of now unauthorized construction or improvements;
• If cabin is destroyed or substantially damaged, affected non-compliant elements will have to be brought into compliance. [R5 Supplement]
• Rebuilding will be required to comply with current FS regulations and county codes.
• Cabin Size: Original cabin but not exceeding 1400 SF in R5, 1200 SF in R6, Other regions and forests may vary.
Improvements
Question 14: Which of these activities is NOT allowed by your Recreation Residence Permit?
a. Planting of native species with prior approval.b. Use of tents and RVs for short periods.c. Limbing up trees to 12 feet and removal of trees under 6”
diameter to provide fire clearance.d. Winter storage of boats so long as they’re out of sight and
covered with dark-colored tarps.
Improvements
Question 14: Which of these activities is NOT allowed by your Recreation Residence Permit?
a. Planting of native species with prior approval.b. Use of tents and RVs for short periods.c. Limbing up trees to 12 feet and removal of trees under 6”
diameter to provide fire clearance. [Maybe O&M]d. Winter storage of boats so long as they’re out of sight and
covered with dark-colored tarps.
Responsible Cabin Ownership:Test Your Knowledge
What Are Your Questions ?
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Evaluation
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