Section 250-RICR-40-20-1.7 - Application for Designation of ForestlandA. An owner of not less than ten (10) acres of land may file a written application with the Director for its designation by the Director as forestland. When the application is made and a filing fee of ten dollars ($10.00) is paid, the Director shall examine the land. If the Director determines that the land is forestland, then the Director issues a certificate designating the land as forestland. The Director shall furnish a copy of the certificate to the owner of the land, and shall file a copy of the certificate in the office of the assessor of the city or town in which the land is located.B. An owner of land designated as forestland by the Director may also apply to the assessor of the city or town where the land is located for its classification as forestland on any assessment list maintained by the city or town. Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-27-4(c)(1), such an application must be filed with the assessor of the city or town not earlier than thirty (30) days before nor later than thirty (30) days after the date of assessment, except that in years of revaluation not later than thirty (30) days after written notice of revaluation or in its absence after receipt of the tax bill. The Director's designation of the land as forest land must be valid as of a date at or prior to the date of the assessment. Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-27-4(d), the application must be made on a form prescribed by the assessor and include a description of the land and the date of issuance of the Director's certificate of designation.C. Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 44-27-2(2), 44-27-4(b) and 44-27-7, in order to maintain a certificate of designation for forestland issued by the Director, the landowner must update and submit a revised forest stewardship plan at the end of each ten year period prepared by a professionally qualified forester meeting the minimum criteria established in § 1.14 of this Part. Applicants should apply with the "Application for Designation of Farmland or Forestland". For continuing eligibility, the property is subject to re-inspection by the Director every 5 years or at the request of the tax assessor and subject to the management recommendations prescribed by the plan and approved by the Director.D. Application to the Director for designation of land as forestland shall be made upon a form prescribed by the Director and shall include a description of the land and any other information that may be required to aid the Director in determining whether the land qualifies for that designation. The application shall be accompanied by a forest stewardship plan prepared by a qualified professional forester in accordance with minimum criteria established in § 1.14 of this Part. Applicants should apply with the "Application for Designation of Farmland or Forestland".E. Recommended values for forestland will be periodically determined by the Farm, Forest and Open Space Land Value Subcommittee.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-40-20-1.7
Amended effective 5/12/2019