Why Public Land Corners Matter — and Why the Fee is Changing July 1

As part of Clackamas County’s annual assessment of county fees, the Public Land Corner fee will be updated effective July 1. 

Beginning July 1, the fee for public land corner records will be adjusted for inflation and increase from $10 to $30. The previous fee was established in 1985 and had not been adjusted in more than 40 years. The new fee helps support the ongoing work required to maintain the county’s public land corner system.

While many people may never notice a public land corner, these markers play an important role in establishing and preserving property boundaries throughout Clackamas County.

Public land corners are part of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), the framework used across much of the western United States to identify land locations and property boundaries. In Clackamas County, many of these corners date back to the 1850s.

Today, the county has more than 7,400 public land corners on record and actively maintains approximately 4,000 of those corners. The remaining corners are generally on federal lands in eastern Clackamas County.

These records and markers support a wide range of work throughout the community. Property owners rely on accurate boundary information when buying or improving property. Surveyors and developers use the system to complete projects and verify land information. Public agencies use the records to support infrastructure, transportation, utilities, and public works projects.

Maintaining accurate land corner records also helps prevent costly disputes and reduces the need for duplicate survey work, saving time and money for both the public and private sectors.

Prior to finalizing the fee update, the county conducted an internal review of operational costs, maintenance responsibilities, and long-term program needs. This ensures the updated fee appropriately reflects current economic conditions and the ongoing work required to maintain the public land corner system.

The update also aligns with recent changes to Oregon law (ORS 203.148), allowing counties to establish their own fee schedules. Counties across Oregon are updating public land corner fees to adjust the 1985 fee for inflation.

The Public Land Corner fee update is one of several adjustments taking effect July 1 as part of Clackamas County’s annual review of fees. This yearly process helps ensure our fees are accurate to continue to support the services residents, businesses, and community partners rely on.

For additional information, email the Clackamas County Surveyor’s Office at surveyor@clackamas.us or call 503-742-4475.