§45-14-140.01. Finance charge or tax assessed on forest lands.

(a) After the Clay County Commission has determined that such a need does exist in Clay County, the county commission may, in the manner hereinafter specified, provide for a finance charge or tax to be paid by the owners of forest lands located in Clay County for the use of the land for timber growing purposes amounting to the whole or any part of the cost of such fire protection program, but not in excess of ten cents ($.10) per acre, provided such finance charge or tax is not greater than the benefit accruing to such forest lands due to availability of such fire protection.

(b) "Forest lands" as used in this article shall mean any land which supports a forest growth, or which under prevailing natural and economic conditions may be expected to support such a growth in the future, or which is being used or reserved for any forest purpose. "Forest lands" as used in this article shall not include any lands primarily used for residential purposes nor shall it include any publicly owned lands.

(c) The finance charge or tax fixed as provided in subsection (a) shall be payable at the same time and in the same manner as county taxes and the owners of the "forest lands", as herein defined, shall make report of the same to the Tax Assessor of Clay County, Alabama, at the time fixed by law for making return of the property of such property owned. Finance charges or taxes levied shall constitute a lien on the property against which they are charged or taxed in case of default in the payment of such finance charge or tax.

(Act 84-573, p. 1194, §2.)