Chiloquin, Oregon - Has anyone purchased land next to Agency Lake? (how much, mobile home)

[mogo480]

I'm thinking about purchasing some land next to Agency Lake in Chiloquin, Or.

Can anyone tell me what type of home I'm allowed to put on the property? I'd like to get a shipping container home and build a roof on it. It will me clean and modern in style.

Here are my questions:

[LIST][*]What are the home size restrictions? Is a "tiny house" allowed?[*]Can I have a shipping container house, Yurt or mobile home?[*]Is there wifi & cable, and is it reliable? [*]How's the cell phone service for Tmobile? [*]Do I need a 4x4 in the winter? The property isn't set very far back from the main road. [*]Who plows the main road in the winter? [*]Who’s responsible for garbage pick-up? [*]Is there an associated fee? [*]Can anyone have access to the lake?[*]Do you have to pick up your mail at the post office or is it delivered to your home? [*]Is their Fed Ex or UPS delivery service? [*]Can you use your property for short-term camping, with a tent and a fire pit? [*]Can you park a camper trailer on the property long term but not permanently? [*]I have three 20 pound dogs - are there birds of pray or large animals that I need to worry about? [*]Can I have livestock or chickens?[*]Are there fence restrictions - can I use an electric fence to keep animals away?[/LIST]I understand the closest grocery store is 30min away and that there are no emergency services like fire & police. I'm an experienced gun owner so I'm not too worried about that.

Thanks
mo~[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[PNW-type-gal]

Depends on what area. There are maybe 6 subdivisions in the area, all with different rules about what you can build. (Oregon Shores I and II, Latakomi, Bella Vista, Monte Vista, Agency Lake Ranches plus a few others I can't remember the name of.) In many of them, houses must be stick built and there are size and height requirements/limits.

There are also a number of lots out there that are not part of any subdivison or association but at that point you will need to meet county requirements for things like water and septic.

Check for CCRs before you buy a lot because none of those subdivisions/associations will allow a shipping container or a lot of the things on your wish list. Also check housing prices - the area is so depressed, price-wise, that you can find a finished house with septic and water already in for around $100,000 (last I looked).

A hint: you do not actually want to be right on the water for two reasons - late summer bugs and late summer water quality. We lived in the area about 7 years.

Internet - depends on what you need. Email, basic browsing, yes. Streaming, Skype, not really. Centurytel offers a limited DSL, there is line-of-sight-only Wifi from a provider in K Falls.

Phone: Verizon is the only reliable phone service in Oregon once you leave the cities. In that area US Cellular is also pretty good.

Mail: is not delivered to your home, it is delivered to a row of boxes on the main road. Most people have their mail delivered to the post office because the road boxes are frequently vandalized. The post office is open M-F 9-4 but the PO boxes can be accessed outside those time limits.

Snow: Modoc Pt Rd, Hwy 62 and Hwy 97 are regularly plowed in winter. Some of the subdivisions contract for plow service, many do not. The tricky thing can be getting out of your own area/driveway. Fortunately, big snow events are not all that common and you generally know enough to plan for them so that not being able to get out of your own area for 3-4 days in no big deal.

UPS and Fedex deliver, although it generally adds 1-2 day on top of anything, including overnight.

[Larry Caldwell]

You may not be allowed to place a home there at all. Check with the county planning department. Next to a lake is pretty iffy for septic, and there may be other restrictions.

All new homes have to conform to the Oregon building code. A mobile home is probably as low end as you can go.

Wifi and cable are pretty much an urban thing. There may be wireless or DSL, depending on your location.

You can improve rural cell service by installing a signal amplifier with an external directional antenna. They run about $300.

Your choice of vehicles is personal. Snow tires are probably a good idea.

Is the main road paved? If it's a county road, they county may plow it, eventually. If it's a state highway, the state will maintain it.

You are responsible for garbage pick-up. If you haul it yourself, the only fee will be at the transfer station. Commercial hauling may or may not be available.

Yes, anyone can access the lake.

RFD is available, though you may have to drive to the mailbox.

FedEX and UPS deliver everywhere.

You can use the property for recreation for short term. Be aware that "temporary" structures have to be torn down after 6 months.

The occasional bear or cougar will probably keep its distance. 20 lbs is pretty big for an eagle to haul off. Coyotes will surround domestic dogs and kill them. Skunks and porcupines are always a low level hazard. Don't tie your dogs outside where they can't get away from predators. A kennel with a roof and secure chain link fence is the best way to keep dogs safe.

If the property is in town, livestock may not be permitted. Next to a lake you may have to deal with manure runoff and water quality laws. You will also need fences, and a barn to store livestock feed.

There are emergency services, just not instant emergency services. The cops will show up eventually, and somebody will probably put a fire out to protect the surrounding countryside. If you want rural fire protection, install a residential sprinkler system.

Before you buy any property in Oregon, do your due diligence. Talk to planning. How stable is the lake? Is the property in a flood plain? Is the property buildable? What kind of septic will be required? Where do you plan to get water? How much will it cost to get power to the property? Your cell provider has coverage maps, but if you want a hard line the cost will be on you. How much road do you have to build? Typical development cost for rural property is about $50,000 before the first concrete hits the ground. That's not very compatible with a "living in a shipping container" budget. You are mostly asking the wrong people the wrong questions.