AL HB487

County commissions may adopt ordinances or resolutions requiring timber harvesters to provide prior written notice before conducting harvest operations in unincorporated county areas for tracts of 10 acres or more.

Notice must include a map or legal description of the harvest tract, truck routes on county roads, points of ingress and egress to public roads, and contact information for the timber purchaser, submitted to the county commission office by person, email, fax, or mail.

County commissions may deny permission for proposed routes or locations only on public safety grounds if the routes otherwise comply with state law concerning public road use.

Violations of the notice requirement are punishable by civil fines not exceeding $500 per violation, with the county commission required to provide notice and a hearing opportunity before levying a fine.

Counties are prohibited from requiring any other notice, permit, license, or security bond from timber harvesters or haulers using public roads, and notice compliance does not relieve harvesters from liability for damages caused by their road use.