(a) "Cemetery authority" means a nonprofit cemetery or crematory corporation.

(b) "Sale" includes a contract of sale as well as a sale.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of ORS 97.660 to 97.680 or any other provision of law, whenever all or any part of the cost of a street, curb or sidewalk improvement made by a local government is to be assessed to the property benefited thereby, benefited property owned and platted for cemetery or crematory purposes by a cemetery authority shall be assessed the same as private property. The amount of the assessment shall be paid by the cemetery authority as provided in this section.

(3)(a) Within 60 days after the date the ordinance levying the initial assessment is enacted by the local government, the cemetery authority shall furnish the local government with a list of platted burial lots within the benefited property unsold on the date such ordinance was enacted. Until such assessment is paid in full, whenever additional burial lots are platted within the benefited property, the cemetery authority shall furnish the local government with a list of such additional lots at the time the plat thereof is recorded.

(b) Out of the first funds received for the sales price of any of such lots, the cemetery authority after setting aside perpetual care and maintenance funds as required by law or otherwise shall credit five percent of such sales price to a special account for the payment of the assessment until a sum equal to the assessment and any interest due thereon has been so credited.

(4) All funds accumulated in the special account for the payment of assessments shall be paid semiannually to the local government levying such assessment, the first payment to be made six months after the date the final assessment was levied and succeeding payments each six months thereafter until such assessment and any interest due thereon, as provided in this subsection, is paid in full. Any funds in such account that are not paid to the local government when due shall bear interest at the rate of seven percent per annum from the due date until paid to the local government.

(5) Platted property of a cemetery authority subject to an assessment as provided in this section is exempt from execution for collection of any such assessment while such property is held by a cemetery authority for cemetery or crematory purposes. Any such assessment levied against a cemetery authority shall be payable only from the funds received for the sale of lots listed with the local government as required by subsection (3) of this section. Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, interest shall not be due on the unpaid balance of any such assessment. [1963 c.521 §§1,2; 1969 c.531 §8; 1991 c.902 §88; 2003 c.802 §62]