(2) No harvest type 3 unit shall be allowed within 300 feet of the perimeter of a prior harvest type 3 unit within a single ownership if the combined acreage of the harvest type 3 areas subject to regulation under the Oregon Forest Practices Act would exceed 120 acres in size, unless the prior harvest type 3 unit has been reforested as required by all applicable regulations and:

(a) At least the minimum tree stocking required by rule is established per acre; and either

(b) The resultant stand of trees has attained an average height of at least four feet; or

(c) At least 48 months have elapsed since the stand was created and it is "free to grow" as defined by the State Board of Forestry.

(3) Any acreage attributable to riparian areas or to resource sites listed in ORS 527.710 (3) that is located within a harvest unit shall not be counted in calculating the size of a harvest type 3 unit.

(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply when the land is being converted to managed conifers or managed hardwoods from brush or hardwood stands that contain less than 80 square feet of basal area per acre of trees 11 inches DBH or greater or when the harvest type 3 results from disasters such as fire, insect infestation, disease, windstorm or other occurrence that the State Forester determines was beyond the landowner’s control and has substantially impaired productivity or safety on the unit or jeopardizes nearby forestland. The prior approval of the State Forester shall be required for such conversion or harvest type 3 operations that exceed 120 acres in size.

(5) The provisions of this section do not apply to any operation where the operator demonstrates to the State Forester that:

(a) The trees are subject to a cutting right created by written contract prior to October 1, 1990, which provides that the trees must be paid for regardless of whether the trees are cut, or subject to a cutting right created by reservation in a deed prior to October 1, 1990; and

(b) If the provisions of this section were applied, the cutting right would expire before all the trees subject to the cutting right could reasonably be harvested. [1991 c.919 §4; 1995 s.s. c.3 §39b; 1996 c.9 §4]