Owners of cabins on state-owned lots at Payette Lake will be offered the option of an appraisal to determine the land value on which their lease rates are based, or sticking with assessments set by Valley County, under a new process approved unanimously by the state Land Board this morning. The appraisal process would be similar to that used to set rents for state-owned cabin sites at Priest Lake. "We received a letter from the Payette association, they want to do that," said Secretary of State Ben Ysursa. He noted that it'll be at the option of the lessee.

Cabin owners who opt to stay with the county assessment won't need to do anything; those who want to switch to appraisals would need to sign a lease adjustment before Aug. 1. The state Department of Lands would then contract with an outside appraiser during the fall of 2012, with the new appraisals used to calculate 2013 rent.