The first three Measure 37 claims brought before the Coos County Board of Commissioners have been waived, giving two claimants clearance to develop their property - and preventing the county from paying out $2.15 million in compensation claims.

"We just rolled back time," said Coos County Commissioner Gordon Ross last week, moments after the three commissioners unanimously voted against paying the property owners.

With the passage of Measure 37 in November, property owners are now allowed to seek compensation from state or local governments if they can demonstrate that government's land-use restrictions reduced the value of their property.

The county received its first claim Jan. 19 from Jean-Claude and Carol Hook of Coquille. The Hooks asked the county Wednesday to either pay them $300,000 or abandon land-use restrictions imposed on their property in the 1980s.

The Hooks bought the property in 1976 when the property was zoned for interim forest and grazing purposes - a classification that allowed for the construction of single-family dwellings. But in the 1980s, the county adopted a new zoning ordinance that reclassified the Hooks' property into a forest zone that prevented them from dividing and selling parcels of their land.

"I'm pleased," Jean-Claude Hook said after the meeting adjourned. With rumors that legislators could seek proposed changes to the law, Hook said he would immediately begin making plans to divide part of the 34 acres into two 10-acre parcels.

The commissioner also waived the property restrictions imposed on two properties owned by William and Doreen Wright of Coos Bay. The Wright's wanted $1.85 million from the county if the board did not exempt restrictions on the two properties.

In the 1980s both properties were rezoned to farm or forestry uses. When the Wrights bought one 78-acre parcel in 1976, it was zoned rural residential, which would have allowed the Wrights to divide the property into 15 five-acre parcels. Another 56-acre piece of property was zoned for agricultural purposes but would have allowed for the development of country homes.

"We were pleased that our rights have been restored, at least on the county level, but still anticipate a long process at the state level," Will Wright said.

The Wrights also filed a demand for compensation with the state Department of Administrative Services.

They said they have been waiting for this day to come for more than 20 years. The loss of the original zoning restrictions reduced the property value by approximately 80 percent, Wright said.

"We dared to hope that such foolishness would pass. We just hung on. We entered into a 40-year agreement even after the property value was drastically diminished. We hoped that justice would finally be done," Wright said.

Coos County Commissioner John Griffith said neither the counties nor state foresaw the passage of the ballot measure during the prior budget-making process. As a result, the county does not have any funds to challenge claimants. Griffith declined to speculate on a claim that the county would challenge.