04-15-2009 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

r MINUTES OF THE ORONO BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:00 o'clock p.m. • White requested the Assessor's Office review the new information with the Planks. White noted if this is a property that can be subdivided, the property tends to be worth more. Mr. Plank noted he has one lot and that he does not want to be in a position where he is forced to subdivide his property due to the taxes. Plank stated they have not made any improvements to their property and that it is still the original house. Plank indicated he does not understand why they are discussing a possible future lot in relation to his taxes. Kunik stated the Assessor's Office did not take the possible subdivision in the future into consideration when assessing this property and that the comparables provided by the Planks were not proper comparables. Kunik*noted they did adjust the valuation downward and that the comparables are limited given the minimal amount of sales in the area. Murphy stated it appears that the Assessor's Office was waiting to hear back from the Planks and that the Assessor's Office has indicated they have some additional information that they would be willing to review with the Planks. Mrs. Plank pointed out that there were no other comparables relating to sold properties that could be shared with the Assessor's Office. Kunik stated they would contact the Planks within the next week to discuss their situation. 2. Richard Crosby, 2705 Walter Port Lane, PID 21- 117 -23 23 -0013 Crosby noted he has provided some comparables of sold properties to the Assessor's Office and that his property is a channel property, which should be valued less than lakeshore. Both of his neighbors have similar sized lots, slightly bigger homes, but his taxes for the past three years have been approximately $1000 higher than either of them. Crosby stated he told the Assessor last year that house values would fall, and that he was told last year by the Assessor that lakeshore values will not fall, which has not been the case. Crosby stated in his view the property values are over- inflated. At the time he purchased his property, his taxes were $5,658 but are now at $8,341. His property is now worth less than what he paid for it in 2005. On average he has paid over $1000 more than both of his neighbors for the past three years. A previous assessor has stated that the private road is a luxury but yet the costs for maintaining the road are borne by the residents. Crosby noted his property also had significant drainage issues that he was forced to correct at his expense with no assistance from the City. Crosby asked the Assessor to provide him with comparables of sold properties. Kunik noted that Assessor Stulc has a comparable for 997 Wildhurst, which is also a channel property on Forest Arm Bay. The property has a house consisting of 1,812 square feet that was constructed in 1973 and sold for $850,000 in November of 2007. Mr. Crosby's house consists of 3,294 square feet, which is substantially bigger and newer. Kunik stated in his view the value is appropriate. Crosby stated Fennon Lane has a brand -new house consisting of 4,000 plus square feet located on the channel and it sold for $730,000. Kunik stated the Assessor's Office looks at highest and best use and that they are not looking for the lowest property value but the highest property values, which is what the State requires. PAGE 2