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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19811029 ., •. MINUTES OCTOBER 29, 1981 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in special .session Thursday, October' 29, 1981, at 6:30 P.M. in the Mapping Room of the Orange County Tax and Records Office. Commissioners present: - Commissioner Anne Barnes, Chair, and s Commissioners Norm Gustaveson and Don Willhoit_ 4. Commissioners absent: Commissioners Norman Walker and Richard f. Whaitted. x� Tax Supervisor Bill Laws and Tax Real Estate Appraiser Kermit Lloyd were also present. The purpose of the meeting, explained by Commissioner Barnes, was to hear property tax appeals and discussions. For conciseness all discussion and action pertaining to each 4. case is included within that case even though discussion occurred �:• later'. A copy of the Tax office's recommendation on each appeal ,.. is included at the end of these Minutes and is a part of these Min- "' utes. Mr. Ed Tenney: Mr. Tenney appealed the valuation of several parcels. Tax Map 78, Block A, Lots 1 and 1 A: Mr. Tenney said over' half of these two lots were in the flood plain of Bolin. Creek. The Tax maps did not indicate a flood plain for those two lots; Mr. Lloyd, said he would check that out and if the lots were in the flood plain that would be an automatic adjustment. f. Tax Map 75, Block A, Lot 3: Mr. Tenney contested the value of II the lot saying he had paid $12,000 for it eleven years earlier. He ! added he was not contesting the value of the house on the lot.. Tax Map 34A, Block A Parcels-1 and Tax Map 34A, Block B, Parcels 2 and 3: Mr. Tenney said these lots were in Wildcat Creek and would not perk. Consequently, he could not build on them. Mr. Lloyd said that with a letter from the Health Department saying the lots won't Perk there would be an automatic 75% adjustment. QQ :sz 2• ?; 1 -_ 1 Tax Map 99, Block C, Lot 9: Mr. Tenney said he had bought = : this lot, with a building, twelve years earlier for $6,000. He said a comparable building (but a new one', this one was built about 1912) had sold across the street for $45,000 two or three years earlier. -- He doesn't think this building is worth the valuation placed on it by the Tax Office (valuation of Tax office is $60,214) . Mr. Tenney said he could not divulge the income he derived from . the property under conditions of the lease contract, The lot and .. building are on Main Street in Carrboro. Mr.� Lloyd and Mr. Laws asked that they be given the opportunity -to',review the lots Mr. Tenney had appealed. and-return to-the Board of Commissioners with a recommendation. The Board agreed to the review requested. Mr. Tenney said he had appealed to the Board of Equalization and Review but due to an error he had never been given an appointment. Madhadananda Sar & Mohini, Tax Map 41D, Block D, Lot 16: • Mr. Sar said he had contacted the Tax Office to appeal but had not been successful. Mr. Lloyd said he was not able to 'see the interior of the house but his recommendation was to increase the physical depreciation from 3% to 5%; he additionally felt the house was, over- graded by 10%. Factoring in both figures would reduce the valuation i from $95,343 to roughly $861650. Commissioner•Gustayeson moved to approve the Tax Supervisor's recommendation (stated above) ;: Commissioner Barnes seconded: Vote: Ayes 3; noes, 0. Christopher H. Cooke; Tax Map 57, Parcel 13A: Mr. Lloyd said he had visited the property and noted several errors (listed on his recommendation in these Minutes) . One of those errors noted was no water supply, the property owner having to get Water,.-from an adjacent lot. During the appeal by Mr. Cooke, the Tax Office learned the homeowners in the development were on a community water system. IThis fact negates Mr. Lloyd's previous understanding and recommendation i of 10%. adjustment for no well; Mr. Lloyd withdrew this recommendation. Mr. Cooke appealed the valuation on several points, summarized below: 1) His neighbors' valuation is $300 less than his. i 2) There are restrictive convenants attached to owning land in the development. Mr. Cooke believes this would restrict the marketability of his home and lot. 3) Community water system which is not professionally main- tained. 4) Gravel road access to land. Mr. Cooke feels that 1,500 acre is more realistic than $2,000. Commissioner Willhoit moved, seconded by Commissioner Gustaveson, to approve the Tax Office recommendation for Mr. .Cooke's property with the..exc.eption..of the-previously.recommended.,10% adjustment,.-:for not .having a we.11.,.on .the..property (the motion .is :to. disallow the water adjustment) . Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Upsilon of Zeta Psi, Tax Map 86, Block C, Lot 15: Mr. Howard Manning and Mr. Charles LeFort appealed..for the Fraternity. They said the house had been .closed in 1977 and re- opened in 1978 after rewiring, plumbing, replastering walls and adding fire escapes; they added the 3rd floor is uninhabitable. Mr. Lloyd recommended a grade change from At05 to A -05 and to increase the physical depreciation from 25% to 35%. Commissioner Gustaveson moved,, seconded by Commissioner Willhoit, to approve the Tax Office's recommendation (stated above) . Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Mr. Howard L. Stewart, Tax. Map 82, Block B, Lot 11: Mr. Stewart feels this house is" in a blighted area; he said the homes there were built as cheaply as they could be to be rented. Mr. Lloyd told Mr. Stewart that a home nearby (on Reade Road) had sold for $58,000 in 1979. Mr. Stewart says it is only insured for $45,000. Commissioner Gustaveson moved to approve the Tax Office's recommendation on this property (that is, a grade change to C and an increased depreciation to .18%; .this would mean .the property's valuation is about $57,000) ; Commissioner Willhoit seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Mr. Stephen R. Quint, Tax Map 8C, Block A, Parcel 20: Mr- Quint said the contract price based on an appraisal done by a bank was $81,700 for this home and lot. y. Mr. Lloyd said this house was 2'h stories; Mr. Quint responded the 3rd level was cathedral ceiling, loft and h unfinished. Mr. Lloyd said this was unknown and said some adjustment should be made for this new knowledge. ,t. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner Willhoit,''` to approve the Tax Office's recommendation, including the adjustment i for the house from 3 stories to 24 stories and the grade change to B - 10. (This makes a rough adjustment of about $7,500 plus the amount added for the storey adjustment, bringing the valuation in line with the.bank's appraisal) . Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. I - - David A. Yeowell. & Heather, Tax Map 39 A,-Block C, Lot 8: Mr. Yeowell said he had a sewer easement across his lot and was thus restricted in the use of his property; he added there was also a drainage creek on the property. Mr. Lloyd said he had visited the property and found several errors on the listing and he also thought a 10% adjustment should be made due to the restricted easement. These recommendations would. . bring the valuation to $136,330. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner Willhoit, i to approve the Tax Office's recommendation for Mr. Yeowell's property. (The recommendation is in the previous paragraph) . Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Elsie Foley Lloyd:, Tam Map 112., Parcel 3: Mr. Lloyd.said.:a, review of the property revealed some errors in measurement of the house and that the construction is cinder block. He recommends- lowering the grade by 10% and increasing the physical depreciation by 10%. Ms. Lloyd said there was a goad across the back of her pro- perty. Mr. Lloyd said this road did not affect the value of the property. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner . ' Willhoit, to approve the Tax Office's recommendation for Ms. Lloyd's J property (this would decrease the valuation from $72516 to $62,462)': Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Michael R. Knowles; Tax Map 118 A, Black B, Parcel 25: Ms. Marilyn Knowles said that Mr. Lloyd had visited the property and talked with Mr. Knowles and herself about the property. Mr. Lloyd said he found that the house only had two bathrooms., not 2'h, and that the grade was slightly higher than he thought it should be; he recommended that the grade be lowered to B + 05. This would bring the valuation down from $110,052 to $106,233. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner Barnes, to approve ,the Tax Office's recommendation, as outlined above. Vote Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Mr. Andrew M. Karres, Tax Map 27, Block E, .Parcels 6 and 9A: Mr.- Petty and Mr. Koury accompanied Mr. Karres before the Board. Mr. Karres...said there were 'two.,prob.lems; :1) 6h :acres..of undeveloped land had been valued the 'samer..as 6 acres. of 'improved land; and,, 2) a small 1 acre tract bought solely for access to Legion Road was over valued. He said due to the set backs it was virtually undevelopable. Mx. Lloyd said Mr. Karres had appealed to the E & R Board but his wife had been ill and his appearance should have .been rescheduled; the Tax Office had inadvertently overlooked the request to reschedule. I _ y- Mr. Karres presented some financial information to the Tax Office. Mr. Lloyd said he would like time to review this request based on three aspects: 1) income (financial figures presented) ; 2) zoning; and, 3) terrain. . Mr. Karres' request is to be returned to the Board's agenda after Mr. Lloyd analyses the data. Mr'. Karres said the undeveloped six3i acres had several, tons of dirt which had to be removed before he could develop it. Mr. Karres said he had requested also an appeal of the value of his home; this was .also overlooked in error. He wished for Mr. I Lloyd to check his home too. He said he was originally -revalued in 1973 at $67,500 and this year it jumped to $175,000. He feels for several reasons this'is too much. He asked that the Board permit Mr. Lloyd to check his home as it is''easier to show the problem than to explain it. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner. Barnes, to ask Mr. Lloyd to check Mr. Karres' home and return to the Board with a recommendation.. Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. 1y1_+ ": 11 Mr. James Scott heritage, Tax Map 108 C, Block D, Parcel 8: Mr. Heritage said he had been unable to sell his house at $70,000 and he felt that a tax value of $75,972 was too high.. He has in- creased the asking price to $72,000. He said he had .paid $61,500 i for the house in 1978. Mr. Laws showed comparable sales in the area. :.:.' Mr. Lloyd said he did not recommend any change in this valuation of $75,972. _ -- i Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner Willhoit, ` no change in the valuation of Mr. Heritage's property, as recommended by the Tax Office. Mr. Murray E. .Othmer., Tax Map .5.4A,..Block...A,.:.Parcel:.,:,].2: Mr. Othmer had not made a timely appeal. Commissioner Barnes-`explaingM the General Statutes to Mr. .Othmer regarding which appeals the Board . of Commissioners could and could not hear. Commissioner Barnes told Mr. 'Othmer. the Board would check with the County Attorney to find out if it could legally consider the appeal. Mr. Lloyd had visited the house and recommended the value be lowered on the basis of grade (from a A+15 to a A - 05) , this would make a difference of $19,000 in the appraised value of $233,598. The Board listened but took no action pending an opinion from the Attorney. McInepney Construction Company: This construction company has all its tools listed, in Chatham County; it., in error-, also listed . those tools in Chapel Hill. Commissioner Willhoit moved, seconded by Commissioner Barnes, to release McInephney Construction Company of Orange County taxes in the amount of $15.09. Vote: Ayes, 3, noes, 0. Mr. David G. Kleinbaum & Anna, Tax Map 87, Block F, Parcel 6: This was to be returned. to another agenda; Mr. Kleinbaum was unable to attend tonight. James Kimball King, Tax Map 79, Block D, Lot 9: This was a return from the October. 13, 1981, special meeting. Mr. Lloyd had reviewed the interior of the home and recommended no change. The valuation t remains $109,108. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commis- sioner Willhoit to approve the Tax- Office's recommendation. Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. 7 I i jHomer A. Davis, E�al, and William T. Rives, Broughton H. Copelan and Henry Russell Lloyd. The Board asked that those persons who qualify for use valuation but whose applications were received I after June 30, 1981, be returned to the agenda. The Board requested 4 again that these be returned to a subsequent agenda. Effie Jewel Alston, Pleas M. Holloway and C.V. May: These parsons applied for the Homestead'Exemption late. Mr. Lloyd said Mr. May had always applied for the Homestead Exemption but the tax lister failed to get the information this time. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, -seconded-by Commissioner'Barnes, i to approve the above for the..HOmes.tead. Exemption on .the.,.assumption that the tax lister had erred. Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. Ms. Thelma Berry, Tax Map 124, Block B, Parcel 16: The Board asked the Tax Office to find out if Ms. Berry qualified for the Rome- . stead Exemption and to return this request based on the information received. Mr. Andrew S. Wechsler & Donna, Tax Map 11, Parcel 11B: Mr'. Wechsler did not show up and Mr. Lloyd did not make a recommendation. The Board took no action. Ms. Barbara P. Johnson, Tax Map 89, Block H, Parcel 2: Mr. Lloyd said he had found several errors; corrections were made to the basement.area, interior finish,. number of baths, grade, year of con-- struction, and physical depreciation. The valuation was $84,940 and Mr. Lloyd recommended a valuation of $67,863.00. Commissioner Barnes. moved, seconded by Commissioner Gustaveson, to approve the Tax Supervisor's recommendation .(as noted above) . Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0. - H.D. Lambeth, Jr.: Mr. Lloyd -said Mr. Lambeth owned a tract of land between Highway 54 and SR 1475; Mr.. Lambeth was valued from the Y Highway 54 side while his neighbors were valued from the SR side. Mr. Lloyd recommended a 22% adjustment to get parity with Mr. Lambeth's _- • neighbors. Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner I • Barnes, the approval of the Tax Offices recommendation. Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, 0- ` , . log - - 8_42 3? .. Mr. Thomas G. Hurysz, Tax Map 22D, Lots l thru 6: Mr. Lloyd told the Board this was a clerical error on the part of the Tax Office therefore the Office could and would make the adjustment. i Mr. David F. Herzig, Tax Map 17, Lot 11: Mr. Lloyd said he recom- mended no change in the original $8,880 valuation placed on this property. ,Commissioner Gustaveson moved, seconded by Commissioner T Barnes, to approve the Tax Office's recommendation- of no change. Vote: Ayes, 3; noes, ..0. Mr. Frank Sumner, Tax Map 26, Block B, Parcel 7: Mr. Lloyd said he reviewed this property and recommended no change- in the original valuation. Commissioner Gus.taveson-.moved,_,seconded..by Commissioner Barnes, to approve the Tax Office's recommendation of no change. Vote: Ayes, 3;. noes, 0. The Board adjourned by consensus. Anne Barnes, Chair f Paulette Pridgen+-Pond, Clerk 7. o.