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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 7, 1997 Board of ReviewCITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS II I .~90 40TH AVENUE N.E., COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN 55A21-3878 (612) 782-2800 TDD 782-2806 April2,1997 The following is the agenda for the BOARD OF REVIEW of the City Council to be held at 7 P.M. on Monday, April 7, 1997, in the Gouncil Chambers~ City Hall, 590 40th Avenue N.E., Columbia Heights, Minnesota. 1. Roll Call 2. Statement of Purpose .of the Board of Review To review property valuations as of January 2, 1997, for tax payable 1998, and to hear appeals from citizens who feel agSrieved or have questions regarding property valuations. 3. Introductions The City Manager will introduce Ed Thurston - County Assessor, Mary Boyle - Residential Appraiser, and Diana Stellmach, Commercial Appraiser 4. .Questions and Answers Re~ardin~ Property. Valuatio. ns Citizens in attendance will be given an opportunity to raise questions regarding their property valuations. Council. Actions Re~ardin,~ Specific Cases; Or, Cases on Which Additional Information is Desired The Council may, at this time, take action regarding any of the properties that were discussed, or instruct the County Assessor's Office to provide more information at a continued meeting. 1) 2) RECOMMEND~E1L~OTION: Move to adopt the 1997 Assessment Rolls as presented ~~ MOTION~. '. Move to continue the Board of Review meeting to (date and r~me~ Tor the purpose bf hearing additional information regarding only those property values appealed and discussed on April 7, 1997, and to consider adoption of the 1997 Property Assessment Rolls. 6. Adjournment. Walter R. Fehst, Ci. ty Manager The City of Colurnbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, it, ~ervices, prosrarns, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will he provided to allow individuals with dizabilities to participate in all City of Columbia Heights' services, programs, and activities. Auxiliary aids for handic~pped persons are available upon request when the request is made at least 96 hours in advance. Pleaze call the City Council Secretary at 782-2800, Extension 209, to make arrangements, iTDD / 782-2806 for deaf only) THE: CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISAB]LITY IN EMPLOYMENT OR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER To: Columbia Heights Local Board of Review Subject: Appeal of our property valuation at the April 7, 1997 meeting From: William C. Marshall SUMMARY With regard to an acceptable Market Value ~br our property it is reasonable in my opinion to reset it to the 1995 valuation of $121,700. This represents a less than 10% reduction from the Assessors estimate which in my opinion is flawed. This reduction would represent my estimate of the discount we would need to a prospective buyer given that we must fully inform him of the defects in the property rising out of deficiencies in the city water supply. We have previously conferred with Realtors who advised us of certain repairs/replacements needed to readily sell our property and have over past years since retirement expended over $7,000 to do that. These efforts were also known to the Assessor in 1995 by telephone conversation. COUNTY ASSESSOR DISCUSSION On or about Mar 12,1997 1 contacted the County Assessor after receiving the Anoka County statement of taxes payable in 1997 and the new estimated market value for taxes payable in 1998. Our property is one of the about 30 homes in a 3 block area subjected to the water main acid cleaning project of 1996 performed by the Here, Inc. contractor hired by the city. The main in front of our house had less than a diameter of two inches before being cleaned and a 90% reduction in water volume capacity. My claim is that the market values are too high, they have been adversely affected by the known failure of the six inch city water main over the past several years, and there is no "comparable" property for "sales ratio data" to my knowledge within this area. To my surprise the Assessor seemed ignorant of the water main problem (which on several occasions supplies "dirty" water) so I suggested she contact the City Engineer Mark Winston and confirm. She did and called back to suggest that people all over the Mpls/St. Paul area were accustomed to buying and drinking only "bottled water" so that this was no inconvenience. When I told her that a local Realtor had advised me that I must "disclose" the water main problem when the property was offered for sale and that I needed a statement from the city that a prospective buyer would not be liable for assessments to install any new water main, she referred me to the City Engineer. I have asked for such statement and in part it says "...it is unlikely that the city would assess...". This is not a definitive statement! A disclosure of the water main problems in itself would turn away most prospective buyers excepting those seeking a discount in a "distress" sale. Note that "Estimated Market Value" is defined (on the Assessor's notice) as the following: "The most probable price thot a well informed buyer would pay a well informed seller for a property without either party being unduly forced to buy or sell". MARKET VALUE HISTORY Figure 1 shows the market value history 1988-98. Note that the $7,100 increase for payable 1996 together with the $4,900 for year payable 1997 and $500 estimated for 1998 add up to a $12.500 increase over the $121.700 market value for taxes payable 1995, A $12,000 increase in the two years since 1995! Please note that in 1995 it was well known that the City Council and Staff had several meetings to discuss the local Herc, Inc. water main project to determine the best method of repairing the main 1 cast-iron 6 inch pipe. I feel that the impact on property values must have been discussed as well as some 2-3 million dollars of private property was at risk. Yet the Assessor seems to be unaware of this until I intbrmed her. SPECTRUM LABORATORY ANALYSIS REPORT On 1-8-97 my next-door neighbor (Dr. Scott Foster) had this laboratory conduct a "Slime" test on a water sample from his house. The City Engineer and the Assessor have copies of his letter, a color photo of the dirty water, and the lab report. The report indicates the absence of chlorine (iron bacteria and fungi were found). A lab technician explained that basically he had, in effect, untreated water! I have had my chlorine levels tested last week and at this time the levels were OK. However, we had the same filthy water in January and last year as Dr. Foster. We now have installed a carbon under-the-counter water tilter in the kitchen for drinking water. For bathing purposes we intend to also install a smaller shower mounted filter. On rarer occasions the water looks like "tomato juice"! The 1972 Federal Sate Drinking Water Act (SDWA) law requires cities to monitor the sat'ety of water and to make reports on this monitoring to residents. So far these periodic reports are apparently not available. The secondary (aesthetic) standards in the SDWA when exceeded may cause non-health related effects to the water such as taste, odor, appearance, and can also affect products such as glassware, dishes, fixtures, and appliances 1400O0 $134,200 $128,800 $121,700 135OOO 1300O0 125O00 120000 115000 110000 105000 1O0OOO 1986 1988 1990 1996 1998 1992 1994 ZOO0 Year Sincerely, Figure 1. Market Value Versus Tax Payable Year William C. Marshall 1600 Iunsbruck Parkway Columbia Heights, MN 55421 (612)574-0484 2 1997 Columbia Heights Board of Review County AssessOr's Recommendations Bill Marshall 1600 Innsbruck Parkway NE PIN 25-30-24-13-0038 Inspection of property made on April 10, 1997. Appraiser found property to be in good overall condition. At this time, we find no market data to support a reduction in value due to the water main problems being experienced in the area. Assessor's Recommendation: No Chanqe .--,~ ~-r/~'_~,_~ ~'- Lee Stauch 1155 Khyber Lane NE PIN 25-30-24-32-0029 Mr. Stauch signed up for the meeting but chose not to appear before ~ require~ ~.No action · David Wright 999 41 st Ave. NE PIN 36-30-24-23-0357 & 0432 Mr. Wright had registered by phone to appear but did not show up at No~____~ting~---'~--~ action required Jane Halek 4602 Fillmore St. NE PIN 25-30-24-33-0135 No inspection made. Ed Thurston reviewed with Ms. Halek all of the information compiled regarding the double bungalows and duplexes for the surrounding area of her property. He also reviewed with her, over the phone, the property characteristics on which her va~ue is based and she seem~atisfied that~it is corre~,t~ Assessor's Recomme ' .' .qe Bruce Nawrocki 1255 Polk Place NE PIN 25-30-24-21-0097 Mr. Nawrocki will be making arrangements prior to the County Board of Equalization for a review of his property. No action required · Kevin McGinnity 4432 2nd St. NE PIN 35-30-24-22-0078 Mr. McGinnity was unable to arrange for an inspection of the property at this time. He will make arrangements prior to the County Board of Equalization for a review. Assessor's Recommendation: No Chanae · Joyce Meier 4931 Jackson St. NE PIN 26- 30-24-14-0132 No inspection made. Many attempts were made to contact Ms. Meier. 3 separate voice mail messages were left for Ms. Meier to please call to arrange an appointment for an inspection. There was no response. Assessor's Recommendation: No Change Harold Hoium 4321 5th St. NE PIN 35-30-24-21-0165 No review requested. No action required Jill Voelker 4549 Taylor St. NE PIN 25-30-24-33-0124 Inspected on April 10, 1997. Found there to be some deficiencies in the quality of workmanship due to the home being constructed in part by inexperienced volunteer laborers. Assessor's Recommendation: Reduction in value from $103,400 2 · Mary Maxton 2125 Argonne Dr. NE PIN 25-30-24-11-0004 No review requested. No action required · Stephanie Small 1091/1093 Polk Circle NE PIN 25-30-24-22-0055 Inspected property on April 16, 1997. Found there to be deferred maintenance to the extent that it will affect market value.~ ' ~.ssessor's 'Recommendation: Reduction in value from $104,700 to $100,700 · Jay Melton 4535 Taylor St. NE PIN 25-30-24-33-0122 Inspected property on April 10, 1997. Found water problem in basement. Assessor's Recommendation: Reduction in value from $105,700 to $100,000 Dr. Scott Foster 1620 Innsbruck Parkway NE P IN 25-30-24-13-0037 Submitted letter of appeal to keep option open for County Board of Equalization. No action required Vernon Moore 2235 Chalet Drive NE PIN 25-30-24-14-0090 Submitted letter of appeal to keep option open for County Board of Equalization. No action required 3 Robert Ruettiman 211,5 43rd Ave. NE PIN 36-30-24-11-0046 Reviewed records and found nothing out of line. Assessor's Recommendation: No Chan.qe · Gary Peterson 3712 Lincoln St. NE PiN 36-30-24-34-0034 Reviewed records and found nothing out of line. Assessor's Recommendation: No Chan,qe 4 ) m,- .g z ~ 'r'~; z , E o c~l ION 10.5: A~ KFA~[G F^~ ~0. S3~ 0652 Mary Boyle Office o£the AssesSor Anoka, County, Mn VEKNON L. MOORE 2235 CHALET DRIVE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN 55421 Re: Property valuation of Vernon L. and L. Shirley Moore 2235 Chalet Drive Columbia Heights, MN 55421 PIN: R25 30 24-14-0090 I hope to be able to attend the Columbia Heights Board of R.eview on April 7, 1997, but may not be able to do so. I wish to appeal the valuation of our residence and would like to keep thc option ofappeal open for the County Board of Equalization meeting-Apr~Tl6, 1997. Vernon L Moore