HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-22-2013 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization Meeting MinutesBOARD OF REVIEW MINUTES April 22, 2013
APPROVED
1 CITY OF LINO LAKES
2 MINUTES
3 BOARD OF APPEAL
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5 DATE : April 22, 2013
6 TIME STARTED : 6:00 p.m.
7 TIME ENDED : (recessed once) 7:10 p.m.
8 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz, Roeser, Rafferty,
9 O'Donnell and Mayor Reinert
10 MEMBERS ABSENT : none
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12 Staff members present: Community Development Director Michael Grochala; City Clerk Julie Bartell
13 Anoka County Assessor Staff present: Peggy Nordrum, Appraiser; Randy DeJong, Appraiser
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15 Mayor Reinert reviewed the process that would be used for this meeting.
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17 Anoka County Appraiser Nordrum explained that after appellants are called on to present their
18 appeals, county staff will respond if they've had opportunity to review the appeal. The county has
19 received 22 phone calls regarding Lino Lakes' property. Staff was able to resolve the issues brought
20 up by those calls with the exception of two cases and they may attend this evening. Overall, she
21 noted, values in the city are going up and that tends to generate valuation questions.
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23 The council heard from the following appellants:
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25 Gary Uhde, Century Farm North 4t" Addition, Outlot A — Mr. Uhde explained that his appeal
26 relates to classification. The property has been and will continue to be farmed (he presented a letter to
27 the council explaining the farming of the land). For taxes payable in 2014, the property has been
28 reclassified to residential but he would argue the land is not ready to be developed and will remain as
29 farm land. He is complying with state statute to meet agricultural standards. He introduced Mr.
30 Richard Gannon (sp) who is personally farming rye on the land.
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32 County staff explained that the change from agricultural to residential occurred because a portion of
33 the land was sold off and the remainder doesn't meet the statutory threshold for farm designation.
34 The property must be at least 10 contiguous areas and this parcel is now 9.79 acres. Ms. Nordrum
35 added that the agricultural designation also normally implies more intensive farming that just rye.
36 The council discussed the amount of the increase in taxes due to the classification change.
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38 Mayor Reinert said he is sympathetic to Mr. Uhde's situation and would be inclined to allow the
39 agricultural designation based on factors involved (poor economy, the developer's good reputation
40 with the city, close to meeting statutory requirement). The council concurred to allow the farming
41 designation for one year and a motion to do so was made by Council Member Roeser. Council
42 Member O'Donnell seconded the motion and it was adopted on a unanimous voice vote.
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44 Pete Hitchcock, 448 Tanglewood Drive, Shoreview regarding his property in Lino Lakes
45 located at 355 Ash Street and the two acre lot next door — Mr. Hitchcock explained that he has a
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BOARD OF REVIEW MINUTES April 22, 2013
APPROVED
46 valuation concern about the property. There is a large difference between what he paid for this
47 property and the value attached by the county. It was sold as a distressed property and also has some
48 building issues. Council Member Roeser clarified that nonconventional sales such as foreclosure or
49 bank sales are considered differently when values are determined. Mr. Hitchcock noted that based on
50 what the council decides he may want to keep open the opportunity to go through the county appeal
51 process.
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53 Mayor Reinert suggested that the council doesn't have enough information on this appeal to make a
54 decision. The council decided to continue the meeting so that staff and the council can get more
55 information on this property.
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57 The meeting was recessed at 6:35 p.m. to allow the council to convene the regular council meeting.
58 Upon adjournment of the regular meeting, the board meeting was reconvened.
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60 Paul Johnson, Pine Acres Development Company — Mr. Johnson explained and he and some
61 partners bought property in Lino Lakes many years ago; he believes it was platted around 1974. At
62 one point he was advised by former City Administrator Randy Schumacher to do an overplat, which
63 he did and had recorded. This property is being charged by the plat even though it can't be developed
64 anytime soon because it is far away from water and sewer infrastructure. At this point the taxes are
65 more than $17,000 per year. He believes that, because the property is really undevelopable for a long
66 time, it isn't worth anything near the current valuation.
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68 The mayor asked if plats from that long ago are still relevant and Community Development Director
69 Grochala said the platting would be defunct at this point. He concurs that it would be on the tail end
70 of any development in that region since sewer and water are far away.
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72 Appraiser Nordrum added that there are some special assessments on the property (from Pine Street
73 improvements). She has looked at the property — it is counted as four lots but the owners have the
74 right to configure it as they wish. But the county has to assign a value based on the information they
75 have. She suspects there could be a reduction based on the request and if he decides to reduce the
76 number of lots.
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78 The council concurred that they would reconsider this property at the continuation hearing. They
79 directed city staff (Mr. Grochala) to look at the property and assist Mr. Johnson in a vacation or
80 whatever is necessary to reflect the correct value of the property.
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82 ADJOURN
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84 The meeting was adjourned to a continuation hearing on May 6, 2012, 5:30
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86 Thes;, minute considered and approved at the re
87 � ..Q_
88
89 Julianne Bartell, City Clerk Jeff ' ein-rt, Mayor
90 \
eeting on May 13, 2013.
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