Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOR May 18, 1977 CITY of ANDOVER BOARD OF REVIEVI - MAY 18, 1977 !1INUTES The Regular Board of Review for the City of Andover was called to order by Mayor Jerry Windschitl on May 18, 1977, 7:18 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard, my, Anoka, Minnesota. Councilpersons present: Lachinski, McClure, Orttel, VanderLaan Councilpersons absent: None Also present: City Assessor, James Thurston; County Assesso~ Lucius Johnson; City Clerk, p. K. Lindquist; and residents Mayor Windschitl explained that this Board of Review can only consider assessments that are payable in 1978. Anything applying in 1977 would have been heard at the Board of Review a year ago. Mr. Thurston also explained that this is for 1977 assessments for taxes payable in 1978; and anything with prior years would have to be handled through the County with a formal request for review. The following residents presented their cases: Fred Fleischer, 4580 145th Lane mv - Plat 67645, Parcel 390 Mr. Fleischer felt his taxes were too high in comparison to one of his neighbors who has a larger house with more extras. The City Assessor explained how the value of a house and land is determined for the City, and he also explained to Hr. Fleischer how his value was computed. No action taken by the City Council. Don Hallblade. 14165 Ivywood Street mv - Plat 65928, Parcel 6370 !~. Hallblade objected to the fact that the market value is being raised from 50 percent of the market value to the actual market value. He disputed that in relations to other things that have been happening, it's not right. He felt the City is taking the sanitary sewer and street proj ect and using it as a scapegoat to raise the market value of the property in a hurry. Tha t is not happening to everybody else, only the people in the improvement area. Property in the improvement area is "rising faster than that of other residents in the Cit~ and it is unfair. He felt no one would pay the extra cost íb r the improvements that were added to his market value. Because Mr. Hallblade had a sewer and a road before the improvements, the cost of the improvements did , not raise the value of his house in proportion. The City Assessor explained that he is following the procedure as prescribed by State Statute and explained how this market value was computed in the sanitary sewer and street improvement area. Also,1 the extra lots !~. Hallblade is spl1 tting affec ts the land value. When those lots are split, the valuation on the house and the smaller lot will be reassessed, probably resulting in a lower valuation. No action taken by the City Council. I Walter Dick, 4260 144th Lane NW - Plat 66998. Parcel 80 I Mr. Dick explained that his market value from 1976 to 1977 increased 15 percent and the limited market value increased 9.8 percent. He wondered if it was a blanket policy to increase all houses in his area the same and also whether or not sewer or street improvements are proposed for the area as he was opposed to that. Also, Mr. Dick would like a copy of the City's 5-year plan. Board of Review May 18, 1977 - Hinutes ~p2 (Walter Dick, Continued) The City Assessor explained that there was no blanket policy on evaluating market value, that each property was considered as a separate piece and nothing was treated as a flat percentage. The Mayor explained there were no plans for improvements in his area and explained the City policy on improvements. He can borrow a copy of the Comprehensive Plan from the City Hall. No action was taken by the City Council. Duane Handrick, 14459 Seventh Avenue Inv - Plat 66997, Parcel 10 Since Seventh Avenue is being improved this summer and his lot fronts on this road, I~, Handrick wondered if he was going to be assessed for the road. He also wondered if something could be done with 145th, which is a washboard dirt road serving the area in Dehn's Addition. He also asked when the assessor visited his house last and when the house was built. It was explained that he would not be assessed for the improvement of Seventh Avenue. It is the obliga- tion of the City for normal maintenance on roads; however, if they wanted to have a permanent-type street, then the assessment policy is 100 percent of the costs. Since Mr. Handrick has a corner lot, he would be assessed for the shortest side of his property. The house was built in 1965 and was visited in 1974 for assessment purposes. No action was taken by the City Council. Elmer Hedden, 3238 131st Avenue !~I - Plat 65905, Parcel 100 , Mr. Hedden was surprised the valuation of his small two-bedroom house was rising so fast. He built the house for retirement and wondered if this upward trend would continue, as he felt he could no longer afford to live there because of his fixed income. The City Assessor explained how the valuation , was determined on his home and that the fact that he has over 4 acres of land adds considerably to the value. There was a discrepancy in the records as to the garage size and what Mr. Hedden thought the garage size was. I No action was taken by the City Council. I~s. Lowell I Jensen, 4117 165th Avenue ~~V - Plat 65907. Parcel 9290 I~s. JensenlexPlained that the 1976 and 1977 market value and limited market value on th s double bungalow was quite a bit higher than the VA appraisal done in November, 1976, when they purchased it. After discussion it was thought the records I are not up to date as the City and the VA valuation should be relatively close. Mr. Thurston will visit the property to review this to see if the assessed valuation can be corrected. Also, she should go to the County for a review of the previous year. I No action was taken by the City Council. Board of Review May 18, 1977 - Hinutes Page 3 Don Borke, 13414 Jay Street - Plat 69277, Parcel 3600 Mr, Borke wondered when the last time the asSessor inspected his property and felt that because of all the junk yards nearby, his valuation should not be increasing so rapidly, The City Assessor said his property was last looked at in 1974 and eXplained the visitation policy of the assessor, No action was taken by the City Council, Grace Dorsey, 13565 Gladiola Street NW - Plat 67500. Parcel 1256 Hs, Dorsey questioned when can we anticipate any change in the tremendous rate of increase in market value on properties, especially since the City of Andover provides very few services for its residents, She also asked why the Assessor took the upper value in determining valuations, She felt something must be done ~bout this tremendous tax increase every year. Also, there is a discrepancy with the records as they show the basement finished and it is not and also with the lot size, In discussion, the mill rate for Andover will be the third lowest taxed City in Anoka County, The rise is with the school and County taxes, Mr, Thurston also explained his assessment policy, which is not the upper value, and how the County checks the valuations to see that they are between 90 and 100 percent of the actual market value, Mr, Thurston will visit the property so records and the assessed valuation can be corrected, No action vms taken by the City Council, John R, Ward. 13611 Gladiola Street NW - Plat 67500, Parcel 1010 Mr, Ward felt that the fact -that his valuation increased 20 percent in one year is staggering and that we are being taxed out of our minds, Taxes are raised to support government~and governments are not supposed to exceed them- selves every year to elevate the taxes! He is tired of being penalized for being a slightly more responsible person, His home is worth so much today if he sells it, Nobody has said he should be taxed on his acquisit~ costs, His home has more than considerably doubJe~in value in 12 years, The basis of replacing is talking of materials and costs, and somewhere it's going to have to stop because you are not getting the quality for the dollars you are paying, Vfuen does this inflation spiral stop? Hinnesota is one of the highest taxed States in the Union, The quality of life is super, but can you afford it? Is Anoka County trying to be the top of the top with Andover forced into leading the banner? The problem is the whole system is predicated on the selling potential of our real estate, He asked the Council if they have a chance, to do somethin~ about this and cut it back as much as possible, I No action was taken by the City Council, I Michael Kaess, 4036 Genie Drive rny - Plat 66045. Parcel 700 I Mr, Kaess asked for the dimensions on his house, He had his house re-evaluated, and the County did an Abatement, Since his house was reduced by 1/3 the living space, why 'didn't the market value decreasel/3? The City Assessor's records , did not show the correct dimensions on the house nor had documented the County Abatement, I Mr, Thurston will get the correct dimensions so the assessed valuation can be corrected, No action was taken by the City Council, Board of Review May 18, 1977 - llinutes Page 4 Carl R, Faline, 13934 Partrid~e - Plat 68111. Parcel 1300 Mr, Faline wanted to know the results of !1r, Thurston's visit to his house, Mr, Thurston didn't feel there was anything wrong and the evaluation was correct. No action was taken by the City Council, Tom E, Wolters, 14208 Ivywood - Plat 6592R, Parcel 6210 Mr, Wolters was flabbergasted at the increase in his market value, He wanted to make sure his house was being assessed in the proper": way, He felt he couldn't afford to live in the house if it continued this way, People shouldn't have to bear the burden of the total cost of the sanitary sewer improvement when it was put in for health purposes, Homes in the improvement area are being assessed in excess of the market value, higher than what they can be sold for, The people living here just can't go on with this tax situation the way it is going, Mr, Wolters felt no one would buy his house at the es- timated market value, The City Assessor explained the portion attributable to his land and the rest of the increase was on his house, According to the County, assessed market valuations in Andover do meet the requirement of being between 90 and 100 percent Of actual market value, The City Assessor also explained the percentage of the assessed cost of the improvement added on to the market value, No action was taken by the City Council, Rosella Sonstebv. 4100 Seventh Avenue - Plat 66091, Parcels 650. 1120. 1130, 1140, 870, 830, 1750, 1740, 1730, 1720; and Plat 65929, Parcel 5400 , She was told Ms, Sonsteby asked why her taxes doubled on unbuildable lots, those lots were unbuildable because the water table is so low and that she could not b~ild on them until sanitary sewer and water is available in that area, Also, with the moratorium on new plats for one year in the City, she felt the taxes shouldn't increase, She felt that plats should be approved now since it takes so long for the procedure to be finalized, Also, she has three parcels that she paid taxes for the watershed district for 34 years, and now she is told they are not in the watershed district, And the City of Anoka bought all the land from the State that is across from her, and they don't pay taxes on it, She complained of the snowmobiles, hunters, etc" on the land, She felt it wasn't right that the City didn't have to pay taxes on it but could rent it out, The City Assessor explained that most of the lots in Plat 66091 were actually lowered in ValUa~qr next year and that they are buildable lots of I {1: t't!ii t 'II record, Anybody can qn '~ building permit on these lots, Ms, Sonsteby . . . was told she could get a hydrologist out there to determine the water table, If bUildinglpermits are applied for and then these lots are determined to be unbuildable, it would be justifiable to apply for a tax rebate for this year and all prior years, The 38 acres on Parcel 5400 has increased in value considerably because it did not qualify for green acres for 1977, The City cannot do anything about the watershed district property; she should take this matter I up with the County, And the City of Andover can do nothing about taxes in the City of Anoka, I No action was taken by the City Council, Board of Review May 18, 1977 - Minutes Page 5 Clinton Erickson, 1846 Andover Boulevard - Plat 65927, Parcel 8050 Mr, Erickson questioned why this unbuildable low land with no access to it increased in value from $255 in 1976 to $2,940 in 1977, Last year the County reviewed the situation and lowered the valuation, Mr, Thurston's record did not show the County's decision, He recommended the land value be lowered to $253 if there is indeed an error in his records, He will look into the situation further, No action was taken by the City Council, MOTION by VanderLaan, Seconded by McClure, that the City Council continue the Board of Review to May 26, Thursday, at 7 p,m" at the Andover City Hall, Motion carried unanimously, Respectfully submitted, ,~~ ~ C~·---· Harce la A, Peach Recording Secretary ~ 11