HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Board of Civil Authority - 08/28/2021 - Afternoon ssessionBOARD OF CIVIL AUTHORITY - 1:00 PM SESSION 28 AUGUST 2021
The South Burlington Board of Civil Authority held a meeting on Saturday, 28 August 2021, at
1:00 p.m., in the Auditorium, City Hall, 180 Market Street.
Members Present: C. Shaw, Chair; C. Trombly, D. Kinville, T. Barritt, A. Gross, B. Gross, K.
Nugent. M. St. Germain
Also Present: M. Lyons, Assessor; P. Roche, C. & B. Monroe, M. Donahue, J. & A Gasparini
1. Emergency Evacuation Plans:
Ms. Kinville reviewed the procedure for evacuation in case of an emergency.
Mr. Shaw reviewed guidance for the wearing of masks which is encouraged but not mandated.
He also explained how the appeal process works.
2. Comments from the public not related to the agenda:
No comments were made.
3. BCA Oath:
Ms. Kinville administered the Oath to members of the Board.
4. Hear appeals and set inspection date:
a. Josef & Corinne Lavanway 155 Highland Terrace
Ms. Kinville advised that this appeal has been withdrawn.
b. Paula Roche 217 Meadowood Drive
Ms. Roche advised that she had an appraisal done in 2019 which was much lower ($517,000).
There have been no improvements since that appraisal. The new appraisal is $764,000. Ms.
Roche felt that $632,000 would be fair, and no more than $650,000. She noted that she had
looked at other assessments and recent sales, and there is a wild discrepancy. Some
assessments are way higher, some way lower. Ms. Roche presented 2 nearby homes to
illustrate this wide discrepancy. 203 Meadowood sold for $845,000 and is now assessed more
than $1,000,000. 208 Meadowood sold for $887,000 and is now assessed at $729,000. Ms.
Roche said 208 is comparable to her home and is assessed for less.
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Ms. Lyons presented three time adjusted sales as comparables, 203 Meadowood ($868,069),
208 Meadowood ($929,035) and 695, which she said was a higher quality ($966,240). She felt
Ms. Roche’s property was correctly assessed even though it has less square footage than the
comparables.
An inspection team was assigned consisting of Mr. Barritt (team leader), Mr. Trombly and Ms.
Nugent. They will inspect the property on 29 August, 10:00 a.m.
The appeal was continued to 2 September, 6 p.m.
c. Craig & Betty Monroe 19 Catkin Drive
Mr. Monroe said they are appraised at $409,800, which comes out to $211 per square foot.
The house next door, #17, is assessed at $386,100, or $122 per square foot. That is a difference
of 42%. #17 also has a 4-seasons room and a remodeled kitchen, neither of which the Monroe
house has.
Mr. Monroe also noted that #5 Floral Street, appraised at $407,200, ($140 per square foot) has
50% more square footage than his home. #21 Catkin Drive, the house next door, whose pre-
appraisal value was very close to his, is now appraised at $380,000, and it has a remodeled
kitchen, a redone front and back porch, and, he believed, a finished basement.
Mr. Monroe felt that $365,000-$380,000 seemed reasonable to him for his house.
Ms. Lyons presented time adjust sales for three comparables. 188 Catkin which has a little
more square footage and an unfinished basement ($451,965), 5 Floral (490,168) and 17 Floral
(454,398). She believed $409,800 is correct for the Monroe house.
Mr. Monroe challenged the 1568 sq. ft. for 5 Floral and said that is not possible. Ms. Lyons said
she would check on that.
Mr. Monroe felt values should be “apples to apples” because prices are so skewed today. He
said he used Zillow, and his numbers match up with theirs.
An inspection team of Mr. Trombly (team leader), Mr. Barritt and Ms. Nugent was appointed.
They will view the property on 29 August, 9:15 a.m.
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d. Jason Eltman 805 Nowland Farm Road
Ms. Kinville advised that Dr. Eltman was scheduled to work today and asked to be rescheduled.
She has rescheduled him to 11 September.
e. Mark & Rosario Donahue 144 Royal Drive
Mr. Barritt recused himself during this hearing as the Donahue’s are his next-door neighbor.
Mr. Donahue said he compared single family homes on Royal Drive. The average increase on
the street was 19%. The average increase in the neighborhood was 15%, his increase was 35%,
from $467,600 to $632,600. His home is assessed at $137,000 more than the house next door
or the one across the street. He also noted that three homes have sold for less than his home is
appraised for. The only upgrade he has done is a fence in the backyard.
Mr. Donahue said that 8 homes with more square footage are valued at less. One of these has
an extra bedroom and more square footage and had a higher pre-appraisal value.
Mr. Donahue felt the properties in his neighborhood were not assessed on a uniform basis or
with a logical formula. There is no standard (e.g., square footage, pre-appraisal value, current
appraisal or percent of increase) that is consistent.
Mr. Donahue said he would like to be assessed at what he bought the home for, $539,000,
which is still higher than the neighbors’ assessments. That would be 5% above the
preassessment value which would be in line with the other homes.
Ms. Lyons presented 3 time-adjusted comparables, 180 Royal (664,398), 21 Johnson Way
($675,374) and 165 Windswept Lane ($667,788).
Ms. Lyons asked for a time out so that she could time-adjust the Donahue purchase price.
Following that, Ms. Lyons said the time adjusted purchase price is $599,368 which would make
the current assessment fair in her opinion.
An inspection team of Mr. Shaw (team leader), Mr. Gross and Mrs. Gross was appointed. They
will view the property on 2 September, 10 a.m.
The appeal was continued to 2 September, 6 p.m.
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f. Katarina Khosravi 192 South Pointe Drive
Ms. Kinville advised that due to a family issue, Ms. Khosravi had asked to continue. A date of 4
November was tentatively scheduled for this appeal which, Ms. Kinville noted, may be a virtual
appearance.
g. Joseph & Amanda Gasparini 221 Braeburn Street
Mr. Gasparini said he had looked at sold units and also had Sotheby’s do an analysis of what the
property would sell for today. The realtor said it would sell for $488,000 to $495,000. Mr.
Gasparini noted that is what nearby properties are appraised at.
Mr. Gasparini said in their group of homes the average increase was 20%. Theirs was 40%. He
noted that theirs was one of the first homes built in the area. It had no standard upgrades, no
double deck. It is the most “stripped down” option. He did not feel if should have the same
value as other single family homes in the area.
Ms. Lyons presented 3 time-adjusted comparables at 44 Braeburn ($572,322), 174 Braeburn
($565,372), and 36 Braeburn ($538,175). She believed $536,700 is a fair assessment.
Mr. Gasparini said those comparables are all different from theirs, with different floor plans,
and are the “higher end homes” in the area.
Mr. Barritt noted that 36 Braeburn has an appraised value of $486,000 despite the time adjust
sales value of $528,175.
An inspection team of Mr. Shaw (team leader), Mr. Gross and Ms. Gross was assigned. They
will inspect the property at 3:30 p.m. on 29 August.
The appeal was continued to 2 September, 6 p.m.
h. Joseph & Susan Finnigan 85 Upswept Lane
The Finnigans were not present.
Ms. Lyons noted the property is off Spear Street. It is assessed at $734,900 which she felt was
not a fair assessment. She suggested $620,550 as a fair assessment.
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It was agreed to continue the appeal to 4 November.
i. Henry & Jane Shustin 145 South Pointe Drive
Ms. Kinville advised that the Shustins had withdrawn their appeal.
Mr. Barritt moved to reschedule the appeal of Dr. Jason Eltman, 805 Nowland Farm Road, until
11 September. Mr. St. Germain seconded. Motion passed with all present voting in favor.
Mr. Barritt moved to reschedule the appeal of Joseph & Susan Finnigan until 4 November, 6
p.m. Mr. Gross seconded. Motion passed with all present voting in favor.
5. Other Business:
No other business was presented.
As there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned by
common consent at 3:10 p.m.
_____________________________
Clerk