Politics & Government

County to Reconsider Lavista Land Purchase Tomorrow

The board of commissioners will vote on whether to buy the 6-acre tract for $1.9 million to build a park.

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners will reconsider tomorrow the $1.9 million purchase of about 6 acres on Lavista Road to build a new park.

County officials sought last week to explain the gap between the tract's assessed value–$393,000–and the much higher proposed sales price that led to pointed questions from media and local residents.

North Druid Hills-Briarcliff Patch spoke last week with Calvin Hicks, the county's chief appraiser, who offered several reasons for the price discrepancy:

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  • While the land is being sold as one tract, it's actually four contiguous parcels, all of which are individually appraised for tax purposes. Because three of those parcels are landlocked and have no access to roads, their singular value is greatly diminished. But, when sold as one with access to Lavista Road, the market value of that tract increases greatly, Hicks said. 
  • The lot's "highest and best use" is not considered when assessing it for ad valorum tax purposes.When that land hits the market, however, private appraisers can speculate about different uses–and values–for the land. "We are required to view them as they are," Hicks said.
  • The state prohibits assessment increases on land that has not been changed or developed until 2012, he said. The four wooded parcels have not changed, so their asssessed value has not changed since 2008. It's market value, however, changes fluidly. 

Some commissioners remain on the fence about the purchase, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I understand that district doesn’t have a lot of green space and there is a higher cost to land there,” Commissioner Stan Watson told the AJC. “But I’m still concerned with the price versus the assessment.”

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Commissioner Jeff Rader, who has supported the land purchase, has said the county has three private appraisals of the land. Two from 2010 for $1.7 million and $2.3 million and other in May for $1.7 million.

“Those appraisals still support the price,” Rader told the newspaper. “We are all paying taxes to support green space. Every body in the county deserves access.”

North Druid Hills-Briarcliff Patch will cover the meeting tomorrow and will have an update afterward.


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