1. Reconvene the St. Louis Park Local Board of Appeal and Equalization

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1 OFFICIAL MINUTES LOCAL BOARD OF APPEAL & EQUALIZATION ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA APRIL 23, Reconvene the St. Louis Park Local Board of Appeal and Equalization The St. Louis Park Local Board of Appeal and Equalization was reconvened at 6:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Declaration of Quorum Board Members present: Tim Brausen, Rachel Harris, Anne Mavity, Thom Miller, Margaret Rog, and Jake Spano. Board Members absent: Steve Hallfin Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), City Assessor (Mr. Bultema), Mr. Bye (Associate City Appraiser), Residential Appraiser (Ms. Clark), Commercial Appraiser (Ms. Nathanson), and Recording Secretary (Ms. Pappas). Guest: Property Owners - Marjorie Kennedy, Elaine Mense, Seymour Pederson, and Tom Sanders 3. Acknowledgement of Trained Member (Brausen) The Board acknowledged Tim Brausen as its trained member. 4. Acknowledgement of Assessing Staff Members in Attendance The Board acknowledged Cory Bultema (City Assessor), Matt Bye (Associate City Appraiser), Lisa Clark (Residential Appraiser), Bridget Nathanson (Commercial Appraiser), and James Atchison (Hennepin County Assessor). 5. Review of Properties in Appeal Property owner Ms. Kennedy, 9109 Westmoreland Lane, St. Louis Park, appealed her 2018 value of $554,700. City Staff revalued the property to $541,000; however, Ms. Kennedy stated she felt both the original assessment and the revalued assessment were too high. She noted several property comparisons in her neighborhood and pointed to these examples as reasons for lowering her property assessment. Ms. Clark stated she reviewed Ms. Kennedy s property, and recommended the reduction to $541,000. She also pointed to several comparables she had reviewed in the neighborhood, which led her to the reduction.

2 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization -2- April 23, 2018 Board Member Miller asked if the home owners purchase price influences the tax assessed value. Mr. Bultema stated the price goes into the pool of comparables, and the city updates the valuation to reflect equitability with the rest of the community. Board Chair Brausen asked if the owners sport court is treated as part of the finished basement and if it is included in the comparables. Mr. Clark stated no, it is only considered a feature of the home. Chair Brausen asked also if the assessed value depends on the structure of the owner s yard, or the yard s amenities. Mr. Bultema stated the city looks at the big picture of the yard, stating it is mostly dependent on attributes within the neighborhood. Board Member Mavity stated she understood Ms. Kennedy s perspective and frustration; however, as she reviewed the property and the inflation rate over the last two years, she is inclined to agree with staff s revaluation, and will support staff on this. Board Member Rog asked Mr. Bultema if this assessment is higher as the home is in the Westwood Hills area. Mr. Bultema stated yes. Board Member Rog noted staff s revaluation is a relatively low increase, and she also would support it. Ms. Mense, 6712 Cedar Lake Road, submitted a letter to staff related to her property assessment. She stated she has lived in her home for 60 years, on a busy street, and has not made improvements to her home for many years. She is not in agreement with the city revaluation assessment of $254,000, down from $265,500. She added this is not a quiet neighborhood any longer, as she lives across the street from an apartment complex. Mr. Bultema noted some of the transactions on Cedar Lake Road do warrant a slight reduction, and staff uses Louisiana Avenue or Minnetonka Boulevard as comparables. Board Member Rog asked if the Sienna Apartments, across the street from Ms. Mense s property affect the property value. Mr. Bultema stated staff has yet to see any impact from the apartments, adding if there are issues, the market will speak to it. Mr. Pederson, 2513 Princeton Ct., stated he is appealing the 2018 value of $341,500. Staff revalued the property at the same amount of $341,500, after comparing like units and similar townhomes in the area. Mr. Pederson stated he has not made any home improvements since he bought the unit over 30 years ago and, therefore, does not believe his unit should be valued similarly to other updated and more modern units in the complex. Board Member Spano stated the appraisal noted by Mr. Pederson was completed in 2008, which is 10 years old, and questioned Mr. Pederson on his argument that the property has not increased in value at all in the past 10 years. Mr. Sanders, representing apartment complex 36 Park LLC located at 3601 Park Center Blvd., is appealing the assessment revaluation completed by staff at $46,080,000. Mr. Sanders pointed out

3 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization -3- April 23, 2018 the apartment complex is struggling with occupancy and the income does not support the valuation assessed by staff. Ms. Nathanson stated staff reviewed sales within St. Louis Park and surrounding communities and decided to decrease the value from $48,192,000 to $46,080,000. She added, however, the rental market is robust currently and the 14% increase in valuation over 2017 brought the property in line with the city s Class A buildings. Board Member Mavity stated this is a lovely building with many amenities, and asked Mr. Sanders why there have been challenges with occupancy at the property. She noted this is not a city issue and asked if it could be related to management. Mr. Sanders stated the units in this building are very small for a second-tier city and also the building is lacking first floor retail/commercial, all of which could be factors in the low occupancy rate. He added management has given concessions in order to get renters; however, net operating income has still declined. Board Member Mavity reiterated it is not the city s job to look at the pro forma, adding she does not see a compelling case here to lower the assessment any further. 5a. Board Action Where Petitioner & Assessing Staff are Not in Agreement It was moved by Board Member Mavity and seconded by Board Member Spano to approve the assessments noted below: Marjorie Kennedy 9109 Westmoreland La Elaine Mense 6712 Cedar Lake Rd Park LLC 3601 Park Center Blvd It was moved by Board Member Mavity and seconded by Board Member Miller to lower the assessment noted below from $341,500 to $330,000: Seymour Pederson 2513 Princeton Ct The motion passed 5-1 (Board Member Spano opposed). 5b. Board Action Where Petitioner & Assessing Staff are in Mutual Agreement The properties in agreement were read into the record. It was moved by Board Member Mavity and seconded by Board Member Harris to approve the assessments listed below:

4 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization -4- April 23, 2018 Angela Jirak 1344 Jordan Ave S Christopher Muske 1605 Utah Ave S Michael Holmes 1354 Hampshire Ave S Frank Abramson 9101 Westmoreland La Gregg Savitt 8921 Westmoreland La Gregory Meredith 8506 Westmoreland La Theresa Lamers th St W Charles Singer th St W David Windhorst 1660 Utah Dr Sarah Foulkes 8243 Westwood Hills Cur Diane Tsurutani 8254 Westwood Hills Cur Thomas O'Meara 2851 Cavell Ave S Shaina Ashare th St W David Carlson rd St W Pushpa Leadholm 2235 Quebec Ave S Cory Nutz 2516 Sumter Ave S Leona Sottosanti 2736 Webster Ave S Roy Falness 2718 Yosemite Ave S Allison DeCamillis 2918 Vernon Ave S Milton Liu 2905 Alabama Ave S T Allen & J Breitsprecher 3501 Pennsylvania Ave S Jennifer Hamm 3037 Cavell Ave S Michael Holmes 9300 Minnetonka Blvd Ocbe Sahle 2917 Independence Ave S Margaret Anderson 3161 Hillsboro Ave S Sue Budd 3204 Hillsboro Ave S Dana Nemer 8918 Minnehaha Cir N Daniel Cragg 4154 Xenwood Ave S Craig & Alexis Bloomstrand 5616 Vermont St Priscilla Lord 3625 Glenhurst Ave Seth Haight 3615 Inglewood Ave S Michael Bader 3736 France Ave S Kevin Heinzen 3940 Kipling Ave S Gretchen Stedman 4220 Utica Ave S Charles Adair 4354 Coolidge Ave Joseph Mahoney 4366 Browndale Ave Susan Forstrom 4363 Dart Ave Margaret Solomon 2125 Glenhurst Rd Randall Lofgren 2541 Lynn Ave S Susan Schneck th St W Toni Dachis th St W Tom Schmitz 2571 Vernon Ave S Carol Becker 2780 Utica Ave S Larry & Gail Gresser-Pitsch 2633 Huntington Ave S

5 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization -5- April 23, 2018 Gary Weinstein 2732 Monterey Ave S Jerry Steiner th St W It was moved by Board Member Rog and seconded by Board Member Spano to approve the assessments listed below: Carol Curoe Rev Trust 2938 Monterey Ave S Corporate Properties One 3000 Raleigh Ave S # Tim Walters 3707 Grand Way # Michael Stotesbery 3707 Grand Way # Jim Vos 4820 Park Commons Dr # Randi Rood 4730 Park Commons Dr # Susan Oltrogge 4730 Park Commons Dr # Diane Cowdery 4730 Park Commons Dr # Robert Falk 4730 Park Commons Dr # Mary Porter 4730 Park Commons Dr # J & M Rice 4730 Park Commons Dr # Gene & Joyce Luckfield 4730 Park Commons Dr # Jody Winger 4730 Park Commons Dr # Bryan Song 4730 Park Commons Dr # Ruth & David Bowman 4730 Park Commons Dr # Marshall & Joan Blizzard 4730 Park Commons Dr # Dana Boomhower 4730 Park Commons Dr # Betsy Rochon 3980 Wooddale Ave # Anderson & Wright 3974 Wooddale Ave # Kelly Ryman 2170 Ridge Dr # Connor Kolodge 3251 Louisiana Ave S #

6 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization -6- April 23, c. Board Action Where Petitioner has withdrawn their appeal or denied access or presented no case Per Mr. Bultema the following properties will be forwarded to the Hennepin County Board for review: It was moved by Board Member Harris and seconded by Board Member Spano to approve sustain the value of record listed below: Stephen May 3901 Joppa Ave S Andy Dick 3136 Texas Ave S James Cooke Rhode Island Karen LeMay Coggins 4045 Vernon Ave MMP (by representative) 1400 Zarthan Ave S d. Board Action Requests for late addition to roster Per Mr. Bultema the following properties were added to the roster with no change. It was moved by Board member Mavity and seconded by Board Member Rog to approve the late additions to the roster listed below: G & R Zipoy Liv Tr 3808 Joppa Ave S Stephen Crump 4115 Sunset Blvd Instruct Assessor to Complete Record of Changes for Submittal 7. Instruct Assessor to Inform Petitioners of Board Action via Mail Petitioners will be informed via mail and Complete the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization Certification Form 9. Adjourn if Board business is completed The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Local Board of Appeal and Equalization Chair City Assessor