Although the Cook County Assessors Office attempted to hold off the increase, many Cook County residents will see a jump of 10 percent in the value of their property.
The increase, explained Assistant County Assessor Alison Plummer, will impact property owners from the Cascade Beach Road area to the Canadian border, including Birch and Pike lakes and more. Plummer told the county board at the Tuesday, June 23 board meeting that it would affect “residential and non-commercial seasonal residential recreational structures” in the unorganized Range 2W.
Plummer explained that the assessor’s office had appealed to the State Board of Equalization, arguing that market analysis should not reflect the same values for all of range 2W. Plus the change was based on only six property sales.
Assessor Betty Schultz was not able to be at the board meeting, but sent a report noting, “There were a total of six good sales considered by the DOR [Department of Revenue]. The improved sales considered by the DOR consisted of one sale on Birch Lake, one sale on Deeryard Lake, two sales on Lake Superior’s Cascade Beach, one on Cascade Bluff, and one sale on Pike Lake.”
The assessor’s office received word from the Department of Revenue on June 15, 2015 that the appeal had been denied. Lloyd McCormick, property tax compliance supervisor, said the county would receive a copy of the orders to assess the 10 percent increase at the end of June. The change will not be implemented before the order from the Department of Revenue is received.
Plummer said it means a $5.3 million increase in taxable value in the unorganized 2W district. “So it’s pretty significant,” said Plummer.
According to the assessor’s office, 422 properties will be affected. Auditor Braidy Powers said how it would affect those property owners is not yet known as there are other factors to consider.
Commissioner Garry Gamble said he appreciated that the assessor’s office had filed an objection to the increase. He asked if there was any further recourse. Plummer said unfortunately not. She said the assessor’s office had spent hours on the phone and had submitted a lot of information and maps. “Basically this was our recourse,” she said.
Commissioner Jan Sivertson also expressed appreciation to the assessor’s office for filing the appeal. “It seems inevitable,” she said.
Commissioner Frank Moe agreed. “I’m grateful for your office advocating for our tax payers.”
Tip of Trail property rezoned
The county heard the recommendation from the planning commission to change the zoning of the former Tip of the Trail property at the end of the Gunflint Trail, now owned by Cook County, from lakeshore residential (LSR) to resort commercial residential (RC/R).
Zoning Administrator Bill Lane said the planning commission believed that having the broader definition would make it easier for the county to sell the property. “It’s the widest net,” said Lane, for what he dubbed a “conflicted property.”
The former resort property was managed by the U.S. Forest Service as a leased lot until the county took possession in a land exchange in 1996. A 2006 contract for deed purchase ended with the county taking the land back because of a lengthy title dispute. The property was again sold under contract for deed in 2013, but was invalidated when the purchaser defaulted. The property has been zoned as both RC/R and LSR in the past. It is currently zoned as LSR.
Now back in the county’s ownership, it is hoped that the property can be sold and placed on the tax rolls in some manner.
Lane said the planning commission recommended the change back to RC/R by a 4-1 vote, with Planning Commission Member David Seaton voting no. Seaton said he didn’t believe there was a need for another tourism based business at the end of the Gunflint Trail.
The 4½-acre property, valued at $476,8000 by the Cook County Assessor’s Office will be sold by auction for the third time. A date for the auction will be set at the next meeting.
Hovland Town Hall to see improvements
Commissioner Moe presented his colleagues with a list of renovations his district would like to see at the Hovland Town Hall, along with estimates for the work totaling $55,077.80. That figure, noted Moe, included some items that had already been approved, such as the purchase and installation of playground equipment and the painting of the building.
Moe said in particular there are concerns about the town hall foundation, which is deteriorating because of water damage. He said the building needs rain gutters and landscaping to drain the water away from the foundation.
Other items requested included painting, scraping and general maintenance of building, a picnic pavilion, picnic tables, benches and garbage cans.
Commissioner Ginny Storlie said the town hall and the Trinity Lutheran Church make a nice little community center. She said preserving the town hall building is important.
Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk noted that the county owns a lot of buildings and expressed concern that this would be adding to the county’s budget for building maintenance.
Moe agreed that there is a backlog of capital improvements. He said, “It’s hard not to be parochial, but there are other places in the county that have meeting places. There is nothing like that in the east end.”
Doo-Kirk spoke passionately about needs at the Cook County Airport, noting that the airport board worked hard to find funding for its needs.
Commissioner Jan Sivertson said she felt the Hovland community did get “left out” of the 1 percent recreation and infrastructure discussion. “I do think this is a fairness issue,” she said.
Noting that some money had already been earmarked for improvements at the Hovland Town Hall, the board voted to approve spending an additional $42,000 from its building fund. Commissioner Doo-Kirk cast a nay vote.
In other business
. Commissioners approved a request to approve spending $4,858 to install an air conditioning unit in the law enforcement equipment building to protect sensitive ARMER communication equipment. According to IT Director Rena Rogers, the funds for the installation come from an equipment bond.
. Planning Director Tim Nelson asked the board for authorization to pursue a variance from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency which would allow Cook County to not mandate that there are two Type-1 septic treatment areas for any new lots created. The board passed a motion directing him to do so.
. The board considered a change to the planned unit development (PUD) called Temperance Landing in Schroeder. Zoning Administrator Bill Lane said the request from developer Dennis Rysdahl essentially reduces the PUD from 12 units to 10. The board unanimously approved the request.
. The board authorized the hiring of Baiers Heeren of Swanson & Heeren law firm to complete the necessary title search for the proposed county/U.S. Forest Service land exchange. The anticipated cost for the work is $1,600. A public hearing to accept comments on that land exchange was set for 10 a.m. on July 28 in the commissioners’ room at the courthouse.
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