Property matters come before county court
The Pittsford, N.Y., owners of the Reserve at Southpointe, 295 Klinger Road, Cecil Township, asked Washington County Court to reduce its property assessment.
The Washington Board of Assessment Appeals, comprised of John C. Rheel, chairman, William J. West and L. Anthony Spossey, July 27 reaffirmed a value of $167,475 on the land and $4,731,800 on the building for a total of $4,899,275.
The owners disagree with these figures, claiming they lack uniformity, are based on an improper methodology or formula, and that the base-year assessment is incorrect.
According to information on the website, a one-bedroom, one-bath unit at the development measures 785 square feet and rents for $1,199 per month. A three-bedroom unit with two baths measures 1,309 square feet and rents for $1,899 per month. “In every beautiful apartment home, we offer brand-new stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and an in-home washer and dryer,” ceiling fans and fireplace, it states. Among the amenities of which the complex boasts are a swimming pool, sun deck, free weights, theater room and a clubhouse, which includes a business and conference center. The Reserve website boasts it is close to walking trails, the Southpointe Golf Course restaurants and shopping. Unreserved garage parking costs $120 per month.
At the opposite end of the county, William and Leanna Saghy filed a petition to appoint a board of view to compensate them for damage done to their land at 532 Pittsburgh Road, West Brownsville.
The Saghys claim the borough, in its effort to manage storm water runoff from its roads, through various municipal projects and approval of development, altered the course of water and increased runoff to their property.
The couple states in court documents that until last month, West Brownsville denied it owned a pipe under Pittsburgh Road that drains into their yard, and there is no easement for this pipe recorded.
Water runoff has “exponentially increased,” their complaint states, creating erosion. “What was a small amount of water drainage and a bit of swampy land is now a constant water course, and in periods of heavy rain, (it) becomes a pond,” the filing continued. The Saghys want the borough to accept ownership, liability and maintenance responsibility of the drainage pipe, and they asked the court to appoint a board of view to determine damages and fair compensation in accordance with the eminent domain code.
In another matter, Senior Judge William Nalitz set a hearing date of Sept. 8 for a petition from the Washington County Tax Claim Bureau to confirm distribution of excess sale proceeds from the March 3 repository sale, a last-ditch attempt to return tax-delinquent properties to the tax rolls.