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Fluvanna County holds equalized tax-rate hearing as reassessments push values up 22.6%
Summary
At an April 9 public hearing, county staff presented an equalized real estate tax rate after a 22.55% rise in assessed values; the board heard public comment and supervisors reiterated support for existing land-use tax programs. No board action was taken at the hearing; a budget public hearing is scheduled for April 16.
Fluvanna County officials held a public hearing April 9 on equalized real estate tax rates after a reassessment that raised total assessed real property value 22.55 percent.
County staff member Miss Milton told the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors the current fiscal year 2025 real estate rate is 0.844 and the county’s advertised proposed FY2026 rate is 0.75. She said the county’s computed equalized rate after reassessment is 0.689 and reviewed public-notice requirements under the Code of Virginia as stated in the presentation.
The hearing drew a public commenter who described how the reassessment affected his household. Don Bellamy of Palmyra said his 46-acre property’s projected tax bill rose dramatically on the assessment notice he received — from about $6,200 to nearly $10,000 — and said the county’s proposed drop from 0.844 to 0.75 was appreciated but still would produce a substantial year-over-year increase for his property type.
"I appreciate the published tax rate going from 0.844 down to 0.75," Bellamy said. He told the board his parcel is a historic property with limited comparable sales, and that he has discussed valuation with county appraisal staff.
Board members used the hearing to clarify process and to respond to earlier public concerns about land-use taxation. The chair of the board said the board is not considering eliminating the county’s land-use program and called it "one of the great tools we have to help keep our rural community and to help keep our taxes down." Other supervisors reaffirmed that land use helps preserve farms and open space and noted that households and developed properties tend to require more community services, which affects tax rates.
County staff and supervisors reiterated that the equalized-rate hearing is a separate process from the budget public hearing; the board noted the budget public hearing and associated tax-rate decisions will occur at the April 16 meeting. No motion or formal change to tax rates was made at the April 9 hearing.
The board advised property owners with valuation questions to contact appraisal staff and recommended homeowners seeking market comparisons obtain comparative market analyses from local realtors.
Clarifying details disclosed in the meeting: the reassessment produced a 22.55% increase in total assessed real property value; the FY2025 real estate rate stated in the presentation was 0.844; the advertised FY2026 rate is 0.75; the computed equalized rate shown was 0.689. The presentation referenced the Code of Virginia in relation to reassessment notice requirements as stated by staff during the meeting; the transcript did not provide a formal statute citation in standard form.
