Cumberland County board denies island property tax abatement requests after debate over appraisal methods

The Cumberland County Board of Assessment Review voted to deny tax-abatement appeals from island homeowners who said Harrison and its appraisal vendor undervalued the distinctive characteristics of Long Lake island lots.

The board, chaired by Ed Geddy, rejected appeals from Paul and Tony Good of 22 Sekil/Zaquila Island Road (map/lot 21010607) and from Michael McDonough (tax-abatement request no. 27, map/lot 21-0106-09), after listening to more than an hour of testimony and argument on waterfront depreciation, access limitations and which comparable sales should be used.

The appellants argued the island's shoreline and seasonal access make those lots materially different from mainland lakefront property and from several island parcels the assessor treated differently. Paul Good told the board, "We believe the entire island is a cove," and said the 25% land-value reduction Harrison applied to island parcels "is inadequate" and should be larger. Good also pointed to a nearby parcel that, he said, received a much larger reduction (described in hearing records as a depreciation…