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Resident says land‑use change tax was wrongly applied; BTLA ruled in favor of appellant
Summary
A Warner resident described a Bureau of Tax and Land Appeals finding that a 2024 land‑use change tax was inappropriate because the town lacked a prior current‑use map; the resident asked the town to remove liens, correct credit reporting and change procedures to notify landowners before applying such taxes.
A resident told the Select Board the town applied a land‑use change tax after he cleared a parcel and later installed solar. He said he appealed and the Bureau of Tax and Land Appeals (BTLA) found a land‑use change tax inappropriate for his property because the town lacked an earlier current‑use map to establish a before/after comparison.
The resident said a lien and interest (18% APR noted on the bill) were placed while he pursued appeals and asked the town to rescind the lien, correct credit reporting, and revert his tax bill to the pre‑assessment amount until maps and appeals are finalized. He also urged the board to adopt a procedural change: notify landowners and invite them to explain work on their property before the town finalizes a land‑use change determination.
Chair Seidel and staff described the town’s reliance on professional assessing services (Avatar) and noted that, if a property owner wants to pursue current‑use relief, the owner must provide survey documentation that delineates disturbed versus undisturbed acreage. Board members said they would review the resident’s documentation and follow up; staff agreed to forward the BTLA finding and related maps to the board for review.
