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Board applies a 5% land adjustment over staff's improvement increase, reducing assessment for property with storm-drain constraints
Summary
After testimony that county storm inlets render portions of the backyard unusable, the board voted 4–1 to apply the county's -5% land adjustment (resulting in the assessment recorded at 2,611,300 in the transcript) and deferred further improvement-value inspection changes to next year.
The Arlington County Board of Equalization voted 4–1 to reduce the total 2026 assessment for RPC04003011 by applying a county-standard -5% land adjustment to reflect an above-grade storm-water inlet on the property's backyard.
Appellant Mr. Fusetti said the property contains county storm-water elements that create functionally unusable yard areas, caused roughly four months of construction delay and ~$40,000 in carrying costs, and required a redesign of exterior circulation. He provided photos and said comparable sales lack similar in-yard storm structures. County staff acknowledged the unusual above-grade drain and applied a standard -5% functional obsolescence adjustment to the land value while also noting a sketch correction that increased the improvement (building) value; staff recommended confirming a net revised value of $2,658,700 for 2026.
Board members debated whether to implement only the land adjustment now (without an interior inspection to revisit improvement value) and many said they were sympathetic to the appellant's loss of usable yard but reluctant to change improvement valuation without interior access. A motion to apply the -5% land adjustment (resulting in a total assessment figure the transcript records as 2,611,300) passed 4–1. The board asked staff to pursue an interior inspection for the next assessment cycle so the improvement value can be revisited.
