Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Farmland Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mendham tax assessor reports limited farmland noncompliance; 13 properties flagged for follow-up
Summary
Tax Assessor Scott Holzhauer told the Township Committee that most farmland-assessed acreage in Mendham is woodland managed under State forestry plans; a third-party review of traditional farmland inspected 67 properties and identified 13 for further review, with no immediate denials pending.
Scott Holzhauer, Mendham Township's tax assessor, told the Township Committee on April 13 that the bulk of the township's farmland-assessed acreage consists of woodland managed under State-approved forestry plans and monitored by licensed foresters and the Division of Taxation. Holzhauer said a third-party review of traditionally farmed acreage examined 67 properties and identified 13 for additional review due to potential changes in use, documentation gaps or acreage discrepancies; no denials were issued at the meeting and affected property owners will receive notice during the next farmland application cycle and an opportunity to respond.
Holzhauer said municipal discretion under State farmland-assessment law is limited and that the program prioritizes land use over ownership or reported income. He noted that rollback taxes apply if land use changes, and that oversight increases when properties are sold or cease active farming. As background, Holzhauer recommended periodic third-party audits and said other municipalities sometimes retain a consulting forester to review woodland-management plans.
On the township's broader property valuation work, Holzhauer summarized the five-year reassessment program (2022'2026). He reported the township's ratable base rose from about $1.86 billion in 2021 to about $2.7 billion in 2026 (roughly $839 million), and said 2025 usable sales produced an average assessment-to-sale ratio near 93% with an average deviation of about 7.45%, under the State uniformity standard of 15%. Holzhauer recommended continuing reassessment maintenance for another five-year cycle at an estimated cost of $40,000 per year to preserve uniformity and limit appeal losses.
Residents raised concerns during two public-comment periods. Jack Curtis, of 4 Michael Road, said roughly 1,600 acres in the township are farmland-assessed and argued the program can operate as a tax transfer that shifts burden to other property owners; he suggested tying farmland benefits to the percentage of household income derived from farming or adopting income eligibility thresholds. George Koenig said farmland preservation originally protected production agriculture and cautioned that agritourism operations can create traffic, noise and infrastructure pressures that may merit additional scrutiny or fees.
The Committee did not deny any farmland assessments at the meeting. Holzhauer said the assessed properties flagged for further review will receive written notice and an opportunity to provide documentation before any final municipal determination. The Committee did not set a separate hearing date for this issue; related follow-up will occur through the standard farmland application cycle and reassessment maintenance discussions during the 2026 budget process.
