Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Assessments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Orange County Board of Equalization and Review upholds most assessments, grants notable reductions on Jan. 13
Summary
At its Jan. 13 meeting the Orange County Board of Equalization and Review accepted most county-recommended assessments, approved several reductions (including Jones Ferry Partners and 728 Sinai Circle), denied an untimely appeal and continued two commercial condo appeals for further review.
The Orange County Board of Equalization and Review met Jan. 13, 2026, to hear a full docket of property assessment appeals and took a mix of actions: the board accepted many county-recommended values, approved reductions in several high-profile appeals and continued two commercial appeals for further review.
The board affirmed the county’s value for 303 Papyrus Place and 2914 Wagon Court after county staff presented sales and neighborhood analyses supporting the current assessments. For several single-family appeals, county appraisers recommended discrete corrections that the board adopted: for 2218 Pathway Drive, county representative Kelly Wells recommended increasing physical depreciation and correcting heated square footage, and the board set the assessment at $426,100 (down from $432,000). For 207 N. Roberson St., the board accepted a county recommendation to apply a 10% design depreciation, lowering the assessment to $440,200.
The board denied a request from Rosa M. Bilbao to hear an untimely appeal of a 2025 assessment for 605 W. Main St., Unit 301. County representative Roger Gunn told the board that county records show an online filing on Sept. 28, 2025, and staff cited the July 31 filing deadline and statutory notice provisions in GS 105‑322 in recommending the denial; the board voted to deny the untimely hearing.
Two of the meeting’s more significant outcomes affected large parcels and multifamily properties. The board accepted an appellant-proposed value of $1,150,000 for a Jones Ferry Road parcel after the appellant presented a recent appraisal; county staff had recommended a materially higher value based on land comparables and the Town of Carrboro’s comprehensive plan but the board approved the appellant’s figure. For several large multifamily complexes — including Carraway Village (no change), Collins Crossing (no change), The Hartley at Blue Hill (parcel values adjusted to $74,592,000 and $26,159,200), and Solano at Chapel Hill (value set at $52,378,100 after county adjustments) — the board generally accepted county analyses applying income approaches, economic modifiers or parcel-specific adjustments.
Two commercial appeals involving retail condos in the Carolina Square project were continued for further review. County staff presented alternate square-footage counts, a recommended capitalization rate, and market rent and vacancy assumptions; the board voted to continue both related appeals to a future date.
Votes at a glance: - 728 Sinai Circle (Lew Moseley): board set assessment at $632,000 (motion by Leon Meyers; second Richal Vanhook). - 303 Papyrus Place (Nada Kamel): no change, $796,200 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - 2914 Wagon Court (Ellen R. Currin): no change, $294,600 (motion by Saru Salvi; second Leon Meyers). - 605 W. Main St., Unit 301 (Rosa M. Bilbao): denied hearing of untimely appeal (motion by Saru Salvi; second Richal Vanhook). - 2218 Pathway Drive (Elizabeth Harden): accepted county revised value $426,100 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - 212 N. Roberson St. Unit A (Mercia Residential Properties): no change, $445,300 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - 207 N. Roberson St. (Mark Patmore): accepted county revised value $440,200 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - 120 Horton Rd (Anna Marie Pellett): no change, $149,100 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - Jones Ferry Partners LLC (403 Jones Ferry Rd; Reed J. Hollander): board accepted appellant-proposed value $1,150,000 (motion by Leon Meyers; second Saru Salvi). - Carraway Village–Phase 2 (NR Edge Apartments II): no change, $42,098,500 (motion by Saru Salvi; second Richal Vanhook). - Collins Crossing (280 units): no change, $48,615,000 total (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - Notting Hill Apartments: value changed to $33,500,000 (motion by Leon Meyers; second Richal Vanhook). - Patriots Pointe (Danville Park RE LLC): no change, $42,401,300 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - Solano at Chapel Hill (KV Chapel Hill): value changed to $52,378,100 (motion by Saru Salvi; second Richal Vanhook). - Sunstone Apartments (Chapel Hill 260 LLC): no change, $34,326,100 (motion by Richal Vanhook; second Saru Salvi). - The Hartley at Blue Hill (83 CHARTLEYNC): accepted county-proposed $74,592,000 for one parcel and $26,159,200 for the adjacent parcel (motions recorded; seconders recorded). - Calyx Apartments Chapel Hill LLC: no change, $72,991,000 (motion by Saru Salvi; second Richal Vanhook). - Link Apartments Glen Lennox LLC: no change, $45,325,400 (motion by Saru Salvi; second Richal Vanhook). - Chapel Hill Foundation retail condo appeals (Carolina Square): continued to a future date (motions by Leon Meyers; second Saru Salvi).
What it means: The board applied a mix of appraisal corrections, neighborhood review findings and income-approach analyses in deciding appeals. Several reductions reflect discrete appraisal adjustments (depreciation, square footage corrections, design depreciation), while many large multifamily appeals were resolved by applying economic modifiers, capitalization rates and parcel-specific analyses. Two commercial condo appeals were continued for additional review.
The board adjourned the afternoon session at 4:15 p.m. The minutes record Chair Leon Meyers, Chair Pro Tem Saru Salvi and Recording Secretary Jennifer Rigsbee as signatories.
