Kennebunk BAR upholds $4.03M assessment for 2 Great Hill Road, denies abatement

The Kennebunk Board of Assessment Review voted 3-0 on June 1 to deny an abatement request for 2 Great Hill Road and uphold the adjusted assessed value of $4,034,100 (land $3,482,700; building $551,400).

Attorney Craig Lewis, representing the Personal Residence Trust of Bonnie Stokes, presented an appraisal that placed market value at approximately $2,950,000 and argued the assessment constituted "substantial overvaluation under Maine law," asking that any reduction be applied to the land allocation if required. Appraiser Candace Morong testified about her methodology, citing a proximate sales window centered on the April 1, 2025 effective date and applying a time adjustment of -$83,067 to one comparable, 41 Great Hill. She told the Board she "was not aware the assessor's analysis window extended as far back as January 2023."

Assessing staff described use of mass appraisal (CAMA) and land-residual techniques and cited waterfront sales such as 41 Great Hill (noted in the record as selling for roughly $4.5 million and assessed at about $4.307 million) as supporting the town's figure. The Board emphasized that the statutory burden rests with the taxpayer to prove substantial overvaluation and observed that the 10% reference in 36 M.R.S. § 848-A serves as a safe harbor for assessors rather than automatic proof in favor of an appellant. After deliberation, the Board concluded the applicant had not met that burden and voted to deny the appeal (motion by Wayne Berry; second by Richard Smith).