3333 Moores River Drive Ass'n v. City of Lansing

372 N.W.2d 523, 143 Mich. App. 253, 1985 Mich. App. LEXIS 2672
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 27, 1985
DocketDocket No. 72869
StatusPublished

This text of 372 N.W.2d 523 (3333 Moores River Drive Ass'n v. City of Lansing) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
3333 Moores River Drive Ass'n v. City of Lansing, 372 N.W.2d 523, 143 Mich. App. 253, 1985 Mich. App. LEXIS 2672 (Mich. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

Per Curiam.

Petitioner appeals from several orders of the Michigan Tax Tribunal which upheld ad valorem property tax assessments for tax years 1981 and 1982 made by respondent, City of Lansing, on condominium units owned by petitioner. The property involved consists of eight buildings containing a total of 12 one-bedroom, 56 two-bedroom, and 16 three-bedroom units. In January, 1980, petitioner purchased 82 of the 84 units of what was then an apartment complex for $3,519,-000 with the intention of converting them into condominiums. Petitioner’s expectation that at least 50% of the existing tenants would buy a condominium was not realized. There were 18 or 19 units sold in 1980 and 15 units sold in 1981. An unspecified number of unsold units were rented during the tax years in question. In 1982, three units were sold, three units were taken back by petitioner due to land contract forfeitures, one building wqs completely rented, and one building was essentially vacant. At the time of the hearing, the advertised sale prices were $41,900 — $42,900 for one-bedroom units, $59,400 — $64,250 for two-bedroom units, and $82,900 for three bedroom units._

[256]*256For tax year 1981, the city assessed petitioner’s 58 unsold units at $1,741,400, reflecting a true cash value (TCV) of $3,482,800. For tax year 1982, the city assessed the remaining 48 unsold units at $1,442,300, reflecting a TCV of $2,884,600.

Petitioner disputes these assessments, contending that there was no market for the individual condominium units for the years in question and TCV should be based on the assumption that the entire balance of the complex would be sold to an investor. According to Richard A. Cherney, petitioner’s expert, TCV was estimated at $1,280,000 for the 58 units for tax year 1981, and $960,000 for the 48 unsold units for tax year 1982, assuming that the entire complex would be sold to an investor for approximately $20,000 per unit in either of the tax years. The $20,000 estimate was based on projected sales of apartment complexes located in the area.

Respondent argues that, during the tax years in question, there were a sufficient number of units sold within the complex to establish market value. Utilizing these sales, city appraiser Kenneth J. Stock determined the TCV to be $42,000 for each one-bedroom unit, $58,000 for each two-bedroom unit, and $79,000 for each three-bedroom unit.

The tribunal agreed with respondent and stated:

"This Tribunal holds that for the 1981 and 1982 tax years, the Respondent’s market approach presents the most accurate estimate of true cash value, as it has utilized the most comparable properties — individual sales of identical properties to the subjects, recently sold, in the same complex as the subjects, rather than the utilization of whole apartment projects sold to single entitites. The Respondent’s evidence sufficiently corroborates the values assigned in the assessments, and those assessments are therefore accepted by this Tribunal as the equivalent of true cash value of the subject properties.”

[257]*257In Northwood Apartments v Royal Oak, 98 Mich App 721, 725; 296 NW2d 639 (1980), some applicable concepts were summarized:

"For the purposes of taxation, property is to be assessed in accordance with its true cash value. Const 1963, art 9, § 3, Ramblewood Associates v Wyoming, 82 Mich App 342, 344; 266 NW2d 817 (1978). True cash value is defined as: '[T]he usual selling price at the place where the property to which the term is applied is at the time of assessment, being the price which could be obtained for the property at private sale, and not at forced or auction sale.’ MCL 211.27; MSA 7.27. The legislative test, however, is not exclusive. Consumers Power Co v Big Prairie Twp, 81 Mich App 120, 129; 265 NW2d 182 (1978), lv den 403 Mich 848 (1978).
"The concept of true cash value is synonymous with fair market value. CAF Investment Co v State Tax Comm, 392 Mich 442, 450; 221 NW2d 588 (1974). Any method of determining true cash value which is recognized as accurate and reasonably related to fair market valuation is an acceptable indicator of true cash value. Safran Printing Co v Detroit, 88 Mich App 376, 380; 276 NW2d 602 (1979).”

The taxpayer has the burden of proving TCV. MCL 205.737(3); MSA 7.650(37)(3).

This Court’s authority to review tribunal valuation decisions regarding TCV is limited, in the absence of fraud, to determining whether the tribunal committed an error of law or adopted a wrong principle. Northwood Apartments, supra, p 724. The factual findings of the tribunal are final if supported by competent and substantial evidence. Const 1963, art 6, § 28.

The parties agree that the highest and best use of the subject property is as individual condominium units. Each relied on the market approach to valuation but disagreed on which properties are the best comparable properties.

Petitioner argues that the unsold units should [258]*258be valued as a group rather than individually. Petitioner admits that the Condominium Act, MCL 559.101 et seq.; MSA 26.50 et Beq., requires individual assessments, but argues that this does not necessarily require individual valuation. MCL 559.231; MSA 26.50(231) provides in pertinent part as follows:

"(1) Special assessments and property taxes shall be assessed against the individual condominium units identidad as units of the condominium subdivision plan and not on the total property of the project or any other part of the project, except for the year in Which the condominium project was established subsequent to the tax day. Taxes and special assessments which become a lien against the property in that year subsequent to the establishment of the condominium project shall be expenses of administration of the project and paid by the co-owners as provided in section 69. The taxes and special assessments shall not be divided or apportioned on the tax roll any provisions of any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
"(2) Special assessments and property taxes in any year in which the property existed as an established condominium project on the tax day shall be assessed against the individual condominium unit, notwithstanding any subsequent vacation of the condominium project. Condominium units shall be described for such purposes by reference to the condominium unit number of the condominium subdivision plan and the caption of the plan together with the liber and page of the county records in which the approved master deed is recorded. Assessments for subsequent real property improvements to a specific condominium unit shall be assessed to that condominium unit description only. For property tax and special assessment purposes, each condominium unit shall be treated as a separate single unit of real property and shall not be combined with any other unit or units and no assessment of any fraction of any unit or combination of any unit with other units or fractions of any unit shall be made, nor shall any division or split of the assessment, or taxes of any single [259]*259condominium unit be made notwithstanding separate or common ownership of the unit.” (Emphasis supplied.)

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Related

Antisdale v. City of Galesburg
362 N.W.2d 632 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1985)
Consumers Power Co. v. Big Prairie Township
265 N.W.2d 182 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1978)
Safran Printing Co. v. City of Detroit
276 N.W.2d 602 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1979)
CAF Investment Co. v. State Tax Commission
221 N.W.2d 588 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1974)
Ramblewood Associates v. City of Wyoming
266 N.W.2d 817 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1978)
Northwood Apartments v. City of Royal Oak
296 N.W.2d 639 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1980)
Washtenaw County v. State Tax Commission
337 N.W.2d 565 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1983)

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Bluebook (online)
372 N.W.2d 523, 143 Mich. App. 253, 1985 Mich. App. LEXIS 2672, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/3333-moores-river-drive-assn-v-city-of-lansing-michctapp-1985.