Clemente v. Township of South Hackensack

27 N.J. Tax 255
CourtNew Jersey Tax Court
DecidedJuly 3, 2013
StatusPublished
Cited by72 cases

This text of 27 N.J. Tax 255 (Clemente v. Township of South Hackensack) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Clemente v. Township of South Hackensack, 27 N.J. Tax 255 (N.J. Super. Ct. 2013).

Opinion

ANDRESINI, J.T.C.

This constitutes the court’s opinion after trial in the above-referenced matter challenging the assessment on plaintiff’s property for the 2009, 2010, and 2011 tax year’s. For the reasons set forth in this opinion, the assessment is affirmed.

I. Procedural History and Findings of Fact

Donato Clemente (“plaintiff’) is the owner of a one story masonry building located in South Hackensack (“defendant”). The property is designated by South Hackensack as Block 50, Lot 17.02, more commonly known as 120 Leuning Street (“subject property”). For the tax years in question, the subject property was assessed as follows:

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The Director’s (chapter 123) ratio for South Hackensack for each year under appeal was as follows:

Plaintiff filed timely direct appeals with the Tax Court, contesting the local property assessment on the subject property for tax years 2009, 2010, and 2011. Defendant did not file counterclaims. Two witnesses appeared at trial: an appraiser called by plaintiff to [261]*261testify as an expert witness with respect to the value of the subject property, and a fact witness called by defendant who had knowledge of the subject property. The parties stipulated to plaintiffs expert witness’s qualifications. Trial took place over the course of two days. The court gave the parties the opportunity to submit post-trial briefs after the close of trial. Before the post-trial briefs became due, plaintiff filed a motion to re-open the record and admit supplemental documents into evidence. The court denied plaintiffs motion. The following findings of fact are based on the testimony of the trial witnesses and from the evidence accepted into the record.

The subject property consists of approximately .82 acres, located in the industrially developed area contained within the blocks north of Route 80 and south of Lodi Street. Most of the properties in the neighborhood are developed with one story masonry industrial buildings of varying sizes, mostly older properties developed some time ago; however, the neighborhood and surroundings are interspersed with some sporadic retail and even occasional residential detached dwellings.

The parties stipulated that the subject property is improved with a 20,210 square foot building. The building was built in or about 1966 and is considered to be in average condition. It is a one-story, masonry brick and steel frame constructed on a concrete slab, with a flat built-up roof. At the time of the valuation dates at issue, the majority of the building’s interior was painted masonry walls. The building is 100% sprinklered and heated with gas fired forced air. The storage and shop areas within the building have a suspended, eleven foot ceiling height. The building is equipped with two dock-high loading doors, as well as one overhead door. Parking is available on site. The subject property is located in the “C” industrial zone.

Plaintiffs expert submitted an appraisal report into evidence. The expert and report concluded that the highest and best use is “the current ‘as improved use’ of the subject property as a light industrial building both ‘as improved’ and ‘as if vacant.’ ” Plaintiffs report continues to read, “Research failed to identify any [262]*262other legally permitted use that produces a higher value.” Defendant’s witness presented facts and documents pertaining to the subject property, including a resolution passed by the South Hackensack Zoning Board of Adjustment, dated December 17, 2001, approving the Clemente Bakery Corporation for a use variance, parking variance and a site plan approval, which permitted space within the subject property to be utilized for non waiter/waitress sit down eating.

In the opinion of the plaintiffs expert, utilizing the income approach to valuation, the subject property had a true market value of $1,105,000 for 2009, $1,020,000 for 2010, and $970,000 for 20112. Defendant’s witness did not offer an opinion of value because he was testifying as a fact witness. Defendant, instead, rested on the correctness of the assessment.

A. Plaintiff’s Expert’s Approach to Valuation

The plaintiffs expert’s report focused on the income approach, relying on this methodology because of the expert’s characterization of the subject property as “light industrial” and, as such, an investment-type property. For purposes of a full interior and exterior inspection in conjunction with preparing the report, plaintiffs expert inspected the property on June 8, 2011. The expert testified that portions of the building were vacant as of the date of his inspection, and, therefore, vacant during the valuation dates at issue. Furthermore, the expert testified that the subject is located in the “C” industrial zone and that the property conforms in terms of its use and occupancy, but it is illegal non-conforming as to the coverage of the lot. The expert also testified that the front portion of the building is set up as a public outlet for retail sale of goods that are made on the premises and some other retail goods that are not made on the premises. The expert characterized this public retail outlet and whatever square footage is allotted to office space within the building as “ancillary.”

[263]*263Plaintiffs expert testified that the income approach is guided by the conclusion of the highest and best use, which he found to be “as currently improved, an industrial building.” Therefore, plaintiffs expert analyzed rental transactions for industrial space in the market area.

Through cross-examination, plaintiffs expert revealed that he did not visit the building department in South Hackensack to review any documents pertaining to the subject property. Therefore, he was unaware of any of the following documents, until the date of trial:

a) Board of Adjustment Resolution, dated 12/17/01
(which permitted expansion of the then pre-existing non-conforming retail operation);
b) Application for Zoning Certifícate of Compliance, dated 11/22/05
(sign permit application);
c) Demolition plan, dated 10/6/08.
d) Application for Zoning Certificate of Compliance, dated 2/24/09
(use permit application, indicating “the property will continue to be used as a retail store/Clemente Bakery and wholesale manufacturing bakery/Central Bakery”);
e) Zoning Permit, dated 3/23/09; and,
f) Letter to Building Department, dated 7/12^10.

Utilizing four comparable leases for tax years 2009 and 2010 and an additional fifth comparable lease for 2011, plaintiffs expert calculated industrial, economic rental value to range between $4.50 to $6.00 per square foot on a net basis. It is important to note that all of plaintiffs expert’s comparables were one-story masonry industrial building leases. After adjustments to each comparable lease, the expert found the economic rental value for the subject property to be $5.50 per square foot for 2009, $5.25 per square foot for 2010, and $5.00 for 2011.

Next, plaintiffs expert selected a stabilized 7% vacancy and collection loss factor for each of the valuation dates at issue.

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Bluebook (online)
27 N.J. Tax 255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/clemente-v-township-of-south-hackensack-njtaxct-2013.