For a report on Neighborhood 4801, please click here!

For a report on Neighborhood 4807, please click here!

For a report on Neighborhood 4809, please click here!

  The parcels on my report are there because:

• 523 homes were in Neighborhood Code 4813 in  2003 and only one appears to have been moved in from another neighborhood (Neighborhood 4809 - Newer Subdivisions) since 2001.  

 

• However, of the 523 homes, 21% of those homes are not on the Valley View side of Higby as the Neighborhood Code description would have you believe.  They are actually on the Chapman Road side of Higby.  It would appear that their tax map number is similar to homes on the Valley View side of Higby so that is probably why they are in that neighborhood!

 

• Of the 523 total homes in Neighborhood Code 4813, 323 (or 62%) of the homes were increased in 2003 and 6 homes (or 1%) were decreased, I would assume as a result of Grievance. However, 186 homes (or 36%) of the homes were not increased at all.  To be fair, I also noted that 8 additional (or 1%) were not increased, but their 2002 sale price justified no increase (these parcels are highlighted gray on the spreadsheet).  Therefore, I have not included the 8 parcels in the 186 "no increase" parcels.

 

• I have also included sales that should have been taken into account for the 2003 reassessment.  There are more current sales that you can view by using the Assessment Program, but I wanted to show exactly what sales were available at the time of the reassessment.  Notice how some of the parcels clearly have sales that are above their assessed value, yet no increase in assessment is noted. Some people even have additional square feet of living space noted in the database, but no increase in assessment.

  I'm curious as to why homes that clearly are Utica Influenced according to the definitions are not included in this Neighborhood Code when others that by definition should not be there are included.   For example, Arlington Terrace and Westminster Road both have 13501 (Utica) zip codes, but they are not included.  Also, Golden Place is not included.  If you don't know where Golden Place is--go down Valley View to Pleasant Street.   Turn right on Pleasant Street and the next right is Golden Place.  It is within walking distance of the Memorial Parkway in Utica, but it is not Utica Influenced.  However, the tax map number is not like the ones in Neighborhood Code 4813 which is why is probably is not included with this Neighborhood.  One other home with a tax map number like Golden Place (starting 330.012) is on Pleasant Street and  was in Neighborhood Code 4809 to begin with and then moved to 4813 (Utica Influenced) in 2002.   So why didn't they moved Golden Place to Utica Influenced?  How come every home on Wadsworth Road except for one is Neighborhood Code 4813 (Utica Influenced). One home on Wadsworth Road is Neighborhood Code 4811 (Rural)--what's up with that?  The only thing I see is that the tax map number is different than the other parcels on that street.  Take a look at Tilden Ave.--it is ridiculous.  These are clearly placed in neighborhoods because of their tax map number.

  If that is how they divided the town and if it was the right thing to do, why didn't they just come out and let everyone know that tax map number is what determined neighborhood codes.  Why the charade?

  What was the methodology used to set up these neighborhood codes and just what determined if your assessment was raised or not once they starting reassessing different "neighborhoods"?  Why bother with neighborhood codes if you are going to randomly place homes wherever you want?  These are questions that only the assessor can answer.

  Look at the report for any homes in your area or homes that you are familiar with before you decide what these reports are showing. We certainly are not able to physically look at all the properties that weren't increased.  These reports are provided for your information only.  Sales for each property are now included in the Assessment Program and would be helpful in determining if a property has increased in value.

  If you think that because you are not in Neighborhood Code 4801, 4807, 4809 or 4813 this doesn't affect you, think again.  It impacts everyone!  Stay tuned for our review of other neighborhoods!

  If these reports bother you, we urge you to call your councilman.  Unless we let them know how we feel, they will continue to deny there is a problem.  They seem to be good at doing just that!

What is a Neighborhood Code?