Acknowledging that lakefront erosion is an ongoing concern for property owners, the Porter County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals plans a Thursday study session on the topic.
“We were hearing about the erosion and the affect to market value,” said Porter County Assessor Jon Snyder, who serves as PTABOA’s secretary.
Erosion has been an increasing problem for the county’s lakefront communities and officials have said that a combination of high Lake Michigan levels and heavy storms have made the problem worse, threatening homes, utilities and other structures along the shoreline.
A mix of people have reached out to Snyder personally, as well as members of PTABOA and the county and Portage Township assessor’ offices, about their concerns, Snyder said, adding those concerns have come from real estate agents and taxpayers.
The study session includes a panel comprised of PTABOA members, real estate agents, Snyder and Alta Neri, the Portage Township Assessor. The intended audience, Snyder said, is homeowners along the lakefront and anyone else who’s interested.
“This is about gathering information about the real-life impact of erosion on homeowners,” Snyder said, adding PTABOA would make the call on property assessments for homeowners who ask, “so we’re all trying to work in concert.”
He expects any change from erosion to apply to next year’s assessments. One of the questions he and others are fielding is whether properties will lose value because of the erosion.
“It’s a great debate around my office,” Snyder said, adding the panel, with real estate experts, will try to answer the question of whether there is market impact to those properties.
He does think there will be a measurable impact on lakefront properties but he doesn’t have the data to support that. “We’re after the data,” he added.
He has reached out to assessors and real estate agents along the lakefront and into southwest Michigan to get more information.
“I think it’s important to know we’re looking elsewhere as well because you can’t obviously find your comps here,” Snyder said, referring to comparable properties. “I do feel it’s an important issue.”
The workshop takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday in Oakwood Hall at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road, Portage. There is a limit of 60 people so social distancing can be maintained and face masks will be required because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
