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[0:23]
Good afternoon everyone. Um, I now call
[0:26]
to order the hearing of the assessment
[0:28]
review board to order for July 15, 2026
[0:32]
at 10:01 p.m.
[0:36]
Please note that today's hearing is
[0:37]
being streamed lived and recorded on
[0:40]
YouTube. Attendees acknowledge
[0:43]
acknowledge names, addresses, and other
[0:44]
details provided when speaking in
[0:46]
today's hearing will be publicly shared.
[0:49]
You should have, should you have any
[0:51]
questions, please contact legislative
[0:53]
and advisory services division for the
[0:56]
town of High River by sending an email
[0:58]
to atiphy river.ca.
[1:03]
First, I would like to introduce myself.
[1:05]
Um, I am Renee Clemens, chair of the
[1:07]
assessment review board for the 2026
[1:09]
term, and I'm serving as the presiding
[1:12]
officer in today's uh local assessment
[1:15]
review board hearing.
[1:17]
Um, at this time I will introduce or
[1:21]
allow my fellow board members to
[1:23]
introduce themselves.
[1:25]
>> Hello, my name is Taylor Cameron. I'm a
[1:27]
» Hello, my name is Taylor Cameron. I'm a
[1:27]
member of the assessment review board.
[1:31]
>> My name is Hank Lee Frank. I'm a member
[1:33]
» My name is Hank Lee Frank. I'm a member
[1:33]
as well.
[1:36]
>> The matter before the board today is a
[1:37]
» The matter before the board today is a
[1:37]
merit hearing regarding the following
[1:39]
role numbers and property addresses.
[1:41]
Roll number 80139
[1:44]
0 located at 38 Sunrise Place Northeast
[1:49]
and RO number 8161
[1:52]
0 located at 64 Sunrise Place Northeast.
[1:56]
These properties are owned by Paul and
[1:59]
Sarah Jane Bloomfield.
[2:02]
This hearing will consider the
[2:03]
complaintant filed and the evidence
[2:06]
presented by both parties respecting the
[2:08]
assessed value.
[2:10]
I will now ask those present to
[2:12]
introduce themselves for the record. Uh
[2:15]
we will begin with board administration
[2:17]
followed by the complainant and then the
[2:19]
respondent.
[2:22]
Good afternoon. I am Jod Hipkin,
[2:24]
co-chair with my colleague
[2:26]
Alicia Plet.
[2:34]
» Complainant.
[2:36]
>> Hi, my name is Paul Blumfield and I am
[2:38]
» Hi, my name is Paul Blumfield and I am
[2:38]
the complainant.
[2:42]
Good afternoon. My name is Stuart Dumple
[2:44]
um representing the respondent.
[2:48]
>> My name is Brandon Garner. I'm uh an
[2:50]
» My name is Brandon Garner. I'm uh an
[2:50]
assessor with the town of High River.
[2:52]
>> Thank you.
[2:55]
» Thank you.
[2:55]
>> Before we begin, I'll briefly outline
[2:56]
» Before we begin, I'll briefly outline
[2:56]
the hearing process. Um this is a quasi
[2:59]
judicial hearing and the board will
[3:01]
consider the evidence and submission
[3:03]
presented by both parties. All parties
[3:06]
are expected to provide truthful and
[3:08]
accurate information as the board will
[3:10]
rely on this in making their decision.
[3:12]
All questions are to be directed through
[3:14]
the chair
[3:17]
and the complainant will present their
[3:19]
case followed by the respondent. The
[3:21]
complainant will then be able to present
[3:23]
their rebuttal. Each party will have the
[3:26]
opportunity to ask any questions of each
[3:28]
other um or one another and the board
[3:31]
may ask questions at any time.
[3:34]
We will conclude the closing submissions
[3:36]
and any evidence not disclosed in
[3:39]
accordance with the required timelines
[3:41]
may not be accepted by the board. Before
[3:44]
we proceed, are there any preliminary
[3:46]
matters from either party such as
[3:49]
questions about the hearing process and
[3:52]
how the hearing will proceed?
[3:55]
>> Not from me.
[3:57]
» Not from me.
[3:57]
>> No, no questions from the respondent.
[3:59]
» No, no questions from the respondent.
[3:59]
Thank you.
[3:59]
>> Thank you. concerns about potential
[4:02]
» Thank you. concerns about potential
[4:02]
conflict of interest or bias with any of
[4:04]
the board members?
[4:08]
» Again, not for me. Thank you, chair.
[4:11]
>> Thank you. And none here, too. Thank
[4:12]
» Thank you. And none here, too. Thank
[4:12]
you.
[4:13]
>> Thank you. Concerns about documents and
[4:15]
» Thank you. Concerns about documents and
[4:15]
evidence that were submitted or not
[4:17]
received.
[4:21]
» Uh, again, no from me
[4:23]
>> and none from the respondent either.
[4:25]
» and none from the respondent either.
[4:25]
Thank you.
[4:26]
requests to have someone speak on your
[4:29]
behalf or assist during the hearing. I'm
[4:31]
assuming no because we are all present.
[4:34]
And any other procedural issues that
[4:36]
should be addressed before we begin
[4:37]
discussing the property assessment?
[4:42]
>> All good here. Thank you.
[4:44]
» All good here. Thank you.
[4:44]
>> Yeah. All good. Thank you very much,
[4:45]
» Yeah. All good. Thank you very much,
[4:45]
Madam Chair.
[4:46]
>> Thank you.
[4:50]
» Um I will now invite the complainant to
[4:53]
present their case. Um and you may
[4:55]
proceed whenever you're ready.
[4:57]
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um good morning
[5:01]
» Thank you, Madam Chair. Um good morning
[5:01]
uh to everybody on the board and to uh
[5:03]
the respondents and uh everyone else
[5:05]
present. Thank you for the opportunity
[5:07]
to present um our appeal regarding the
[5:10]
2026 assessments for 38 and 64 Sunrise
[5:14]
Place Northeast.
[5:16]
Um, I would like to begin by
[5:18]
acknowledging that the town has reviewed
[5:20]
our complaint, uh, corrected errors
[5:23]
relating to garage and suite sizes and
[5:25]
reduced both assessments, and we
[5:28]
appreciate those corrections.
[5:31]
However, we respectfully submit that the
[5:33]
amended assessments of 418,400
[5:37]
and 421,300
[5:40]
still do not represent market value as
[5:43]
of July 1st, 2025 as required under the
[5:47]
municipal government act.
[5:50]
Um, our appeal is not about whether the
[5:53]
town is permitted to use the market
[5:55]
adjusted depre depreciation depreciated
[5:58]
cost model. We accept that it is an
[6:01]
approved mass appraisal methodology. Our
[6:03]
concern is that for this particular
[6:05]
group of properties, the model has
[6:08]
produced values that are inconsistent
[6:10]
with the actual market evidence.
[6:12]
[snorts]
[6:14]
The stronger strongest evidence of
[6:16]
market value is the sale of 50 Sunrise
[6:19]
Place Northeast.
[6:23]
It sold for 380,000 on May the 9th,
[6:27]
2025.
[6:28]
just 7 weeks before the legislated
[6:31]
valuation date.
[6:33]
Because it occurred so closely to July
[6:36]
1st, it required virtually no time
[6:38]
adjustment.
[6:41]
Despite this, the town's own amended
[6:43]
assessment for that property is
[6:45]
approximately 416,300
[6:49]
or about 109% of its actual sale price.
[6:54]
We submit that when the best comparable
[6:56]
sale immediately preceding the valuation
[6:58]
date is assessed significantly above
[7:00]
what a willing buyer actually paid for
[7:02]
it, it [snorts] raises serious questions
[7:05]
about whether the assessment reflects
[7:07]
market value.
[7:09]
[snorts] The town's disclosure also
[7:11]
shows that the valuation model relies
[7:14]
heavily on sales from 2022 through 2024.
[7:18]
Those older sales required time
[7:21]
adjustments ranging from approximately
[7:23]
11% to 46% before being used in the
[7:28]
model. These adjustments increase nearly
[7:31]
every historical sale to values that
[7:33]
exceed what buyers have actually paid on
[7:35]
Sunrise Place.
[7:38]
One example illustrates this clearly.
[7:42]
The property at 32 Sunrise Place
[7:44]
Northeast sold twice. It sold for
[7:49]
339,500
[7:51]
in February of 2023
[7:54]
and again for 398,600
[7:58]
in April of 2024.
[8:01]
That represents actual market
[8:03]
appreciation of approximately 17.4%.
[8:09]
However, the town's adjustment curve
[8:11]
appears to apply an increase of roughly
[8:13]
26% over the same period.
[8:16]
In other words, the model assumes
[8:18]
significantly greater market
[8:20]
appreciation than the market itself
[8:22]
actually demonstrated.
[8:25]
Another important observation is that
[8:27]
seven of the eight adjusted Sunrise
[8:30]
price place sales are adjusted upwards
[8:33]
to values above the 398,600.
[8:38]
[snorts] And yet 398,600
[8:41]
was the highest price ever actually paid
[8:43]
for a Sunrise Place property before the
[8:45]
valuation date.
[8:48]
The model is therefore producing
[8:50]
adjusted values that exceed the highest
[8:52]
prices buyers were willing to pay in the
[8:54]
real market.
[8:56]
Uh we also note that 42 Sunrise Place
[8:59]
Northeast sold for 375,000
[9:03]
in January of 2026.
[9:06]
And while we recognize that this sale
[9:09]
occurred after the valuation date and is
[9:12]
not direct evidence of a July 1st sale
[9:16]
at 375,000,
[9:18]
sorry. Um,
[9:21]
it does provide a useful check on
[9:23]
whether the town's market trend was
[9:25]
realistic. If the market was continuing
[9:28]
to rise, as the town suggests, it's
[9:30]
difficult to reconcile that with a sale
[9:32]
at 375,000
[9:35]
only 6 months later, while assessments
[9:37]
remain above 418,000.
[9:41]
Taken together, these sales consistently
[9:44]
indicate a market level well below the
[9:47]
amended assessments.
[9:49]
Throughout this process, we have not
[9:51]
argued that the town's methodology is
[9:52]
unlawful.
[9:54]
Rather, we submit that the methodology
[9:57]
has overestimated market appreciation
[9:59]
for this specific group of attached
[10:01]
villas. The actual market evidence does
[10:04]
not support assessments in excess of
[10:07]
418,000.
[10:08]
Instead, it supports a value much closer
[10:11]
to the observed sales immediately before
[10:14]
and after the valuation date.
[10:18]
Our original complaint requested a value
[10:20]
of 360,000.
[10:23]
We acknowledge that the evidence may
[10:25]
support a value somewhat above that
[10:27]
amount. However,
[10:30]
the evidence before the board does not
[10:32]
support values of 418,400
[10:36]
and 421,300.
[10:39]
And therefore, we respectfully ask the
[10:41]
board to determine an assessment that is
[10:43]
supported by the actual market evidence
[10:46]
rather than by adjusted values that
[10:49]
exceed what purchasers have demonstrated
[10:51]
they are willing to pay.
[10:53]
Thank you.
[10:59]
» Thank you. I will now um ask the
[11:05]
respondent if they have any questions.
[11:09]
[snorts]
[11:09]
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um I might have
[11:12]
» Thank you, Madam Chair. Um I might have
[11:12]
missed missed hearing or I guess to
[11:15]
clarify what is what is the request
[11:16]
through the through the chair. What is
[11:18]
the requested assessment for the for the
[11:20]
two condos in Sunrise Place that being
[11:24]
38 Sunrise Place and 64 Sunrise Place?
[11:27]
When when can I continue, Madam Chair?
[11:30]
When we had originally submitted our
[11:32]
complaint, our complaint had um asked
[11:35]
for
[11:37]
an assessment value of 360,000.
[11:40]
through this process that we have gone
[11:43]
through and through what has been
[11:45]
clearly demonstrated to me through the
[11:48]
the the gathering of more information, I
[11:51]
accept that the properties are worth
[11:52]
around 380,000.
[11:54]
So that's now the property value that
[11:56]
we're looking to have them reduced to,
[11:59]
>> right?
[12:01]
» right?
[12:01]
>> Especially considering that particular
[12:02]
» Especially considering that particular
[12:02]
property sold seven weeks prior to the
[12:05]
actual date.
[12:10]
Just to confirm for the record that's
[12:12]
for both role numbers.
[12:14]
>> Yes, madam chair.
[12:16]
» Yes, madam chair.
[12:16]
>> Thank you.
[12:19]
» Thank you.
[12:19]
>> Um I will now ask the respondent um to
[12:22]
» Um I will now ask the respondent um to
[12:22]
present their case and you may proceed
[12:25]
at any time. Thank you madam chair. Uh
[12:29]
good afternoon everybody. It's a
[12:30]
pleasure to speak to you today to
[12:31]
respond to the complaint for 30 38
[12:35]
Sunrise Place and 64 Sunrise Place uh
[12:39]
previously identified
[12:41]
uh here. Um I do have the assessment
[12:45]
information on page 53 of So I've got
[12:49]
the we got the original assessment
[12:52]
uh for 38 Sunrise Place at 430,200.
[12:58]
It's near the back.
[13:03]
» Which one you want the map?
[13:05]
>> It's near It's near the back of the in
[13:07]
» It's near It's near the back of the in
[13:07]
the addendum. [snorts] I've got page 53
[13:10]
of my submission or our submission.
[13:12]
Sorry.
[13:13]
[snorts]
[13:14]
>> We don't have to go there. I can I can
[13:15]
» We don't have to go there. I can I can
[13:15]
just refer to it, but it's just just
[13:17]
that it was included just for
[13:18]
information.
[13:22]
» [clears throat]
[13:24]
>> Yeah, it's Yeah, it'll be Yeah, it's
[13:27]
» Yeah, it's Yeah, it'll be Yeah, it's
[13:27]
near the It'll be near the end. Okay,
[13:36]
here we go.
[13:37]
>> Thank you.
[13:39]
» Thank you.
[13:39]
>> Thank you. So, this is 38. So, this is
[13:41]
» Thank you. So, this is 38. So, this is
[13:41]
the original assess original assessment.
[13:44]
So, just scroll down a page. That was
[13:46]
430,200.
[13:48]
And then the next page is the proposed
[13:50]
amendment which we'll get to at 428
[13:55]
uh 300 sorry 421300.
[13:58]
And then the next page is the original
[14:01]
assessment for 64 Sunrise Place at
[14:04]
426900.
[14:06]
And then the next page would be the
[14:08]
amended proposed assessment for 64
[14:10]
Sunrise Place Northeast at 418400.
[14:17]
Thank you, Joey.
[14:19]
So, we just go back to page three.
[14:23]
Three, I guess would be good.
[14:31]
Although, we could start. We could
[14:32]
start. Yeah, page three is good. That'd
[14:33]
be awesome. Thank you.
[14:39]
[laughter] Sorry.
[14:41]
So this is just just to go through our
[14:44]
um our submission. Uh page three just
[14:48]
identifies it's just the assessment
[14:49]
review board receipt of complaint and
[14:51]
notice of hearing. It's the same for
[14:53]
both properties uh as identified number
[14:57]
number 38 and 64.
[15:00]
Uh page six is just a complaint for the
[15:04]
for the one for 38 Sunrise Place.
[15:08]
Page seven uh just shows the relative
[15:11]
location of uh sunrise place in High
[15:15]
River. So on the top of the page, we've
[15:17]
got a a map overall map of High River
[15:19]
with the blue rectangle uh highlighted
[15:23]
representing
[15:25]
Sun well the area of Sunrise Place.
[15:28]
And then at the bottom of page seven,
[15:31]
the blue highlighted area is Sunrise
[15:33]
Place and in of itself.
[15:36]
And then just north of Sunrise Place is
[15:39]
Mundy Park which [snorts] is not it's
[15:41]
not a condo. Uh but the the one area
[15:44]
immediately north of Mundy Park is
[15:46]
Sunvil Place which will be discussed
[15:48]
will be included in this presentation.
[15:50]
And then immediately west of Sun Sunvil
[15:54]
Place is uh Sunville Crescent uh which
[15:58]
are similar units just for information.
[16:00]
So the highlighted areas, Sunrise Place
[16:02]
where uh in the northeast and then on
[16:05]
page eight
[16:07]
shows the relative location of uh number
[16:10]
38 Sunrise Place on um the east side of
[16:15]
that development and 64 almost
[16:18]
immediately across the way.
[16:22]
I think it's turning to page page nine.
[16:25]
Uh the following table shows the factual
[16:29]
information regarding these two
[16:30]
properties. Um and we'll get into the
[16:34]
I'll discuss the legal information in a
[16:36]
minute. Uh so the the top of it shows
[16:40]
the the site area 124.9 for both and the
[16:44]
site and in in square feet it shows that
[16:47]
should be square feet sorry at 1344 ft
[16:51]
for both units. That's the total size
[16:53]
with the respective suite size of number
[16:56]
38 being originally at 1,060 with the
[17:00]
garage of 274 for a total of 1334.
[17:03]
And then for number 64 the sweet size on
[17:07]
the original assessment is 1,037 with a
[17:10]
garage at 307 again with the total at
[17:13]
1344.
[17:15]
The original assessment of third number
[17:16]
38 is 43200
[17:19]
and of 64 is 426,900
[17:23]
with the relative uh value per square
[17:26]
foot shown at the bottom.
[17:28]
So this is the assessment information
[17:31]
and property information used for the
[17:33]
2025 assessment. So
[17:37]
reflecting a value as of July 1, 2025,
[17:41]
physical condition as of December 31st.
[17:44]
[snorts]
[17:46]
So page 10, uh this some pictures of 32
[17:50]
sunrise place includes included for
[17:53]
information. So top of page 32 is a a
[17:56]
picture street side of 32 Sunrise Place
[18:00]
shows the building with a single car
[18:03]
garage. same as on the bottom just with
[18:05]
a side view as well. The at the photo at
[18:08]
the top of page 11 shows uh the suite
[18:12]
from behind looking toward the front
[18:13]
door. Uh at the bottom of page 11 shows
[18:17]
the kitchen and the living area relative
[18:20]
uh to each other.
[18:22]
Page 12 shows a picture of the kitchen.
[18:26]
Uh bottom of page 12 shows a kitchen
[18:28]
from the living from the living room.
[18:33]
at bottom at top of page 13 shows um the
[18:37]
master suite and the bottom of page 13
[18:40]
is the bedroom I mean the bathroom
[18:44]
I believe that's the the on suite
[18:48]
and on page top of page 14 we have the
[18:52]
additional bathroom and then we have the
[18:54]
laundry room at the bottom of page 14
[18:59]
uh top of page 15 we show the back of um
[19:03]
this unit and again just the back and
[19:06]
the side of the unit on page the bottom
[19:07]
of page 15.
[19:10]
[clears throat]
[19:10]
So um
[19:13]
upon uh reviewing uh the inquiry from
[19:15]
the owner uh regarding the suite um we
[19:20]
were we were brought to our attention
[19:22]
that we we needed to check the size of
[19:25]
the unit relative to the sizes of the
[19:28]
garage.
[19:29]
Um for this for this particular
[19:31]
development there are let me see I think
[19:34]
there's one two one two three four five
[19:40]
six seven condo plans so built-in stages
[19:45]
and and uh we've were able to obtain the
[19:49]
blueprints also.
[19:51]
So up and across the top we've got the
[19:54]
roll, the address, the legal. This is
[19:58]
the condo plan total me squared. And
[20:01]
then the in the pink area there that is
[20:04]
the original garage size, original sweep
[20:07]
size and original totals post that we
[20:10]
used for the 2026
[20:12]
assessment uh that was mailed. And then
[20:16]
for the green areas, so the condo plan
[20:19]
total, uh, that's the the total size.
[20:23]
And then we have the amended garage
[20:24]
size.
[20:26]
And then the amended suite size. So the
[20:29]
garages for these suites are not all
[20:33]
identical. They're just a little bit
[20:34]
different in some situations, but
[20:37]
there's not much in it. So to do this
[20:41]
proper, all the blueprints are pulled
[20:43]
and we we've adjusted um the suite size
[20:48]
and the grass size so that they're
[20:50]
they're proper. The garages aren't all
[20:52]
identical, but we looked at them all
[20:53]
specifically and made the appropriate
[20:55]
adjustment. So, there's quite a few
[20:57]
sweets scenarios, but if we're going to
[20:59]
do this for the for the um appeal, it's
[21:02]
perfect opportunity to do it for the
[21:04]
rest of for next year and make sure uh
[21:08]
we start off with on on um for a clean
[21:11]
slate next year. Again, this this
[21:13]
development was built uh what's the
[21:16]
original age?
[21:18]
>> 2012, I believe.
[21:19]
» 2012, I believe.
[21:19]
>> 2012.
[21:20]
» 2012.
[21:20]
So in back in the day back, you know,
[21:24]
there are different ways to do to do uh
[21:26]
assess condos.
[21:28]
Uh we typically we use a schedule. I
[21:31]
don't have any of the condo plans
[21:33]
printed, but typically on a condo plan,
[21:35]
it comes with a schedule of sizes for
[21:37]
the condo plan and it just shows a
[21:40]
footprint and it doesn't show where the
[21:42]
garage walls are. Like it could be it
[21:45]
could be anywhere. So that's why we had
[21:47]
to refer to the blueprints to make sure
[21:50]
that we we get the size of the suite
[21:53]
proper because the garage isn't such a
[21:56]
big deal cuz it's just a garage. It
[21:57]
doesn't have a great value per square
[21:59]
foot. But for the suite, we we're
[22:01]
showing that the we're showing a value
[22:03]
in the 400 $400 range a square foot. So
[22:06]
for out five 10 or 15 square ft makes a
[22:09]
significant difference. So it's really
[22:11]
important to get that get the sizes
[22:13]
correct especially for the suite. So,
[22:16]
we've been through each of these. We've
[22:17]
we've we've gleaned the blueprints to
[22:20]
make sure these sizes are correct. I'd
[22:22]
be happy to talk if if if uh the
[22:24]
complainant has any questions about
[22:26]
sizes down the road. Happy to or anybody
[22:28]
has questions about how those sizes are
[22:31]
determined. We can happy to happy to
[22:32]
review that with them as well. But we
[22:34]
did our due diligence to make sure we're
[22:36]
starting on a clean slate here,
[22:37]
especially if we're talking about an
[22:38]
amended assessment.
[22:40]
Foundation of assessment is having
[22:42]
correct data. So we always endeavor to
[22:44]
do to do that uh to the best of our
[22:47]
ability.
[22:49]
So So just to show you then for number
[22:52]
38 Sunrise Place the overall condo the
[22:56]
overall size didn't change but the but
[22:59]
the this slightly changed the garage the
[23:01]
suite went from 1,60 to,62
[23:04]
the garage went from 274 to 273 for
[23:07]
number 38. For number 64, the overall
[23:10]
size didn't change, but the size of the
[23:13]
suite did. It would change from 1334
[23:16]
uh square feet to 1049 and the garage
[23:20]
changed from 262 to 286. So number 64
[23:25]
changed quite a bit, but not for 38.
[23:30]
Uh on page 17, this gives shows the
[23:34]
salient facts as were presented before.
[23:38]
showing the original 2025 assessment and
[23:41]
the respective suite and garage sizes
[23:43]
for each of those in that that case and
[23:45]
the assessment. And then highlighted in
[23:48]
red at the bottom of this of the of this
[23:51]
uh information is the amended size of
[23:53]
the suite and the garage
[23:56]
for an amended uh total assessment for
[24:00]
421300 for number 38
[24:04]
and 418400 for number 64. So the
[24:07]
respective value per square foot is 3.97
[24:10]
a square foot for number 38 and 399 for
[24:14]
number 64.
[24:19]
So the following pages so pages 18
[24:22]
through to [cough]
[24:24]
[snorts and clears throat] 22 is
[24:26]
legislation specific to assessment. The
[24:28]
process of assessment is fairly heavily
[24:30]
regulated and for good reason. um to
[24:34]
make sure the assessments are calculated
[24:35]
consistently not only within the town
[24:38]
high river and following legislation but
[24:40]
throughout the province. [snorts] Uh
[24:42]
some of the main um uh items that we we
[24:46]
touched upon today would be uh the
[24:48]
second uh
[24:50]
uh item on page 16 from the top. It
[24:53]
reflects that that the assessment must
[24:55]
reflect the condition of the property as
[24:57]
of December 31st.
[24:59]
Um the second column from second row
[25:02]
from the bottom market value is our is
[25:05]
our the standard with which the
[25:06]
assessments have to adhere to. Um market
[25:09]
value is defined as as what might be
[25:12]
expected to the what might be expected
[25:14]
to realize if a property is sold on the
[25:16]
open market by a willing [clears throat]
[25:18]
seller to a willing buyer. And at the
[25:21]
bottom of this page, a pro an assessment
[25:23]
of a property based on market value for
[25:26]
assessment purposes must be prepared
[25:28]
using mass appraisal. Must be an
[25:31]
estimate of the value of the fee simple
[25:32]
estate in a property and must reflect
[25:35]
typical market conditions for properties
[25:38]
similar to that property not identical
[25:40]
to the property but similar to the
[25:42]
property.
[25:45]
Um the process of assessment use is um
[25:47]
mass appraisal.
[25:49]
So which means the process of preparing
[25:51]
assessment for a group of properties
[25:52]
using standard methods methods and
[25:54]
common data and allowing for statistical
[25:56]
testing. So an assessment of property
[25:59]
for market value which is the discussion
[26:01]
of this appeal today. The assessment
[26:04]
prepared for the 2025 assessment and in
[26:08]
the in the amended assessment proposed
[26:10]
is prepared um based on property market
[26:14]
value using mass appraisal not actual
[26:17]
sales or pinpointed values but it's
[26:20]
prepared using mass appraisal and the fe
[26:23]
simplest state of property and must
[26:26]
reflect typical market conditions
[26:28]
similar to the property. So the
[26:30]
assessment is in every case for the
[26:33]
models is always the model is represents
[26:36]
the value for a group of properties.
[26:43]
Uh the quality standards are required to
[26:44]
adhere to as it's a third row from the
[26:47]
bottom. Uh very heavily regulated. These
[26:50]
quality standards must be met when we
[26:52]
submit uh the assessment information to
[26:54]
the prop to the province. on
[26:58]
page.
[27:01]
Uh it doesn't say that just a minute.
[27:07]
Um I can't find it, but it says um uh
[27:11]
models must be met and must and it's a
[27:13]
statistical test. So the statistical
[27:16]
test for residential assessments must be
[27:18]
between 0.95 and 1.05 or 95 to 105%.
[27:24]
So the valuation model for a group of
[27:26]
properties must the sales a sales to
[27:29]
assessment ratio median sales to
[27:32]
assessment ratio for
[27:34]
uh for the assessments in that group
[27:36]
must be within that quality range.
[27:45]
It's a minute and there is at the top.
[27:48]
So the valuation date, this is also an
[27:51]
important uh point that any assessment
[27:53]
prepared in accordance with the act must
[27:55]
be an estimate of the value of a
[27:56]
property on July one of the of the
[27:58]
assessment year. So that's the year
[28:00]
before the tax year and that's July 1,
[28:03]
2025.
[28:06]
And that's different from an an
[28:07]
appraisal too because the appraisal can
[28:09]
be any specific date. But for assessment
[28:11]
is always July 1 of the year before the
[28:13]
tax year.
[28:17]
Just turning to page 23. Uh just to just
[28:20]
explain at the top data collection and
[28:22]
verification that every every
[28:24]
municipality in Alberta following
[28:27]
regulations must must review and and um
[28:30]
the assessments of properties in a town
[28:32]
every 5 years just to make sure we um we
[28:35]
keep on top of any property changes,
[28:38]
renovations or permitted development.
[28:40]
That's so there's a reinspection cycle
[28:42]
that helps to make sure that we the data
[28:44]
is up to date and correct. Then just the
[28:47]
bottom part there is just assumptions
[28:48]
and limiting conditions. [clears throat]
[28:52]
On page 24 speaks to the portions to
[28:55]
value for residential assessments. The
[28:58]
appropriate assessment method is a
[29:00]
direct comparison approach or sometimes
[29:02]
called the sales comparison approach.
[29:05]
It's defined as for the for the
[29:07]
valuation of residential properties in
[29:09]
high river. The direct comparison
[29:11]
approach is used. This method of
[29:13]
valuation determines a property's value
[29:16]
by comparing it to similar recently sold
[29:18]
properties in the same geographic area.
[29:21]
Again, it says similar properties, not
[29:24]
identical properties.
[29:28]
So, um, page 25 speaks to the difference
[29:32]
between single property appraisal and
[29:34]
mass appraisal. So, single property
[29:37]
appraisal is a valuation of one property
[29:40]
for many different purposes.
[29:43]
It uses the valuation the valuation date
[29:45]
is determined by the appraiser. So it
[29:48]
could be any date.
[29:51]
Uh typically in an appraisal uh three to
[29:53]
five comparable sales are reviewed as
[29:56]
close in location, style, quality and
[29:59]
construction to the subject property as
[30:00]
possible to arrive at an estimate of
[30:02]
value based on those comparables used.
[30:06]
Uh so it's different to mass appraisal.
[30:10]
A mass mass appraisal is a valuation of
[30:13]
an entire group of property for taxation
[30:15]
purposes.
[30:17]
The valuation date is July 1st condition
[30:20]
um [snorts] July the 1st with the
[30:23]
condition of the property uh as of
[30:26]
December 31st in the year preceding the
[30:28]
tax year.
[30:29]
Evaluation models is developed for each
[30:32]
property group with similar style and
[30:34]
quality of construction.
[30:37]
An equitable and consistent estimate of
[30:39]
values derived for each property group
[30:42]
value valuation model is statistically
[30:44]
tested for accuracy there. That's what I
[30:46]
want was looking for. And after meeting
[30:48]
required provincial qualities testing is
[30:50]
submitted to ASID. So acid is the
[30:52]
overlying umbrella in Alberta um through
[30:56]
municipal affairs and it must pass those
[30:59]
quality standards before and to be to be
[31:02]
um to go through two stages of audit and
[31:05]
uh then town can be approved to use that
[31:08]
assessment for the assessment notices.
[31:12]
on page 26 is just an explanation of the
[31:15]
mass appraisal process.
[31:18]
Um how how the how the assessment models
[31:20]
are tested is to take the assessment
[31:23]
divided by a selling price and that
[31:25]
gives us an assessment to sales ratio
[31:26]
which we we call as the ASR.
[31:30]
So through the stratification of similar
[31:32]
properties and the respective sales
[31:34]
value models are developed with the
[31:36]
resulting assessed values being required
[31:38]
to meet that regulated quality standard
[31:40]
of 0.9 of 95% to 105%.
[31:45]
Typically um [clears throat] in the town
[31:48]
high river we usually aim for 98%. If we
[31:51]
if we if we go for the 95% it's really
[31:54]
close uh to the bottom of the valuation
[31:57]
scale and it it doesn't really matter so
[32:00]
long as it's a consistent process. We
[32:02]
could develop an assessment at 105% and
[32:05]
for the distribution of the taxes for
[32:07]
assessment purposes the taxes wouldn't
[32:10]
change because the level of assessment
[32:12]
remains consistent.
[32:14]
But we always go and it's if we all go
[32:16]
for 98% if we went for 100% it's a
[32:19]
harder assessment to to present.
[32:23]
So in High River from December uh from
[32:28]
as of December 31st, 2025
[32:31]
of the 300 1324 condo properties in
[32:34]
town, there were 381 sales from July
[32:39]
1,22
[32:40]
to well June, yeah, July 1, 2022 to June
[32:44]
30th, 2025.
[32:46]
So this is all of the condo sales. This
[32:49]
is just showing us an example of how the
[32:52]
assessment will look and how this how
[32:54]
meets quality standard.
[32:57]
These sales were verified as suitable
[32:59]
indicators of value with respective
[33:01]
valuation models being developed and
[33:03]
statistically tested with the overall
[33:05]
results as follows.
[33:07]
Each of the red bars below represents a
[33:10]
respective assessment divided by a
[33:12]
selling price of each sale with the
[33:15]
overall ASR shown with the yellow arrow
[33:18]
there uh at 90 98.1%
[33:22]
mean required provincial quality
[33:23]
standard. Now this these sales are all
[33:26]
the condos. So 1324 condos 381 sales
[33:31]
these all these sales represent all the
[33:33]
groups. It's just shown here is to show
[33:36]
you how the the model process works.
[33:39]
This is this is not how we developed the
[33:40]
model. It's just illustrative.
[33:43]
But it does show that for all all of the
[33:46]
con all of those sales from each of the
[33:48]
respective model groups, it still it
[33:51]
meets a quality standard.
[33:54]
On page 27 on the table at the top of
[33:57]
the page, the title titled ratio versus
[34:00]
adjusted selling price. The line the
[34:03]
purple line there is represents the
[34:06]
assessment at 98%. You'll see there are
[34:09]
the distribution of the sales which is
[34:12]
each of these red dots represents the
[34:14]
assessment divided by a selling price of
[34:17]
each of the three each of the 381 sales.
[34:20]
So it shows a distribution of those
[34:22]
sales around the assessment.
[34:24]
So that's what mass appraisal is is
[34:27]
intended to show or develop a value
[34:30]
model that re represents a typical
[34:32]
market or we call that the median market
[34:35]
the middle of the market. So obviously
[34:37]
some assessments will be higher than the
[34:40]
higher than the selling price and some
[34:41]
will be lower but the assessment
[34:43]
reflects the middle of the market
[34:46]
and the table at the bottom just shows
[34:47]
the relationship between the assessment
[34:49]
and the selling price. And then the the
[34:51]
the width the width of the distribution
[34:54]
those red dots is called the coefficient
[34:56]
of dispersion. It just shows that the
[34:58]
range and actually that's a really
[35:00]
important point to make because the
[35:03]
assessment represents a range of value
[35:06]
not the value. So that's so for
[35:09]
assessment purposes the maximum cood can
[35:13]
be 15. That's quite a widespread. So
[35:16]
regulation states for for this kind of
[35:18]
assessment should be about 8.
[35:22]
So it's a fairly tight range. But that
[35:24]
said, we're required to be within 95 and
[35:28]
105. So that's a range. And then within
[35:31]
each group, there's also a range. So
[35:34]
when references are made to a specific
[35:37]
sale at a specific time, it's just one
[35:40]
sale within a range. It doesn't refresh.
[35:44]
If the sale is higher lower than the
[35:46]
assessment, well, it's a range and we
[35:49]
need to calculate when you have a number
[35:51]
of sales, you can find out where it is.
[35:53]
But you've only got one sale does we
[35:56]
don't know where it is in the range. So
[35:58]
we can only assume that it's in the
[36:00]
range. But when we build the models, we
[36:02]
include all the sales. So it with the
[36:05]
assessment reflecting the middle. So one
[36:08]
sale doesn't reflect a model is not we
[36:11]
we can't use one sale for a model
[36:15]
even if even if uh there is only one
[36:18]
sale whether it's a residential group or
[36:21]
condo group or non-res one sale doesn't
[36:24]
make a market it's a it gives you an
[36:26]
idea where where it might sit but for
[36:30]
mass appraisal process we're required to
[36:32]
model everything by by range and it's
[36:35]
statistically tested that's just what we
[36:37]
So all properties in town.
[36:40]
So on page 28
[36:42]
um because the valuation date is July 1,
[36:45]
2025.
[36:47]
So sales because we use a range of sales
[36:52]
in the for instance city of Calgary or
[36:55]
even Cochran or Edri they'll use just
[36:57]
one year's worth of sales because they
[36:59]
got loads of sales because hundreds of
[37:01]
sales but in a small town like how river
[37:04]
we still struggle with getting enough
[37:06]
sales of of certain groups right the
[37:08]
more sales we have the more confidence
[37:10]
we have in in in the um appropriate
[37:14]
value value range of of specific
[37:17]
property types. So this graph included
[37:20]
on page 28, this is what we call our
[37:23]
time adjust. It's just a graphical
[37:25]
representation of the change in value
[37:28]
over time specifically for condos from
[37:31]
July 2022 to June 2025.
[37:35]
So obviously up to 2023 the the market's
[37:39]
pretty flat. or postcoid but from 2023
[37:43]
through these these different time
[37:45]
periods the markets increased and it
[37:47]
kind of tapered off in December 24.
[37:51]
So this is developed it's it's a method
[37:53]
that we used it's uh from similar so the
[37:58]
same property that sells twice or
[38:00]
similar properties that sell twice
[38:02]
during that time period. So it's a very
[38:04]
it's a very uh stringent process to
[38:07]
develop the time adjustment. is actually
[38:09]
audited by the provincial government and
[38:11]
has to be approved before we can use it
[38:13]
for valuation purposes. So as we're
[38:15]
going through this presentation, you'll
[38:17]
hear us talk about the selling price and
[38:19]
then the time adjusted selling price. So
[38:22]
a property sells say in January 2024,
[38:25]
that's the selling price and then the
[38:27]
distance between the top of that graph
[38:29]
and the red line is the adjustment. So
[38:33]
all sales when how whenever they occur
[38:36]
along this line they are all adjusted in
[38:39]
the in the same manner using a
[38:41]
consistent method.
[38:44]
And an important note the time
[38:45]
adjustment is determined before the
[38:47]
determination of each specific model. So
[38:50]
this isn't the modeling process. This
[38:53]
just ch this just suggests the the
[38:58]
selling price the the change in value
[39:00]
over time. That's what this does.
[39:04]
So on page 29, this is we when we submit
[39:07]
our um assessment role to the provision
[39:10]
government through assets. This is to
[39:12]
Alberta Municipal Affairs. It has to
[39:14]
pass two stages of audit to meet the
[39:16]
quality standards as previously
[39:18]
mentioned.
[39:19]
So we're talking about the residential
[39:22]
uh quality standard. So our overall
[39:25]
residential quality standard is uh that
[39:28]
we met is 98.4%. So it passes the
[39:31]
required standard for audit and this is
[39:34]
once was actually signed off by audit
[39:36]
here at April 13th 2026 Michael Lavager
[39:39]
being our our auditor at that time.
[39:43]
So on page 30
[39:47]
um in a review of the assessments in um
[39:51]
Sunrise Place uh with the complainant
[39:54]
and um uh and reviewing all of those
[39:58]
properties and correcting the sizes
[40:02]
um it made us aware of like typically
[40:04]
for condos we'll develop models specific
[40:07]
to each condo. So Sunrise Place would
[40:10]
have its own model. Sunrise Crescent
[40:12]
would have its own valley model and so
[40:14]
would Sunvil Place.
[40:16]
But uh other appeals and the information
[40:20]
brought up by by Paul the complainant
[40:23]
has brought to light that these these
[40:26]
three uh condo developments Sunville
[40:30]
Place, Sunville Crescent, and Sunrise
[40:34]
um with the with with condors as we've
[40:37]
described for Sunrise Place with the
[40:39]
pictures shown on pages 10 through 15,
[40:43]
they're very similar. They're they're
[40:45]
about 1,030,60
[40:47]
ft² with a single car garage and they're
[40:50]
very they're very much the same.
[40:53]
So in the review of these condo
[40:55]
developments with the property owners
[40:57]
through the inquiry period through this
[40:59]
appeal process
[41:01]
um it seemed appropriate to combine
[41:04]
these three condo communities into one
[41:07]
value model
[41:09]
when by doing so we've we now have um
[41:14]
there's 20 23 sales of units similar to
[41:17]
the subject property or the two subject
[41:19]
properties.
[41:21]
Um so these 23 hills represent 29% of 79
[41:26]
similar properties within these three
[41:28]
communities and these are shown below.
[41:31]
So all the 29 these 23 sales are shown
[41:34]
by those the red respective red bars uh
[41:38]
representing the assessment to sales
[41:40]
ratio
[41:42]
with the overall result being 96.8%.
[41:45]
So this value model passes quality
[41:48]
standard.
[41:49]
So the amended assessments as proposed
[41:52]
is determined from the correction of the
[41:55]
sizes and the re rerunning of the model
[41:58]
using all three communities.
[42:02]
And it's the the assessor our our it's
[42:05]
our um not belief but it we believe the
[42:10]
the assessment is better representation
[42:13]
now in communicating with the
[42:16]
complainant and other inquiries. This is
[42:18]
more representative of the of the market
[42:20]
of these properties.
[42:24]
Um on page 31 it just shows the
[42:26]
dispersion of the respective sales. So
[42:29]
that that red line rep is about 96%.
[42:33]
So of those 29 sales some are above the
[42:36]
assessment and some are below.
[42:40]
So the development and use of the value
[42:42]
model of these similar properties within
[42:43]
these communities results in a
[42:45]
consistent and equitable assessment and
[42:47]
also meeting required quality standards.
[42:51]
So on page 32
[42:54]
this shows
[42:56]
uh all of the sales within that we have
[42:59]
from July 122 to June 30th 25 in sunrise
[43:04]
place. So there are nine altogether.
[43:09]
So we'll just pick that top one. Um he'd
[43:13]
sold 17th of April 2024
[43:16]
for 3986.
[43:18]
The time just selling price for this
[43:20]
property is 4426.
[43:22]
The current assessment of 4184.
[43:26]
Um now the the complainant did mention
[43:29]
this particular sale. So and it did sell
[43:32]
twice.
[43:34]
So this is the latter sale. This is the
[43:37]
last sale in 24. Right immediately below
[43:41]
this, this is the first time it sold. So
[43:44]
it sold in the 28th of February 23 for
[43:47]
3395.
[43:49]
That time adjusted value is 4764
[43:52]
when the assessment the amended
[43:54]
assessment is 4184.
[43:57]
So the first sale, the first one is at
[44:00]
88%.
[44:02]
with the second one being 95. So in both
[44:05]
cases the assessment to sales ratio is
[44:08]
less than 100.
[44:10]
Uh that's just the ones that sold twice.
[44:13]
Um so each this assessment to sales
[44:17]
ratio is a range. Uh and if you go to
[44:21]
page 34
[44:23]
those red bars each of these red bars
[44:26]
represents each of those sales. So there
[44:27]
are nine.
[44:29]
So you see 80 a little less than 80 for
[44:33]
the third one is about 90 fourth one is
[44:36]
85 let's say and there's a range so the
[44:40]
overall median assessment to sales ratio
[44:43]
is 94.5
[44:46]
if we just look at the assessment to
[44:48]
sales ratio in sunrise place regarding
[44:51]
the amended assessment.
[44:54]
So, we've we've reviewed every one of
[44:57]
these sales and tested to make sure
[44:59]
they're arms length. We've applied the
[45:02]
time adjustment to these condo condo
[45:04]
sales like every other condo like all
[45:07]
the other 381
[45:10]
sales which present which gave us on
[45:13]
page 26 which gave us an overall assess
[45:16]
assessment to sales ratio 98%.
[45:19]
So it shows that it's being it's that
[45:22]
the it's um an appropriate time
[45:26]
adjustment. Um [clears throat]
[45:29]
let's see here.
[45:36]
So if if uh these assessment sales
[45:38]
ratios were used with sun sunrise place
[45:41]
the model would be 94.5. It's it
[45:43]
wouldn't pass a on its own because it's
[45:46]
less than 95%.
[45:48]
But when we combine it with with the
[45:51]
overall modeling of Sunrise, Sunrise uh
[45:55]
place, Sunville Crescent, and Sunvil
[45:58]
Place, the value and that's on page
[46:02]
page 30, we get an overall assessment of
[46:05]
sales ratio of 96.8%.
[46:10]
Uh and just for information also on page
[46:14]
32
[46:16]
if we look at uh 38 Sunrise Place um it
[46:20]
shows the role the address the legal
[46:22]
year your built and building size. So
[46:25]
1,62 ft um assessment per square foot is
[46:30]
at 396.
[46:32]
So with this model we've amended model
[46:35]
we're applying to these units
[46:38]
uh it's 396 for 38 sunrise place 398 for
[46:43]
32
[46:45]
398 well again it's the same one 50 is
[46:49]
50 sunrise place is 391 a square foot 34
[46:52]
sunrise place is 391 they're all within
[46:55]
a very consistent value per square foot
[46:59]
all being valued the same way with the
[47:02]
model. It's statistically tested as
[47:03]
passing quality standard.
[47:08]
On page 35,
[47:10]
this shows comparable sales between the
[47:13]
communities of Sunville Place Northeast,
[47:16]
Sunville, Sunville Crescent Northeast,
[47:18]
and Sunrise Place Northeast. So, we have
[47:21]
Tus Sunvil Place at um 397 a square
[47:26]
foot. We got Sunville Crescent at 397 a
[47:30]
square foot. All similar sized units.
[47:33]
The top one's,062.
[47:36]
Um 702 is 1,036 square feet. It's at 397
[47:40]
a square foot. 14 Sunrise Place is 1,57
[47:46]
ft at 396 per square foot. And 32
[47:50]
Sunrise Place
[47:52]
is 1,049 ft at 398 ft². So you can see
[47:56]
that with this new valuation model is
[47:59]
consistency applied using a value model
[48:02]
that would that passes required
[48:04]
provincial standard as of July 1, 2025.
[48:09]
These assessments are all all have
[48:11]
consistent
[48:13]
um values per square foot.
[48:16]
Well, these are the sales, sorry.
[48:20]
And then on page 36, this shows
[48:22]
comparable assessments between each of
[48:23]
those communities with the yellow arrow
[48:26]
representing the value per square foot.
[48:28]
So within a very close tight close
[48:31]
range. So these are comparable
[48:35]
assessments within Sunville Place,
[48:36]
Sunrise Place and Sunville Crescent
[48:40]
showing consistent
[48:42]
consistent assessments
[48:44]
or a consistent application of the model
[48:48]
uh for consistent and equitable
[48:50]
assessment.
[48:53]
On page 37,
[48:55]
um the the chart at the bottom of this
[48:57]
page that was sent without with
[48:59]
everyone's assessment notices reflects
[49:01]
the the overall median assessment change
[49:05]
uh from 2024 to 2025. So this would be
[49:09]
the July the July 1 median overall
[49:12]
change in each of these condominium
[49:15]
developments. So in Sunrise, Sunville
[49:18]
Place, Sunrise Place and Sunvil, the
[49:22]
median assessment in 2024 was 393750
[49:26]
and the median assessment in 2025 was
[49:29]
42350
[49:30]
and that also being consistent with the
[49:33]
with the proposed amended assessment and
[49:35]
their respective values per square foot.
[49:39]
So to conclude, upon the review of the
[49:41]
Sunrise Place Northeast condos during
[49:44]
the 2026 inquiry period, it became
[49:47]
evident that there were historic data
[49:49]
errors in the calculation of the 2025
[49:51]
assessment, specifically related to the
[49:53]
sizes of the condo suite and the garage.
[49:56]
Upon review of all the condo plans and
[49:58]
blueprints specific to the Sunrise
[50:00]
development, corrections were made as
[50:02]
included in the submission. Originally
[50:05]
and typically value models for all
[50:06]
condos are specific to each condo
[50:08]
development. However, through
[50:11]
discussions with property owners and
[50:13]
upon review of comparable sales and
[50:15]
similar properties within Sunrise Place,
[50:17]
Sunville Crescent, and Sunville Place,
[50:20]
it appeared appropriate to develop a
[50:22]
single value model for the similar
[50:23]
sidebyside conds in each of these
[50:26]
locations.
[50:28]
The resulting value model meets the
[50:31]
required provincial quality standards
[50:33]
and is shown to be consistent and
[50:35]
equitable within these three similar
[50:37]
areas and moving forward will be our
[50:39]
standard approach to the assessment of
[50:41]
these condos. It is a recommendation of
[50:44]
the assessor that the amended
[50:45]
assessments of the properties identified
[50:47]
in this submission as shown in page 17.
[50:50]
I better check that. There they are uh
[50:52]
are used in a 2025 assessment year.
[50:55]
Thank you, Madam Chair.
[50:59]
>> Thank you. Uh, complainant, you may ask
[51:02]
» Thank you. Uh, complainant, you may ask
[51:02]
any questions now.
[51:05]
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, thank you,
[51:07]
» Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, thank you,
[51:07]
Stuart. Um,
[51:10]
I think Stuart's done a good job, as he
[51:12]
did this morning, of explaining the
[51:14]
process that the town has gone through
[51:16]
to uh um
[51:20]
proceed with the model and and come out
[51:22]
with a with a valuation on these
[51:24]
properties. And um what what I can't
[51:26]
fathom and can't understand [snorts] is
[51:29]
how
[51:31]
um none of the values that are on um
[51:35]
these assessments actually equate to
[51:38]
sales values within these three
[51:40]
communities that he's talking about. And
[51:43]
and I think we've established that these
[51:44]
three communities are at least similar.
[51:46]
They're not they're not identical, but
[51:48]
they're at least similar. Um, and if if
[51:52]
I can refer you to page 46.
[51:56]
[snorts]
[52:06]
» Sorry, I just want to confirm. Is that
[52:08]
page 46 within your
[52:10]
>> No, it's it's within the submission the
[52:12]
» No, it's it's within the submission the
[52:12]
the um respondents documentation.
[52:17]
Would
[52:21]
that be this page?
[52:22]
>> That would be that page. Yeah.
[52:23]
» That would be that page. Yeah.
[52:23]
>> Okay. Let me just see if I can rotate
[52:25]
» Okay. Let me just see if I can rotate
[52:25]
[clears throat] it.
[52:26]
>> Obviously, I don't have access to all of
[52:28]
» Obviously, I don't have access to all of
[52:28]
the data like the town has. So, I was
[52:30]
only able to collect certain data from
[52:32]
various um residents that I'm
[52:35]
representing for the Sunil properties,
[52:38]
but I do know them for Sunrise, which is
[52:40]
the ones that I own personally.
[52:43]
um and the tax assessments there even
[52:47]
[clears throat] for 2025
[52:50]
um
[52:52]
ne never have we achieved those sales um
[52:55]
[clears throat]
[52:56]
um in in any of these three areas that
[53:00]
we're talking about. So, if you look I
[53:02]
know it's all good. Um, you need to be
[53:06]
looking at page 47 as well, which
[53:08]
highlights all of the sales that I was
[53:10]
able to obtain off the MLS
[53:13]
um for these three areas. Sunrise uh
[53:16]
place, Sunvil Place, and Sunvil Cresant,
[53:20]
which are the three areas that Stuart
[53:23]
has um determined that we're grouping
[53:26]
together now for an evaluation purpose.
[53:28]
none of the sales since 2022 have ever
[53:31]
reached the assessment prices that he's
[53:33]
now saying. Um, their model has has
[53:36]
calculated and even even the sales that
[53:40]
have occurred since then haven't reached
[53:43]
those values either as I made in my
[53:44]
opening statement. Um what what I'd like
[53:47]
to know is
[53:50]
it's great that we have these models
[53:52]
that we follow and that are legislated
[53:56]
but is there any type of calibration
[53:58]
done after those models have have come
[54:02]
up with the calculation to look at the
[54:04]
actual sales that are taking place
[54:07]
because in these three communities I
[54:09]
can't see that any calibration will have
[54:12]
been done because none of these sales um
[54:15]
are anywhere close to those values that
[54:17]
have now been determined.
[54:21]
So that's my question. Has there been
[54:23]
any calibration done after the model has
[54:25]
been done? And I know that, you know,
[54:27]
you've got to meet these legislative
[54:28]
requirements, but the reality is does
[54:32]
this model represent market value?
[54:34]
That's what we're trying to establish.
[54:38]
Thank Thank you u the complaint. Thank
[54:40]
you, Madam Chair. Uh to answer the
[54:42]
question, I'll I'll kind of answer with
[54:44]
an example. So let's say we have these
[54:46]
three communities and then we have let's
[54:48]
say there were no sales in Sunvil Place,
[54:51]
zero sales.
[54:53]
So and they're all we've identified
[54:55]
there as the complaint says they're all
[54:56]
similar properties. So there are no
[54:58]
sales in one of these communities. Do we
[55:01]
say do we say well [snorts]
[55:03]
they're not what are we going to use if
[55:06]
there's no sales? We have so that the
[55:09]
the value for that similar community
[55:12]
comes from the sales in the other
[55:14]
properties. the models the model sales
[55:16]
are coming from the other two
[55:17]
communities. We use those
[55:20]
so that we can apply a consistent
[55:22]
equitable value on those properties that
[55:24]
don't sell. And in in a nutshell, that's
[55:27]
what assessment does. We take sales of
[55:30]
properties. We call them indicators of
[55:32]
value. We develop a value model process
[55:35]
for the properties that sell. It's
[55:38]
statistically tested. Does it reflect
[55:41]
those those specific sales for those
[55:43]
similar properties correctly? And once
[55:46]
it passes that statistical test, it's
[55:48]
just applied to the properties that
[55:50]
don't sell [snorts]
[55:52]
where we have no control over what sales
[55:54]
occur where we can't go, well, there's
[55:57]
only two sales in place. What are we
[56:00]
going to do?
[56:02]
In either way, we need sufficient sales
[56:04]
for us to develop a valuation model that
[56:07]
makes sense that is capable of being a
[56:11]
an appropriate reflection of the market
[56:12]
value of properties. That's our mandate
[56:15]
to be to be a properties
[56:18]
market value using mass appraisal. We
[56:21]
have no control over the sales.
[56:23]
Obviously, we use three years worth of
[56:25]
sales to get as many sales as possible.
[56:28]
The more sales we have, the more
[56:29]
confidence we have in the valuation pro
[56:32]
in the models that are developed that
[56:34]
are stat statistically tested. So in the
[56:37]
example of say either sunrise place or
[56:40]
one of the other communities not having
[56:41]
any sales,
[56:43]
we model we take all those similar
[56:45]
properties. We'll be de we've developed
[56:47]
a value model that includes all of them
[56:49]
now not even separately. Now they all
[56:51]
all the same. So they're all on they're
[56:54]
all on the same level. So they're all
[56:56]
identical and the val with a consistent
[56:59]
valuation process mass appraisal the
[57:01]
sales of time adjusted all the cond
[57:04]
properties every property is adjusted
[57:06]
for time because it has to be July 1. So
[57:09]
we follow we followed the the provincial
[57:12]
legislation, we followed best practice
[57:14]
using mass appraisal. And even if the
[57:16]
example of um if there were no sales in
[57:20]
one of those communities, if if there
[57:21]
were one sale, it could be high, it
[57:25]
could be lower, but it's just one sale.
[57:28]
And we talked about that coefficient of
[57:30]
dispersion. It's in there somewhere.
[57:32]
It's in that range
[57:35]
of value. Just because there's only one
[57:37]
sale, it doesn't mean it's the highest
[57:40]
or the lowest, we have no control over
[57:42]
that. All we required to do is look all
[57:45]
the sales of a consistent group of
[57:47]
properties by location, develop a model
[57:51]
that's statistically tested following
[57:52]
all the provincial regulations we have,
[57:55]
and then that's the assessment. I I
[57:57]
understand the argument that um this
[58:02]
these these couple of sales in 22 or
[58:04]
some in 23 but we have we just time and
[58:09]
location or right and there's all kinds
[58:12]
of other property groups but we're
[58:13]
looking at similar properties a similar
[58:16]
process a similar and consistent
[58:19]
statistical test so we that's what how
[58:21]
the assessments are developed that's the
[58:23]
only defense I have right we we're we're
[58:25]
bound by legis legislation bound by mass
[58:28]
appraisal as imperfect as it may be.
[58:30]
Right? But that's that's that's the
[58:32]
standard by which we are complete the
[58:34]
assessment process.
[58:39]
» Thank you. I will now ask any members of
[58:41]
the board if you have any questions
[58:46]
to the assessor through the chair. Are
[58:50]
so we're just taking the sales. Are we
[58:53]
now looking at quality
[58:55]
of the homes that are involved in these
[58:58]
sales? The amp like
[59:02]
are all the condos in that area the same
[59:06]
quality?
[59:09]
» Yep. They're all identical. They're all
[59:11]
They're all assessed exactly the same.
[59:13]
They all have different It's marketed
[59:15]
just a depreciated cost. So they have
[59:18]
different ages, different sizes, but the
[59:21]
style and quality of construction is
[59:23]
consistent throughout. It's not there's
[59:25]
not there's not sufficient differences
[59:28]
that would that would would cause any to
[59:30]
be different than another. Not not on
[59:33]
the assessor's opinion anyway.
[59:36]
U Madam Chair, may I interject?
[59:38]
>> Go ahead. Um,
[59:40]
» Go ahead. Um,
[59:40]
yeah, I obviously have the privilege of
[59:42]
of being on the condominium board of
[59:44]
Sunil Place that we spoke about this
[59:46]
morning and I'm also on the condominium
[59:47]
board of Sunrise Place that we're now
[59:50]
assessing. Um, the quality of the homes
[59:54]
in Sunil are actually superior to the
[59:55]
ones in Sunrise. I know cuz I own two of
[59:58]
them and they have different finishings
[1:00:01]
inside.
[1:00:02]
um you know their laminated countertops
[1:00:05]
rather than um marble or anyway it's
[1:00:10]
it's it's a little bit different. The
[1:00:12]
flooring is very different. You got
[1:00:14]
plush wooden floors in Sunvil. You don't
[1:00:16]
have the same flooring in Sunrise. The
[1:00:19]
property that they've got in the picture
[1:00:20]
is obviously one that's been renovated
[1:00:22]
and and actually looks very nice. Um but
[1:00:24]
not all of the properties are exactly
[1:00:25]
the same and they do that does determine
[1:00:29]
a different value. it wouldn't be
[1:00:30]
significant but it it might be enough.
[1:00:33]
Um
[1:00:34]
I guess guess what I would have to say
[1:00:36]
is that
[1:00:38]
even though the model seems to suggest
[1:00:40]
that these values should be accurate. Um
[1:00:43]
on on this this diagram here or this
[1:00:47]
chart here we can we can see sales um
[1:00:51]
that have taken place um over a period
[1:00:54]
of years since 2022.
[1:00:56]
and
[1:00:58]
all of the comparable sales. We would we
[1:01:01]
would consider these three communities
[1:01:02]
as called Sunrise Meadows. Am I correct?
[1:01:06]
>> I don't know that I know you by
[1:01:08]
» I don't know that I know you by
[1:01:08]
specifically by each one, but you're
[1:01:09]
probably right. Yeah,
[1:01:10]
>> Sunrise Meadows is what I understand
[1:01:11]
» Sunrise Meadows is what I understand
[1:01:11]
that these three communities are are
[1:01:13]
referred to, but it's it's Sunrise
[1:01:15]
Place, Sunrise Cresant, and Sunvail
[1:01:19]
Place. Um
[1:01:21]
so these three air these three
[1:01:23]
communities are the most comparable
[1:01:24]
properties available in High River
[1:01:27]
because they are most similar. Um but
[1:01:29]
but they are different. Um they they the
[1:01:32]
sales that I've got in this chart depict
[1:01:35]
arms length market transactions between
[1:01:38]
willing buyers and willing sellers. Um,
[1:01:41]
and actual sales, actual sales are the
[1:01:46]
strongest evidence of market value. Not
[1:01:49]
a model, not a formula, actual sales.
[1:01:53]
And every comparable sale supports
[1:01:55]
values significantly below these
[1:01:57]
assessed values. Every single sale. Now,
[1:02:00]
I g gather that there's a time
[1:02:01]
adjustment factor, but even the sales
[1:02:05]
that have occurred since July 1st, 2025
[1:02:09]
are well below this assessment value.
[1:02:13]
So, obviously, something is broken
[1:02:15]
within the model and that's our contest
[1:02:18]
our our our
[1:02:20]
position. Um, it's it's a consistent
[1:02:23]
pattern that we're seeing. um it's not
[1:02:27]
one sale um within this community. All
[1:02:30]
of the sales that I've got on this
[1:02:32]
document demonstrate that we're not
[1:02:34]
anywhere near those values. Now, yes,
[1:02:36]
it's over a time period, but not anyone
[1:02:38]
of the sales that took place within that
[1:02:41]
1st of July 2024
[1:02:44]
to 30th of June 2025 hit that value at
[1:02:48]
all. And I mentioned at the very
[1:02:49]
beginning,
[1:02:52]
unit 50 was sold
[1:02:56]
just a matter of weeks on May 9th, it
[1:02:59]
sold for 380,000,
[1:03:01]
7 weeks before the legislated valuation
[1:03:04]
date. And yet the town's value for that
[1:03:07]
property
[1:03:09]
is 416.
[1:03:11]
Well, that's a significant jump.
[1:03:14]
[snorts] Um, and so we contest that the
[1:03:18]
model doesn't seem to be working. It's
[1:03:20]
not representative of what actually is
[1:03:23]
happening on the ground. [snorts] Um and
[1:03:26]
and I don't I don't understand it. I
[1:03:29]
don't know what the
[1:03:31]
um the model does in its calculations. I
[1:03:34]
just see the numbers of the actual sales
[1:03:37]
that I was able to obtain details of and
[1:03:40]
they're they're not they're not equating
[1:03:42]
to what um Stuart [snorts] is reporting.
[1:03:49]
Anyway, I rest. Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:03:54]
>> Sorry, I just want to clarify. You said
[1:03:56]
» Sorry, I just want to clarify. You said
[1:03:56]
unit 50. I don't see that on this list
[1:03:58]
here.
[1:03:59]
>> It's not um this this particular unit
[1:04:02]
» It's not um this this particular unit
[1:04:02]
was not on the MLS. It was actually data
[1:04:04]
that the town provided me. So, it must
[1:04:07]
have been a private sale is what I
[1:04:08]
assume.
[1:04:10]
>> But I will contest as well, like I did
[1:04:12]
» But I will contest as well, like I did
[1:04:12]
this morning, that that doesn't matter.
[1:04:15]
The people that are residing in these
[1:04:17]
homes are all mostly retired folks,
[1:04:21]
right? They're mostly retired folks. And
[1:04:25]
um there's going to be a lot of estate
[1:04:28]
sales in these communities as a result
[1:04:30]
of that. Um that's that's just an
[1:04:34]
apparent fact because of the age
[1:04:35]
population of the people that are living
[1:04:37]
there.
[1:04:40]
They're they're either staying there
[1:04:41]
till they die or they're moving from
[1:04:43]
there into a care facility of some sort.
[1:04:48]
>> Any other questions from the board?
[1:04:50]
» Any other questions from the board?
[1:04:50]
>> Yeah, I have several here. Just uh
[1:04:52]
» Yeah, I have several here. Just uh
[1:04:52]
confirm what page number is that for the
[1:04:55]
location you were just talking about?
[1:04:57]
>> 50.
[1:04:58]
» 50.
[1:04:58]
>> Um
[1:04:58]
» Um
[1:04:58]
>> because I don't see it in this report
[1:04:59]
» because I don't see it in this report
[1:04:59]
when I reviewed it through lunch.
[1:05:01]
>> That's a great question. Um it's in the
[1:05:04]
» That's a great question. Um it's in the
[1:05:04]
rebuttal that was sent to us from the
[1:05:06]
city. So it's somewhere in this
[1:05:08]
document. Okay.
[1:05:09]
>> And uh
[1:05:09]
» And uh
[1:05:09]
>> I don't know if we can do like
[1:05:10]
» I don't know if we can do like
[1:05:10]
>> I'll see if I can find it
[1:05:11]
» I'll see if I can find it
[1:05:11]
>> a control search function on it.
[1:05:14]
» a control search function on it.
[1:05:14]
>> Okay. I'll just jump to a couple other
[1:05:16]
» Okay. I'll just jump to a couple other
[1:05:16]
ones here.
[1:05:18]
>> Um to the complaintant here. You
[1:05:20]
» Um to the complaintant here. You
[1:05:20]
discussed a few times in regards to
[1:05:23]
direct sales. Most recent sales is this
[1:05:26]
50 and then the prior ones just to
[1:05:28]
confirm with you is 42 cresant place and
[1:05:31]
then 32
[1:05:34]
specifically. Is that correct?
[1:05:36]
Uh 42 at 375,000
[1:05:40]
>> and then 32 was your other direct
[1:05:42]
» and then 32 was your other direct
[1:05:42]
>> 398,600.
[1:05:43]
» 398,600.
[1:05:44]
Yes, that's correct.
[1:05:45]
>> Those are your direct comparisons that
[1:05:47]
» Those are your direct comparisons that
[1:05:47]
you want to equate to this.
[1:05:49]
>> Yes. Thank you. Thank you for
[1:05:51]
» Yes. Thank you. Thank you for
[1:05:51]
confirming. Uh in regards to the
[1:05:53]
condition of the property itself, um as
[1:05:56]
you've already stated before, but I just
[1:05:58]
want to make sure it's clear to
[1:06:00]
everybody online here. What is your
[1:06:02]
depiction of the condition of the
[1:06:06]
properties? The subject properties would
[1:06:08]
you recommend or would you advise as
[1:06:10]
it's fair, good, excellent condition or
[1:06:13]
referring to does the roof need to be
[1:06:15]
replaced? I understand the interior may
[1:06:17]
have small adjustments but major
[1:06:20]
structural issues.
[1:06:21]
>> These these properties are about 4 years
[1:06:23]
» These these properties are about 4 years
[1:06:23]
older than the properties that we were
[1:06:24]
talking about this morning in Sunil.
[1:06:26]
They're from 2012. They're all of a
[1:06:28]
similar um condition. Um the roofs are
[1:06:32]
all in good condition. Um obviously the
[1:06:35]
exterior of these properties are managed
[1:06:36]
by the condo board, not by the
[1:06:38]
individual tenants or owners. Um and
[1:06:41]
yeah, they're all in good condition.
[1:06:43]
>> Okay. Thank you.
[1:06:43]
» Okay. Thank you.
[1:06:44]
>> The interiors are slightly different.
[1:06:45]
» The interiors are slightly different.
[1:06:46]
>> Thank you. To the respondent just to
[1:06:49]
» Thank you. To the respondent just to
[1:06:49]
confirm for myself here and I know the
[1:06:52]
complaintant did bring it up here. Um in
[1:06:56]
regards to the time weight, what's the
[1:06:58]
actual weight? I know you guys did a
[1:07:00]
confidence to confirm if it hit the
[1:07:03]
medium through the government, but
[1:07:06]
what's the actual weight when we're
[1:07:07]
applying a weight of a sale of 2022?
[1:07:10]
What what's the actual weight itself?
[1:07:14]
Like how are we adjusting that specific
[1:07:16]
number versus a sale of 2024?
[1:07:19]
>> Yeah, it's it's
[1:07:20]
» Yeah, it's it's
[1:07:20]
>> I just I couldn't find it in the page
[1:07:22]
» I just I couldn't find it in the page
[1:07:22]
reviewing it through like an hour
[1:07:23]
before. I just do you have uh
[1:07:26]
information for me? There's no there's
[1:07:27]
no specific it's developed from the like
[1:07:30]
you say on page 28 of the of our
[1:07:34]
submission there's a graph there's a
[1:07:35]
graph there representing the time
[1:07:36]
adjustment so it's it's there's not
[1:07:39]
there's no set standard that time
[1:07:41]
adjustment is calculated specifically
[1:07:42]
only from those condos
[1:07:44]
>> from all the condos here in town there's
[1:07:46]
» from all the condos here in town there's
[1:07:46]
not a in high river we we this is it the
[1:07:49]
time adjustment is calculated from the
[1:07:51]
sales and so there isn't there is an
[1:07:52]
adjustment that's a coefficient we don't
[1:07:55]
we don't I get come with a statistical
[1:07:57]
regression to build for a difference of
[1:07:59]
timing. I'm just trying to understand
[1:08:02]
where it would be aligned or is it just
[1:08:05]
exponential? At the end of the day, it's
[1:08:08]
this is an estimate of assessment, an
[1:08:10]
estimate of value using mass appraisal
[1:08:12]
and it's tested for our so our models
[1:08:15]
are tested the statistical test is 95 to
[1:08:18]
105.
[1:08:19]
So that's after the time adjustments are
[1:08:21]
calculated determined then that's how
[1:08:24]
the respective sales are adjusted but
[1:08:27]
then modeling is specific to similar
[1:08:29]
groups and I just want to add add to
[1:08:31]
that um the complaint said did say that
[1:08:34]
Sunvil place were better units
[1:08:38]
but similar so you know there the
[1:08:41]
assessment is not we can only divide
[1:08:43]
properties into so many small groups and
[1:08:45]
then we have no sales left so it's mass
[1:08:48]
appraisal for similar groups
[1:08:50]
If we really get into the weeds and want
[1:08:51]
to divide stuff into hundreds of groups,
[1:08:54]
good luck trying to come up with a sale
[1:08:55]
price with a model. So that's why we're
[1:08:57]
looking at that's why I think we would
[1:08:59]
be in agreement that I've heard from the
[1:09:01]
complaintant also that these three
[1:09:03]
communities are very close. That's why I
[1:09:06]
say this is a a good idea moving ahead
[1:09:08]
to make them all the same, right? But
[1:09:10]
they're not perfectly identical. We
[1:09:13]
can't we it's just residential groups.
[1:09:15]
Imagine trying to place some like some
[1:09:17]
place like water tower or the southwest
[1:09:19]
looking for tight groups. Good luck,
[1:09:22]
right? We we have to we have to divide
[1:09:24]
them up into consistent similar groups
[1:09:27]
and not into smaller groups. So, it's
[1:09:29]
mass appraisal for ma for as consistent
[1:09:33]
groups as we can get right. They don't
[1:09:35]
have to be identical but similar.
[1:09:37]
>> I appreciate that. Okay. Couple
[1:09:40]
» I appreciate that. Okay. Couple
[1:09:40]
>> sorry, just for the purpose of this, if
[1:09:42]
» sorry, just for the purpose of this, if
[1:09:42]
you're not speaking, can you please turn
[1:09:44]
off your microphone? Apologies,
[1:09:48]
that was myself. [laughter]
[1:09:50]
Um, in regards to the assessments, uh,
[1:09:53]
similar question to the complainant to
[1:09:55]
the respondent here, uh, when you went
[1:09:57]
to the properties, just to confirm
[1:09:59]
through, uh, everybody live streaming
[1:10:02]
this. Uh, when you checked out the
[1:10:04]
property itself, would you consider the
[1:10:05]
condition good, fair, excellent
[1:10:08]
condition, no major faults or issues?
[1:10:10]
just to confirm other property
[1:10:14]
>> I believe uh I don't I haven't looked at
[1:10:16]
» I believe uh I don't I haven't looked at
[1:10:16]
everyone specifically but for this group
[1:10:18]
I think we believe we all have them as
[1:10:20]
average they're not that old
[1:10:21]
>> okay
[1:10:22]
» okay
[1:10:22]
>> right they're not that old to have
[1:10:24]
» right they're not that old to have
[1:10:24]
experienced significant depreciation
[1:10:26]
which we don't already uh already
[1:10:29]
considered in the age of the age of the
[1:10:31]
condos whether they're built in 2012 or
[1:10:33]
built in 2016 that there's an adjustment
[1:10:35]
for depreciation in the mass in the
[1:10:37]
market adjusted depreciated cost method
[1:10:40]
So we don't we don't we haven't had any
[1:10:44]
feedback from property owners of any
[1:10:45]
extreme condition like we we and we have
[1:10:49]
them all at average.
[1:10:50]
>> I appreciate that. Thank you. That's all
[1:10:53]
» I appreciate that. Thank you. That's all
[1:10:53]
I have for a question.
[1:10:56]
>> Go ahead.
[1:10:57]
» Go ahead.
[1:10:57]
>> Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, you had
[1:11:00]
» Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, you had
[1:11:00]
at one point wanted the assessed value
[1:11:02]
at 360 and you said, "Now taking into
[1:11:06]
all that I've learned, I'd like to see
[1:11:09]
an assessment of what?"
[1:11:13]
>> Um, Madame Chair, thank you for the
[1:11:15]
» Um, Madame Chair, thank you for the
[1:11:15]
opportunity to answer the question. Um,
[1:11:17]
just just before I do answer that
[1:11:19]
question, I do want to go back to what
[1:11:21]
Taylor had said about um the one
[1:11:24]
property unit 50. It's found on page 32.
[1:11:27]
um you'll see that the ASR on page 32
[1:11:31]
was 109%
[1:11:33]
and that is the property that we learned
[1:11:35]
about being sold at 380,000.
[1:11:38]
Um
[1:11:40]
anyway, just wanted to bring that back
[1:11:42]
to your attention and answer that
[1:11:43]
question. Um based based upon um
[1:11:48]
everything that we had learned um during
[1:11:52]
this process um we recognize that we may
[1:11:57]
have been a little bit um
[1:12:01]
you know [snorts] uh keen to get a lower
[1:12:05]
value and so we we feel that the Sunrise
[1:12:08]
Place properties sell for less than the
[1:12:10]
Sunvail Place properties typically.
[1:12:14]
Um that's that's what we've seen over
[1:12:16]
time and and so we we did have a reduced
[1:12:20]
value. Um but when when we went through
[1:12:24]
this process, we're accepting now that
[1:12:27]
hey, a lot of the values that we're
[1:12:29]
seeing these properties be sold for is
[1:12:31]
around that that price point. And so it
[1:12:34]
doesn't seem to matter that the Sunil
[1:12:36]
Place properties might be a little bit
[1:12:38]
better um interior. They're still being
[1:12:41]
sold for a similar value to the ones in
[1:12:43]
Sunrise. And so hopefully that answers
[1:12:45]
your question and that's why we've we've
[1:12:47]
adjusted what we're applying for.
[1:12:50]
>> So to confirm,
[1:12:53]
» So to confirm,
[1:12:53]
380 is
[1:12:54]
>> Does that Does that Yeah, 380. Yeah.
[1:12:56]
» Does that Does that Yeah, 380. Yeah.
[1:12:56]
Does that answer your question? [snorts]
[1:12:59]
>> I believe so. Thank you.
[1:13:01]
» I believe so. Thank you.
[1:13:01]
>> Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:13:02]
» Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:13:02]
>> Any other questions?
[1:13:07]
That appeared like a rebuttal but um
[1:13:10]
thank you. So now I will invite the
[1:13:12]
complainant um to speak to a rebuttal um
[1:13:15]
clos disclosure um and you any closing
[1:13:20]
remarks.
[1:13:24]
» Thank you Madam Chair. um
[1:13:27]
really uh
[1:13:30]
I think I think we've repeated ourselves
[1:13:32]
uh a number of times um that
[1:13:36]
we we recognize that the town has an
[1:13:40]
obligation to follow a mass appraisal
[1:13:43]
model in its calculations of these
[1:13:45]
assessments. Um our argument is not that
[1:13:49]
they haven't done their job. it's that
[1:13:51]
these mass appraisal calculations don't
[1:13:54]
actually um equate to what's actually
[1:13:57]
happening in reality and the evidence
[1:14:01]
we've provided shows that none of those
[1:14:03]
those homes will fetch the values that
[1:14:05]
they're currently being assessed at. Um,
[1:14:07]
and I think uh I I don't know whether or
[1:14:10]
not it's a time adjustment problem in
[1:14:13]
their model um uh or whether or not um
[1:14:18]
there's some other miscalculation in the
[1:14:21]
model that's currently being used. But
[1:14:24]
uh we we affirm that uh our request to
[1:14:29]
have the board um determine a value that
[1:14:32]
equates to what the market will bear um
[1:14:36]
should be what these properties be
[1:14:38]
assessed at as we move forward. Thank
[1:14:41]
you.
[1:14:47]
um to the respondent um any closing
[1:14:52]
remarks or rebuttals
[1:14:55]
for last considerations here.
[1:14:58]
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um just to
[1:15:01]
» Thank you, Madam Chair. Um just to
[1:15:01]
reiterate, um uh my favorite saying is I
[1:15:05]
don't write the music. I just play the
[1:15:06]
piano. We we just reflect what happens
[1:15:08]
in the marketplace. We have no control
[1:15:11]
over what the sale is. Uh what value it
[1:15:14]
is, what when it's sold. We are required
[1:15:18]
we when we reflect we've taken all of
[1:15:21]
the sales all the actual all the sales
[1:15:24]
the complainants used in the submission
[1:15:26]
actual sales they're in they're in our
[1:15:28]
analysis. If it's sold even ones has
[1:15:30]
been made clear the ones that aren't on
[1:15:32]
MLS we include we have to include all of
[1:15:36]
them. So they all are included not some
[1:15:38]
of them all of them. So they are in the
[1:15:40]
model and the models are statistically
[1:15:43]
tested. We've wrapped both these three
[1:15:44]
communities together. There may be some
[1:15:47]
subtle differences between the three of
[1:15:49]
them. Mass appraisal there's a it's a
[1:15:52]
range of value. So that's that's our
[1:15:54]
current and it's for the distribution of
[1:15:56]
tax. It's not for borrowing money. It's
[1:15:58]
not for any other purpose for but for
[1:16:00]
the fair and equitable distribution of
[1:16:02]
the tax load using advalar
[1:16:05]
principle of valuation. Right? So we've
[1:16:08]
met the standards, we've followed the
[1:16:10]
market sales, we've made appropriate
[1:16:13]
adjustments for the change in value over
[1:16:15]
time. We've developed uh a model that
[1:16:18]
suits that is developed from the three
[1:16:21]
communities. And we've even shown that
[1:16:23]
if those models were were used
[1:16:25]
specifically within Sunrise Rice Place,
[1:16:29]
those assessments wouldn't pass audit.
[1:16:31]
They're they're on they're 95 they're
[1:16:33]
94.5% or whatever it was it was. But to
[1:16:36]
together as a group they they pass audit
[1:16:39]
and that's that's what we're supposed to
[1:16:40]
do. We we we can't if we had developed
[1:16:44]
if these were the original 2025
[1:16:46]
assessment going to asset for uh
[1:16:49]
approval they wouldn't pass. So these
[1:16:51]
are the rules we have to follow using
[1:16:53]
mass appraisal developing models that
[1:16:56]
are statistically tested that represent
[1:16:58]
a range of value. We've shown that some
[1:17:00]
of we we show you assessment it's at
[1:17:02]
96%. Some sales are higher, some sales
[1:17:06]
are lower. If you were to pick one of
[1:17:08]
those sales out, like one one could be
[1:17:11]
lower, one could be higher. We use all
[1:17:13]
of them and the middle represents the
[1:17:16]
whole. So we've done we've done that in
[1:17:19]
this case with the with the assess the
[1:17:20]
amended assessments for Sunrise Sunrise
[1:17:23]
Place.
[1:17:24]
So I I respect the fact that some a
[1:17:28]
recent sale might be lower than the
[1:17:30]
current assessment. It's after it's
[1:17:32]
after July 1 if it is if it's after that
[1:17:34]
time and it's one it's one sale. Next
[1:17:38]
this whole next year is a whole new
[1:17:39]
year. We drop 22 2022 sales would drop
[1:17:43]
off. We pick up the 2026 sales. It's a
[1:17:45]
brand new model. If the market's
[1:17:47]
tapering off this year that would be
[1:17:50]
reflected in next year's assessment.
[1:17:51]
Again, it's all the sales for one one
[1:17:55]
point in time value. So, um I respect
[1:17:58]
the opinion. It's mass appraisal is um
[1:18:00]
it's unique to assessment. It's not an
[1:18:03]
appraisal like a regular appraisal in
[1:18:04]
the market. Um our role is to reflect
[1:18:08]
the typical market. our our mandate as
[1:18:11]
per legislation is market value standard
[1:18:14]
using mass appraisal passing new
[1:18:16]
required quality standards and this has
[1:18:18]
been a great process right to to both
[1:18:20]
Sunville Place and Sunrise Place with
[1:18:23]
the patience of people like Paul right
[1:18:25]
to help us shed some light on maybe
[1:18:27]
improving things as we move forward
[1:18:28]
that's what it's all about we we don't
[1:18:30]
stand in a a corn of silence and we're
[1:18:32]
not open to any new information on how
[1:18:34]
to value things it's it's it's this
[1:18:37]
process and this process I respect we
[1:18:40]
respect that, right? That's how we
[1:18:41]
that's how we make our assessments
[1:18:42]
better and decisions of the board. So,
[1:18:45]
this is a great process. I've I've
[1:18:47]
enjoyed going through this with Paul and
[1:18:48]
and the people in Sunville Place. And
[1:18:50]
like I say, we're just following the
[1:18:52]
rules we have and this is just our
[1:18:54]
estimate value for mass appraisal
[1:18:55]
process. So, I appreciate your time.
[1:18:57]
Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:18:59]
One question for me personally, um,
[1:19:03]
because it follows the mandate of the
[1:19:06]
province and it it passes the the test,
[1:19:11]
is there an opportunity that the test
[1:19:14]
valuation overall in High River is too
[1:19:17]
high?
[1:19:22]
Um it's they're all all so all the
[1:19:24]
models are developed specifically for
[1:19:26]
every single like we don't model we
[1:19:29]
don't have a volume model for condos
[1:19:31]
like we don't by by it's stratified by
[1:19:34]
property type within each community. So
[1:19:38]
those models develop by property type
[1:19:40]
and each community they're all at 98%.
[1:19:44]
So you take all of those and compile
[1:19:46]
them together. Like remember the the the
[1:19:48]
the example of this mass appraise mass
[1:19:52]
appraisal all of the 1300 and some
[1:19:54]
condos like they were all they're all in
[1:19:57]
the different model groups all 98%. So
[1:20:00]
they're all believe me the audit audit
[1:20:03]
are very very stringent. They pick they
[1:20:05]
pick it apart and so they should because
[1:20:07]
people pay tax based on this. So we
[1:20:09]
should be scrutinized here, here, and
[1:20:12]
with you and with the province. So the
[1:20:14]
rules are very strict. I would say no,
[1:20:17]
there there's a range of course like we
[1:20:20]
always have people come in and if there
[1:20:23]
if a property sold for 350 and we've got
[1:20:26]
to assess at 370, they come in and say,
[1:20:28]
"What's going on?" Well, there's a
[1:20:31]
range. And so we can't we can't be lower
[1:20:34]
than everyone's selling price. It's not
[1:20:36]
possible. So we I'm I'm confident that
[1:20:40]
we've we've met the standard. It's been
[1:20:42]
we've passed the audit. They the they
[1:20:45]
passed we've passed that test and at
[1:20:47]
this level we're we're getting more
[1:20:48]
specific, right? And that's fine. You
[1:20:50]
know, it's like I said, it's a good
[1:20:52]
learning opportunity as well for
[1:20:54]
everybody, right?
[1:20:55]
>> Yeah, absolutely. The reason I come to
[1:20:57]
» Yeah, absolutely. The reason I come to
[1:20:57]
that question is because a lot of the
[1:20:59]
market ratio reports that were provided
[1:21:02]
um for example it was your page 26 but
[1:21:06]
the overall document page 59 the mean
[1:21:09]
came in for the square footage at 312
[1:21:12]
square ft and I'm wondering the
[1:21:15]
valuation of square footage as we do an
[1:21:17]
assessment would be like the replacement
[1:21:19]
cost of a property.
[1:21:22]
>> Could you can I ask that question again
[1:21:24]
» Could you can I ask that question again
[1:21:24]
please?
[1:21:24]
>> Sure. The reason I'm asking that
[1:21:27]
» Sure. The reason I'm asking that
[1:21:27]
>> which p which page which page
[1:21:28]
» which p which page which page
[1:21:28]
>> so it's your page 26.
[1:21:30]
» so it's your page 26.
[1:21:30]
>> All right. Yes.
[1:21:31]
» All right. Yes.
[1:21:32]
>> So um the price for per square foot the
[1:21:35]
» So um the price for per square foot the
[1:21:36]
mean here you have it 312
[1:21:41]
» dollars.
[1:21:41]
>> Oh yeah that's this is just this is just
[1:21:43]
» Oh yeah that's this is just this is just
[1:21:43]
we don't use that like we this is not
[1:21:45]
it. This is just a reflection. This is
[1:21:47]
reflect. This is not the numbers on here
[1:21:50]
are not they're just um
[1:21:54]
they're we don't use that. We don't use
[1:21:56]
that. It's just it's just a number. It's
[1:21:58]
just a of this group for this like this
[1:22:01]
is every all the condos all the condo
[1:22:03]
sales. So we wouldn't this doesn't rep
[1:22:05]
reflect anything. It's just information.
[1:22:08]
We wouldn't we wouldn't use that 312
[1:22:10]
because this is rep represents every
[1:22:13]
condo in town. apartment condo like a
[1:22:16]
Sunvail condo
[1:22:18]
uh every condo this is this is just this
[1:22:21]
is um like we don't we don't use that to
[1:22:25]
calculate assessments because this this
[1:22:26]
is all condos in every community
[1:22:30]
every all the all the strata groups this
[1:22:32]
is not this is not a measure of value
[1:22:33]
like it's not
[1:22:35]
>> yeah we wouldn't we wouldn't use that
[1:22:37]
» yeah we wouldn't we wouldn't use that
[1:22:37]
it's just a
[1:22:38]
>> although it does form part of the
[1:22:40]
» although it does form part of the
[1:22:40]
evidence for us
[1:22:43]
>> yeah it's not the what's specific to
[1:22:45]
» yeah it's not the what's specific to
[1:22:45]
these these condor groups is what's been
[1:22:48]
shown today because these are different
[1:22:50]
a whole every condor this is only used
[1:22:52]
as as an example like for instance if
[1:22:54]
you go to
[1:22:56]
let's go to page 30
[1:23:00]
you'll see it's for for this group so
[1:23:02]
this is for all of them [clears throat]
[1:23:05]
it says 423
[1:23:07]
>> right and we're the assessment the me
[1:23:09]
» right and we're the assessment the me
[1:23:09]
the proposed assessment is not 423 like
[1:23:11]
it doesn't mean it's just it's a
[1:23:13]
different group the groups that matter
[1:23:15]
is is the group that we have used right
[1:23:18]
here for 96. This is not that's not the
[1:23:20]
measure. It's the group the measure of
[1:23:23]
the value is the the model that's built
[1:23:27]
from the assessment divided by the
[1:23:30]
selling price for all for all those 23
[1:23:33]
sales to arrive at a median ASR of
[1:23:35]
96.8%. That's the destination right
[1:23:38]
there. That the median ASR that's the
[1:23:40]
quality standard. what you're referring
[1:23:43]
to this price median mean like this all
[1:23:46]
these numbers they're just a measure
[1:23:48]
they're just another way to look at the
[1:23:49]
same number but they're not used in our
[1:23:51]
analysis these are irrelevant the the
[1:23:54]
number we're that's that we the quality
[1:23:57]
standard we're required to meet is that
[1:23:58]
median percentage because that's statist
[1:24:01]
that's a stat statistical test of this
[1:24:04]
model for similar units of sales within
[1:24:08]
the three years as of July 125 That's
[1:24:11]
that's our standard and that's what's
[1:24:13]
being communicated here like all this
[1:24:15]
we've talked about the sales specific to
[1:24:18]
sun these three communities there are
[1:24:20]
similar properties and that's our
[1:24:22]
destination is an assessment rule the
[1:24:25]
total assessment value we don't do we
[1:24:28]
don't say a median square footage and
[1:24:30]
apply that this is just a result you
[1:24:33]
right it's just a massive process
[1:24:35]
>> so it's an area essentially no different
[1:24:37]
» so it's an area essentially no different
[1:24:37]
than you having
[1:24:38]
>> if you use that as a measure of
[1:24:40]
» if you use that as a measure of
[1:24:40]
comparison
[1:24:41]
Fine, you can you can anyone can use
[1:24:44]
whatever they want. But for us, we this
[1:24:47]
the destination is the total assessment
[1:24:50]
divided by the selling price for all of
[1:24:53]
the sales in the model. Does it pass the
[1:24:56]
quality standard? And on page 30, the
[1:24:58]
the median ASR is 96.8%. That's our
[1:25:01]
requirement. We're market value
[1:25:03]
assessment for the total value of the
[1:25:05]
property.
[1:25:06]
So, it would be fair to say that the
[1:25:08]
mean is 423 and the median is 422 of
[1:25:11]
what?
[1:25:12]
>> I wouldn't Yeah, I wouldn't I wouldn't
[1:25:13]
» I wouldn't Yeah, I wouldn't I wouldn't
[1:25:13]
use those numbers. I'm not suggesting I
[1:25:15]
I didn't I haven't used that in my in
[1:25:17]
this in this submission.
[1:25:20]
Right. That's we're talking we're
[1:25:21]
talking about the
[1:25:23]
the valuation model that's applied
[1:25:25]
consistently within similar similar
[1:25:28]
properties.
[1:25:31]
So just me personally I um so you don't
[1:25:35]
want us to assess the square foot value
[1:25:38]
that is being presented in some of this
[1:25:41]
documentation.
[1:25:42]
>> We're we're talking we're we're we're
[1:25:45]
» We're we're talking we're we're we're
[1:25:45]
def we're we're we're defending the
[1:25:47]
total assessed value of the property not
[1:25:49]
the square foot value of the property.
[1:25:51]
Right? We could use the we could use the
[1:25:54]
garage and say the gra based on the
[1:25:57]
garage size. You could build a model on
[1:25:59]
that. Right? You could build a model in
[1:26:01]
anything, but we're saying we've we've
[1:26:03]
we've corrected the size of those condo
[1:26:06]
suites. The assessment comprises of the
[1:26:08]
suite at a certain square footage and a
[1:26:10]
garage square footage. They come up with
[1:26:13]
a value
[1:26:14]
for a total and that total for us. That
[1:26:18]
total assessment has to be divided by
[1:26:21]
that that assessment divided by the time
[1:26:24]
it just selling price
[1:26:26]
of of these 23 sales has to be within
[1:26:29]
quality standard.
[1:26:31]
That's what that's what we've that's how
[1:26:33]
the model's built. That's how we're
[1:26:34]
defending it today. We're not defending
[1:26:35]
it on any other any any other metric.
[1:26:39]
>> Okay. Thank you.
[1:26:40]
» Okay. Thank you.
[1:26:40]
>> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, if
[1:26:43]
» Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, if
[1:26:43]
there are no further questions from the
[1:26:45]
board, um, this is an opportunity for
[1:26:48]
either party to make any final comments
[1:26:51]
um, before we conclude this hearing. Um,
[1:26:53]
and please note that additional comments
[1:26:56]
are not required. If you feel your
[1:26:58]
position has already been heard.
[1:27:02]
» Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't really
[1:27:03]
feel like I need to make any other
[1:27:05]
comments. Appreciate everybody's time
[1:27:06]
this afternoon. Uh, England are one up,
[1:27:08]
so sorry, Hank.
[1:27:11]
>> [laughter]
[1:27:13]
» And
[1:27:16]
[laughter]
[1:27:17]
>> thank you everybody for your time. I
[1:27:18]
» thank you everybody for your time. I
[1:27:18]
appreciate it.
[1:27:21]
>> Uh similar to the complaint, Madam
[1:27:22]
» Uh similar to the complaint, Madam
[1:27:22]
Chair, uh we've shared lots of
[1:27:25]
information. We have no other further
[1:27:26]
comments to make. Thank you very much.
[1:27:29]
>> Thank you. Appreciate that. Um
[1:27:33]
» Thank you. Appreciate that. Um
[1:27:33]
thank you. Uh the board will deliberate
[1:27:35]
following the conclusion of this hearing
[1:27:36]
and will issue a written uh decision in
[1:27:39]
accordance with the legislated
[1:27:40]
timelines. Generally, parties can expect
[1:27:43]
the board decision to be within 30 days
[1:27:45]
of this hearing. Uh after the decision
[1:27:47]
is finalized, the clerk has up to seven
[1:27:50]
additional days to distribute the final
[1:27:52]
notice um to all parties. This concludes
[1:27:56]
the local assessment review board
[1:27:57]
hearing for July 15, 2026. And this
[1:28:00]
hearing is adjourned at 2:28