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Board of Equalization and Review

Orange County · Board of Equalization & Review
Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Regular meeting Tax rate and revaluationWater and sewerStormwater and flooding

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Orange County's Board of Equalization and Review holds hearings on ten property tax appeals from the 2025 revaluation, with current assessed values ranging from $81,000 to $1,903,100. Appellants challenge their valuations on grounds including comparable sales, lot subdivision limits, drainage and erosion, and lack of utility access. County appraisers Jimmy Milliken, Cyle Anderson and Kelly Wells present the county's evidence at each hearing.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The board heard and decided all ten scheduled appeals; none was continued. Only John Quintin Gant appeared in person, but the board considered written statements and evidence from the other nine. Chair Leon Meyers presided with Regular Member Richal Vanhook and Alternate Member Barbara Levine, who sat in for absent Regular Member Saru Salvi.

The board reduced assessments in six appeals and left four unchanged, adopting the county's recommended figure in every case. Combined, the ten properties' assessed value fell from $6,104,600 to $5,678,800, a reduction of $425,800. Every decision passed 3-0, with Vanhook and Levine alternating who made and seconded each motion.

How the votes went

All ten appeals passed 3-0 among Chair Leon Meyers, Richal Vanhook and Barbara Levine. No appeal was continued to a later date.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (10)

Other · 10
  1. Appeal of John Quintin Gant, 1004 Karen Woods Road
    Other Tax rate and revaluationWater and sewer
    Gant argued the neighborhood's large, unsubdividable lots and lack of water, sewer or gas service made the county's valuation too high. The county proposed adjusting for the parcel's irregular shape and an easement instead. The board accepted the county's figure, cutting the assessment from $1,311,100 to $1,115,600.
    Board reduced the value from $1,311,100 to $1,115,600, unanimous.
    • 1004 Karen Woods Rd · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9860697030 · Gant John Quintin · assessed $1,115,600
  2. Appeal of Cynthia Rudin, 737 E. Franklin Street
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Rudin cited three nearby home sales to argue for a lower value. The county said all three comparables were from different neighborhoods and instead adjusted the land-size factor, cutting the assessment from $1,903,100 to $1,763,100, which the board accepted.
    Board reduced the value from $1,903,100 to $1,763,100, unanimous.
    • 737 E Franklin St · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9788787939 · Rudin Cynthia · assessed $1,763,100
  3. Appeal of Cavin Ward Caviness, 210 Westbrook Drive
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Caviness pointed to rising construction costs and two lower-priced Carrboro sales. The county instead recommended lowering the property's construction grade and effective age, reducing the value from $399,400 to $377,400, which the board accepted.
    Board reduced the value from $399,400 to $377,400, unanimous.
    • 210 Westbrook Dr · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9778437158 · Ward Caviness Cavin · assessed $377,400
  4. Appeal of Johnny D. Edwards, 4923 Lebanon Road
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Edwards cited his home's age, unfinished areas and single bathroom. The county said he offered no evidence to support his own value estimate and recommended no change; the board left the assessment at $218,700.
    Board left the value unchanged at $218,700, unanimous.
    • 4923 Lebanon Rd · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9845088625 · Edwards Johnny D · assessed $218,700
  5. Appeal of Saijun Xue, 500 Umstead Drive
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Xue cited comparable sales of newly renovated units in the same complex. The county recommended lowering the unit's effective year built instead, cutting the value from $215,700 to $202,900, which the board adopted.
    Board reduced the value from $215,700 to $202,900, unanimous.
  6. Appeal of Gillian L. Gentry, .34 acre near Rosewood
    Other Tax rate and revaluationWater and sewer
    Gentry said the vacant lot fails a perc test and has no sewer access. The county agreed the lot's access issues and a power-line easement limited its marketability and recommended a deeper land-value adjustment, cutting the assessment from $81,000 to $45,000.
    Board reduced the value from $81,000 to $45,000, unanimous.
  7. Appeal of Amy Stewart-Ginsburg, 1107 Bricewood Lane
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Stewart-Ginsburg submitted eight comparable sales within four miles. The county said none were in the property's own neighborhood and noted the house itself sold for $379,000 in 2023; the board left the value at $373,400.
    Board left the value unchanged at $373,400, unanimous.
    • 1107 Bricewood Ln · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9847159237 · Stewart Ginsburg Amy · assessed $373,400
  8. Appeal of Jia Gang Wang, 105 Fidelity Street
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Wang cited a Zillow estimate and the value of a nearby renovated unit. The county said the comparable units had recent updates his did not and that he submitted no photos or repair estimates; the board kept the assessment at $287,000.
    Board left the value unchanged at $287,000, unanimous.
  9. Appeal of John Martelli, 1623 Ainsworth
    Other Stormwater and floodingTax rate and revaluation
    Martelli said drainage ditches, erosion and low ground affect a quarter to a third of his lot. The county agreed and recommended a deeper land adjustment, cutting the value from $632,900 to $613,400.
    Board reduced the value from $632,900 to $613,400, unanimous.
    • 1623 Ainsworth Blvd · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9875801992 · Martelli John · assessed $613,400
  10. Appeal of Lisa Sanders Huggins, 800 Churchill Drive
    Other Tax rate and revaluation
    Huggins cited two comparable five-bedroom sales at $635,000 and $643,000. The county said the evidence did not support a lower value; the board left the assessment at $682,300.
    Board left the value unchanged at $682,300, unanimous.
    • 800 Churchill Dr · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9799610946 · Huggins Bruce Wayne Jr · assessed $682,300

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

Other recent meetings of this board