Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/102968
Sarasota News Leader January 11, 2013 Page 35 torney, told the commission during his pre- "That's how you get [the taxes] reduced," Barbetta pointed out. sentation. The Allens paid $5.4 million for the two parcels on May 29, 2009, Merrill said. Since 2008, the property taxes on the lots had increased by nearly 2,000 percent, he added — from $595 per year to more than $12,000 per year per lot. "The odd thing is," Patterson added, "[the county] purchased, not that long ago, one of these lots [near the Allens' parcels], and we didn't pay that much for it, so I don't know what's going on." She said she believed the reason the county was able to pay a much lower price was beWhen Patterson asked whether the Allens had cause "Everyone knew [the land] was unbuildtalked with the county's property tax assessor able." about the fact they could not build on the lots "My client didn't know that [their land] was unless they received variances, Merrill replied unbuildable," Merrill told her. that they had. Denial of the variances, Merrill pointed out, "Did they go to the Value Adjustment Board," would be "a categorical 'taking' and thus an which hears appeals of tax assessments, Bar- unreasonable hardship." betta asked. When Robinson asked DeMarsh to elaborate on the hardship point, DeMarsh said that if Merrill replied, "I do not believe they did." A county staff photograph shows a view of Beach Road from a position on the 168 Beach Road lot. Image courtesy Sarasota County