Fire departments prep for July 4 celebrations ► PAGE 6
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Tax attorney warns new law will sunset homeowners’ break Deadline approaching to dispute valuations By BEECHER TUTTLE newsroom@appenmedia.com
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Around 35 residents take part in a discussion about the Deerfield Parkway athletic complex at the June 25 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting. A few elementary schoolers in attendance may play games at the facility if the city moves forward with acquisition and build-out.
Milton neighbors question Deerfield athletic complex By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — Resident sentiment was all over the map June 24 when the Milton Parks and Recreation Advisory Board unveiled the latest sketch of the Deerfield Parkway athletic complex. Public comments on plans for a new athletic complex at 300 Deerfield Parkway were split evenly between supporters and surrounding residents who questioned the need for the facility on the site. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, chaired by Scott Stachowski, supported the final sketch and recommended the City Council move forward with acquisition of the property.
Residents of the Lake Deerfield townhomes spoke against the move, citing increased traffic, noise and light pollution. Some questioned the need for playing fields. Other nearby residents seconded their comments, citing environmental concerns about a significant loss of tree canopy and wildlife. While some residents want to see a nature park with trails and a few pavilions, others asked for specific amenities at the site, like an indoor gymnasium. Jon Lundstedt, advocate of more playing fields in Milton and Eagle Stix Lacrosse, said baseball fields could be designed to allow for other youth
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in April signed a bill to limit large annual property tax increases that have plagued homeowners in Metro Atlanta suburbs for the better part of a decade. While the legislation should help property owners in counties like Fulton, DeKalb and Forsyth, it will also quietly remove what some deem a loophole that has benefitted taxpayers who know the ins and outs of the property assessment process. The coming days and weeks will likely represent the last chance homeowners have to lock in their property values without much of a fight. Set to be enacted prior to the 2025 tax season, House Bill 581 will enable counties to limit the appreciation of property values to no more than the current rate of inflation. The new law comes on the heels of significant annual surges in taxable property values in most every county in North Georgia and parts of Metro Atlanta. However, the bill will also soon prevent homeowners from taking advantage of the current system where simply appealing a property tax assessment will freeze the appraisal value for the current and two succeeding years, no matter if they actually win their case. Starting in 2025, property owners will need an appeal to be successful and result in a reduction in the value of their property to lock in the three-year assessment – something easier said than done. The numbers tell the story An eye-popping number of property assessment appeals are filed in Metro Atlanta counties every year. In DeKalb County, roughly 19,000 appeals were filed for 2023,
See DEERFIELD, Page 27
See EXPERT, Page 22
Caroline Nalisnick C: 404.513.9226 | Caroline@HOMEgeorgia.com
Sam DiVito C: 404.803.5999 | Sam@HOMEgeorgia.com
Allison Kloster C: 404.784.5287 | Allison@HOMEgeorgia.com