ANGELA W. FRISKE – Twp. Assessor
assessor@longlaketownship.com
Phone: 231-534-4280

KIM CLARK – Assessor Assistant
assessorassist@longlaketownship.com
Phone: 231-534-4281

8870 North Long Lake Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49685

The Assessing Department is responsible for identifying and valuing all taxable real and personal property within the township. Long Lake Township has approximately 5,000 parcels.

The Assessor determines values through an analysis of recently sold properties. By law, assessments must be set at 50% of the True Cash Value. There are three key value components to each property. These must be calculated every year.

1. State Equalized Value (SEV): Half of Market Value
2. Capped Value:(Last Year’s Taxable Value-Losses)xConsumer Price Index+Additions
3. Taxable Value (TV): The lesser of: SEV or Capped Value

ADDITIONAL ASSESSOR DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Maintaining property record cards for each parcel within the unit. These records include legal descriptions, land values, land improvements, building information, building values, exemption status, zoning information, etc.

  • Creating and maintaining an Assessment Roll annually

  • Maintenance of all sales transactions on both vacant and improved properties; identifying and recording all new ownerships, processing related Property Transfer Affidavits, Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemptions, and Requests to Rescind

  • Establishing land values and economic condition factors throughout the township annually

  • Field inspections of all new construction projects and updating the property record cards accordingly

  • Land Division requests and processing

  • Periodic inspections of all real property parcels

  • Defending appeals to the Michigan Tax Tribunal

ASSESSMENT CHANGE NOTICES are mailed annually (mid-February). This is the taxpayer’s opportunity to review important information pertaining to his or her property.  Please be sure to examine valuations, classifications, legal descriptions, and exemption status.

POVERTY EXEMPTION TAXPAYER FACT SHEET

DOCUMENTS-ON-DEMAND

DOCUMENT LINKS BELOW

LAND DIVISION:

Land Division: NOTICE!
Land Division Application
Township Land Division Ordinance

POVERTY EXEMPTIONS:

Poverty Exemption Guidelines
Extension of Poverty Exemption Guidelines
Application for Poverty Exemption Form 5737
Affirmation Application to Extend Exemption Form 5737
Poverty Exemption Taxpayer Fact Sheet

PROPOSAL “A”

Approved by Michigan voters in 1994, Proposal A significantly altered Michigan Property Tax Law. Prior to 1995, taxes were calculated on State Equalized Value, which approximates half of Market Value. Beginning in 1995, taxes were based on a new value: Taxable Value. By law, the increase in Taxable Value cannot exceed the lesser of two factors: Consumer Price Index (C.P.I.) or 5%. However, some circumstances will alter that computation, namely: Transfers of ownership, new construction, or demolition. If a transfer of ownership occurs in 2008, then the Capped Value no longer applies. For 2009, the State Equalized Value will be the new Taxable Value. We refer to this as an “uncapping of taxable value”. The new purchaser will be subject to a new starting base Taxable Value. Barring any physical changes to the property (new construction/demolition), the taxable value will again increase at the lesser of two rates: C.P.I. or 5%. Assessed Values, as equalized, are still required to be at 50% of Market Value. Assessments are reviewed and updated annually. Increases in assessments are not subject to any cap or formula.

2022 3.300%
2021 1.400%
2020 1.900%
2019 2.400%
2018 2.100%
2017 0.900%
2016 1.003%
2015 1.600%
2014 1.600%
2013 2.400%
2012 2.700%
2011 1.700%
2010 0.997%
2009 4.400%
2008 2.300%
2007 3.700%
2006 3.300%
2005 2.300%
2004 2.300%
2003 1.500%
2002 3.200%
2001 3.200%
2000 1.900%
1999 1.600%
1998 2.700%
1997 2.800%
1996 2.800%
1995 2.600%

PA 140 of 2003 provides that, effective January 1, 2004, the word Homestead has been removed from the exemption statutes and has been replaced by the words Principal Residence. While P.A. 140 of 2003 uses the words Principal Residence, the exemption will be known as the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption so that a renter does not mistakenly file for the exemption.

  • The filing deadline for the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption is June 1 of the current year. You must own and occupy by June 1st.
  • You may claim the exemption for only one residence.
  • If you purchase a previously owned home in which the prior owner benefited from the exemption, you are entitled to the benefit of that exemption, even if you occupy AFTER June 1 for the year of purchase. However, you will need to file an affidavit in order to continue receiving the exemption for future years (s). You must meet all of the pertinent criteria in order to receive the exemption for the succeeding length of ownership.
  • Property which is VACANT and CONTIGUOUS to your principal residence is eligible for the exemption

You may claim the homeowner’s principal residence exemption if you meet all of the criteria below

  • You are a resident of the State of Michigan.
  • You own and occupy the home as your principal residence.
  • Neither you, nor your spouse if you file a joint income tax return, receive an exemption, deduction, or credit substantially similar to the Michigan Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption on property you own in another state.
  • You have not filed a non-resident Michigan income tax return.
  • You have not filed a tax return as a resident of another state or a Conditional Request to Rescind if eligible

You are a Michigan Resident if Michigan is your permanent home. Your permanent home is the place you intend to return to whenever you go away. A temporary absence from Michigan, such as spending the winter in another state, does not make you a part-year resident.

Michigan Law defines principal residence as the one place where a person has his or her true, fixed, and permanent home to which, whenever absent he or she intends to return and that shall continue as a principal residence until another principal residence is established. In order to verify a persons claim that a particular property is a principal residence, Treasury will accept various documents that, taken together, establish that the person or persons filing the claim occupy the property as a principal residence. Examples include driver’s license, voter registration card, cancelled checks listing the property address, statements such as medical, bank or charge accounts, income tax records indicating the mailing address and insurance policies. No one of these factors taken alone is controlling over any other factor. Documentation needs to verify occupancy between the periods of January 1 to May 1 of each year.

If a residence no longer qualifies for the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption, you must file a Request to Rescind. However, recent legislation enables a person who has established a new Michigan principal residence to retain a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) on property previously exempt as the owner’s principal residence if certain criteria are met.
An owner may receive the PRE on the previous principal residence for up to three years if that property is not occupied, is for sale, is not leased, and is not used for any business or commercial purpose. The initial year filing deadline is May 1. Successive years claims must be received annually on or before December 31.

Multi-purpose property is not eligible for a full exemption. The Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption only applies to property that you own and occupy as your principal residence. If you operate a business in your home, you are not eligible for a 100% exemption. If you write off portions of your home for income tax purposes, you are not eligible for a 100% exemption. If you own and/or operate a Bed and Breakfast, you are not eligible for a 100% exemption. If you have questions about calculating your reduced exemption percentage, please contact the Assessing Department.

NOTICE: In addition, some property if not eligible for a principal residence exemption may be eligible for an agricultural or forestry exemption, contact the Assessor for more information on these exemptions if your property does not receive the residence exemption and is actively farmed or forested, to see if your property is eligible.

ALL FORMS DISCUSSED UNDER “PROPOSAL A” ARE AVAILABLE
BY CONTACTING THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT AT

231-946-2249 or assessor@longlaketownship.com

LAND DIVISION

NOTICE!  Please read before you proceed.

It is highly recommended by the Long Lake Township land division committee that prior to applying to the road commission for sight distance approval and prior to hiring a surveyor to survey a proposed division you contact the Assessor or the Zoning Administrator at 231-946-2249 to schedule a time to meet to informally review the proposed land division(s) or property transfer(s).

At this informal review, the amount of land divisions that are available to a parcel will be determined; A preliminary review of the proposed land division(s) will be made to determine if the proposal could meet the township zoning and land division ordinance requirements, And an explanation to the applicant will be given of how to proceed with a land division request.

The committee meets the first Thursday of each month to consider any applications for land divisions and/or property transfers that have been submitted to the Township the prior month.  Completed applications with all required attachments must be submitted to the Township by the Friday prior to the scheduled meeting to be considered at that land division meeting.  The current Township Land Division Ordinance and Land Division Application can be found in the Documents-On-Demand section of this page.

POVERTY EXEMPTIONS

Principal Residence Owner’s who believe they may qualify must file Form 5737 with the required attachments the day before the close of Board of Review.  If you received an Exemption in the prior two years and still qualify you must file Form 5739 before the close of Board of Review each year for two years after the initial exemption is granted.  Please contact the Assessor if you have any questions.