The Town of Colchester conducts periodic reappraisals to estimate the fair market value of all properties. "Fair market value" is the price the property would sell for on the open market. The Town's assessment reflects the fair market value for the year the property was assessed.
In the State of Vermont all properties owners have the right to grieve their Grand List Value.
32 V.S.A. § 4111 (g) A person who feels aggrieved by the action of the listers and desires to be heard by them shall, on or before the day of the grievance meeting, file with them his or her objections in writing and may appear at such grievance meeting in person or by his or her agents or attorneys. No grievance shall be allowed for a change solely to reflect a new use value set by the current use advisory board or the adjustment of that value by the common level of appraisal. Upon the hearing of such grievance, the parties thereto may submit such documentary or sworn evidence as shall be pertinent thereto.
Property Assessment Appeal Procedures
Every Year at the end of May the Assessor lodges the GL with the Town Clerk and mails “Change of Assessment Notices” to any property owner where the property in has had a change in the assessment.
Once the GL has been lodged any property owner can appeal their assessment as long as they have written a formal grievance delivered and received to the Assessor on or before the date of grievance which is 14 day after the GL is lodged.
Written notices can be mailed to or dropped of at the town offices at::
Town of Colchester
C/O Town Assessor
781 Blakely Rd
Cochester, VT 05446
C/O Town Assessor
781 Blakely Rd
Cochester, VT 05446
Or a property owner can fill a grievance through the town’s online appeal portal: Click on the following link: https://zcal.co/assess_appeal/lister
Grievances should include:
- Owners name
- Person representing owner if the owner of record cannot attend hearing with a letter of intent signed by the owner
- Contact information
- Mailing address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Parcel location
- Parcel ID
- Reason for appealing
- Owners opinion of value signed by the owner
- Any evidence in support of owners opinion of value
Upon receiving your online grievance application or letter of grievance our office will contact you for scheduling a hearing date and to request any additional forms or information that may be needed prior to the hearing.
Post Board of Assessor hearing:
Post Board of Assessor hearing:
Property owners who have been heard by the Board of Assessors will have 14 days from the mailing date on the value decision letter to appeal their property value to the Board of Tax Appeals at the Clerk’s office.