§1137. Schedule; qualification

1.  Schedule.  The owner or owners of waterfront land may apply for taxation of that land under this subchapter by submitting a signed schedule, on or before April 1st of the year in which the owner or owners wish to first subject that land to taxation under this subchapter, to the assessor upon a form to be prescribed by the State Tax Assessor that must contain a description of the parcel, together with a map identifying the location and boundaries of the working waterfront land, a description of the manner in which the land is used primarily for commercial fishing activities and other information the assessor may require to aid the assessor in determining what portion of the land qualifies for classification as working waterfront land. The schedule must be signed and consented to by each person with an ownership interest in the land. Classification of the land as working waterfront land may not be inconsistent with the use prescribed in the comprehensive plan, growth management program or zoning ordinance of the municipality in which the land is situated.

In defining the working waterfront land area contained within a parcel, land used primarily for commercial fishing activities must be included, together with any remaining portion of the parcel that is not used for purposes inconsistent with commercial fishing activities as long as the remaining portion is not sufficient in dimension to meet the requirements for a minimum lot as provided by either the state minimum lot requirements as prescribed by Title 12, section 4807-A or Title 38, chapter 3, subchapter 1, article 2-B, as applicable, or the minimum lot size provided by the zoning ordinance or zoning map pertaining to the area in which the remaining portion is located.

[PL 2011, c. 240, §9 (AMD).]

2.  Classification.  The assessor shall determine what land meets the requirements of this subchapter and shall classify such land as working waterfront land in accordance with this subchapter. The assessor shall file, in the municipal office of the town in which the working waterfront land is located, the original schedule and the value of the working waterfront land as established under this subchapter and the value at which the working waterfront land would have been assessed had it not been classified under this subchapter.

[PL 2007, c. 466, Pt. A, §58 (NEW).]

3.  Notification of determination.  The assessor shall notify the owner or owners in writing of the assessor's determination as to the applicability of this subchapter by June 1st following receipt of a signed schedule meeting the requirements of this section. The assessor's notification must state whether the application has been accepted or denied, and if denied the assessor shall state the reasons for the denial and provide the owner or owners an opportunity to amend the schedule to conform to the requirements of this subchapter.

[PL 2007, c. 466, Pt. A, §58 (NEW).]

4.  Investigation.  The assessor or the assessor's duly authorized representative may enter and examine the lands under this subchapter for tax purposes and may examine any information submitted by the owner or owners.

Upon notice in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested, any owner or owners shall, within 60 days of the receipt of such notice, respond to such written questions or interrogatories as the assessor may consider necessary to obtain material information about those lands. If the assessor determines that it is not reasonable to obtain the required material information regarding those lands through such written questions or interrogatories, the assessor may require any owner or owners, upon notice in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by such other method as provides actual notice, to appear before the assessor at such reasonable time and place as the assessor may designate and answer such questions or interrogatories as the assessor may consider necessary to obtain material information about those lands.

[PL 2007, c. 466, Pt. A, §58 (NEW).]

5.  Owner obligation.  If the owner or owners of any land subject to taxation under this subchapter fail to submit the schedules under this section, or fail to respond, within 60 days of receipt, to written questions or interrogatories of the assessor, or fail within 60 days of receipt of notice as provided in this section to appear before the assessor to respond to questions or interrogatories, or fail to provide information after notice duly received as provided under this section, that owner or those owners are deemed to have waived all rights of appeal.

It is the obligation of the owner or owners to report to the assessor any disqualifying change of use of land subject to taxation under this subchapter by the end of the tax year in which the change occurs. If the owner or owners fail to report any disqualifying change of use of land to the assessor, the assessor shall assess those taxes that should have been paid, shall assess the penalty provided in section 1138 and shall assess an additional penalty of 25% of the foregoing penalty amount. The assessor may waive the additional penalty for cause.

[PL 2007, c. 466, Pt. A, §58 (NEW).]

6.  Recertification.  The assessor shall determine annually whether any classified land continues to meet the requirements of this subchapter. Each year the assessor shall recertify any classifications made under this subchapter and update the information required under subsection 1. If any classified land no longer meets the requirements of this subchapter, or the owner or owners request withdrawal of the land from the classification in writing, the assessor shall remove the classification.

[PL 2007, c. 466, Pt. A, §58 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2007, c. 466, Pt. A, §58 (NEW). PL 2011, c. 240, §9 (AMD).