Property owners question steep valuation increases; board accepts evidence for review

The York County Board of Equalization heard three property-valuation protests June 23, from prospective purchaser Denise Sewer and homeowners Anne Charlton and Lil(l) Seabbert, each contesting increases or particular assessment methods.

Denise Sewer said she is purchasing a home on East 12th Street and provided recent comparable sales showing lower prices than the county’s 2026 valuation; she asked the assessor to align the valuation with the current market sale price and was advised to file a revised protest form before June 30 if she wished to amend requested values.

Anne Charlton presented two protests: one for a floodplain lot now often underwater and another for a parcel adjacent to her home that she says contains landfill and steep topography that would limit future building; she asked the board to reduce valuations for the non-buildable portions and provided calculations she said used the assessor’s tier chart.

Lil Seabbert said she purchased a narrow 64-by-180-foot lot for $4,500 to protect neighborhood character and argued that county square-foot valuation methods over-valued her parcel (proposed assessment rose to $38,500); she said the lot’s setbacks and width make development unlikely and asked for reassessment.

The assessor’s office accepted the submitted comparables and documentation and told property owners the office would review the materials and return recommendations to the board for action at the July meeting. If the property owners remain dissatisfied after the board issues decisions, they were informed of the option to appeal to the state.