County Lowers Mountain Springs Assessment

Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Supervisors debated this morning whether to lower the assessment value of 200 acres of land that includes the Mountain Springs Golf Course and surrounding area.

The county’s assessment value has been $2.5 million, but an outside firm, hired by Mountain Springs assessed the value at $1 million. The County Assessor’s Office looked at the outside report, and came back with a proposed assessment of $1.175 million.

The 200 acres is part of the larger Mountain Springs community, which was approved by the Supervisors in 2008. Some of the other adjacent property around golf course has changed hands over recent years.

The reassessment  of the core 200 acres was approved with a 3-2 vote, with Supervisors Karl Rodefer, John Gray and Evan Royce in favor, and Randy Hanvelt and Sherri Brennan opposed. Supervisor Hanvelt pointed out that it equates to about $5,000 an acre, which he felt seemed too low. Supervisor Rodefer countered that unless you are in a large community, golf courses are typically not big money makers.

It was pointed out at the meeting that lowering the assessed value impacts the amount of tax dollars coming into the county.

Plans to build homes at the subdivision stalled when the economy collapsed, just over six years ago.