General Assessing Information

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Assessing Office Hours: Monday 7:30 am-6:30 pm 
Tuesday - Thursday 7:30 am-5:00 pm.
Assessing Office Telephone: 231.223.7313

The Peninsula Township is staffed by one full-time assessor, Sally Murray.

The Assessing Department is responsible for identifying and valuing all taxable real and personal property within the township.  Peninsula Township has approximately 4,200 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 (Market Value).  There are three key value components to each property.  These must be calculated every year.
  • State Equalized Value (SEV):  Half of Market Value
  • Capped  Value:
  •   (Last Year’s Taxable Value – Losses) x Consumer Price Index + Additions
  • Taxable Value (TV):  The lesser of:  SEV or Capped Value

Information

Transfer of Ownership Guidelines (external PDF ​opens in new tab)

Property Classification (external PDF opens in new tab)

Boards of Review (external PDF opens in new tab)

Contact the Assessor at assessor@peninsulatownship.com for the following documents:
  • Sales used to generate the 2018 assessments
  • Sales used to generate the 2017 assessments
  • Notice of Adoption Peninsula - Township policy regarding land divisions, process and procedure.
View of beach grass and bay with gray clouds
In addition, the Assessing Department is responsible for:
  • Maintaining property record cards for each parcel within the unit…these records include legal descriptions, land values, land improvements, building information, exemption status, value-enhancing amenities, 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 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.

Land Division

All land division applications must be processed through the Assessing office. All divisions are subject to Peninsula Township Ordinances and the Land Division Act (P.A. 591 of 1996). Not all parcels are eligible for division. Please contact the Assessing Department for assistance.

Contact the Assessor at assessor@peninsulatownship.com for the following documents:
  • Land Division Application
  • Land Division Process and Procedure
  • Michigan Land Division Act (PDF opens in new tab)
  • Peninsula Township Land Division Ordinance #49
  • ​2018 Peninsula Townships Protected Lands Map.

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 2005, then the Capped Value no longer applies.  For 2006, 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.

Name Change from Homestead Exemption to Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption
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, if the municipality levies the School Operating Tax in the summer bill and November 1 of the current year, if the municipality levies the School Operating Tax in the winter tax bill.
  • You may claim the exemption for only one residence, unless special circumstances exist.
  • 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/Nov 1.  However, you will need to file an affidavit in order to continue receiving the exemption.  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

What are the eligibility requirements for receiving the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption?
You may claim the homeowner’s principal residence exemption if you meet all of the criteria below:
A.  You are a resident of the State of Michigan.
B.  You own and occupy the home as your principal residence.
C.  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.
D.  You have not filed a non-resident Michigan income tax return.
E.  You have not filed a tax return as a resident of another state.

Who is a Michigan Resident?
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.

What determines Principal Residence?
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 person’s 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.  

If a residence no longer qualifies for the Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption, you must file a Request to Rescind.
Multipurpose 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.
Forms (PDFs open in new tab)