Avon Grand List Grows by $29.5 Million in 2011

Construction of and professional offices on Nod Brook Road contributed more than $1.5 million to the $29,564,140 growth in the town’s Grand List for 2011, according to Avon Town Assessor Harry DerAsadourian.

“2011 was a good year. I’m very optimistic about 2012,” DerAsadourian said Friday. “I would say it’s a little better than had been anticipated.”

DerAsadourian submitted the grand list, which measures the value of taxable real estate, personal property and motor vehicles, to Town Manager Brandon Robertson on Jan. 30. The 1.12 percent increase over the 2010 Grand List brings the town’s assessed value to $2,668,181,000.

The tax rate, or mill rate, in 2011 was $25.05 for every $1,000 of taxable property value in comparison to 24.44 in 2010. That is calculated by dividing the amount of necessary tax levy by the value of the grand list.

“Based on the current mill rate this would generate additional revenue in the amount of $740,286,” Robertson wrote in an e-mail to Patch.

The assessed real estate value in 2011 was $2,418,931,840, which makes up the largest portion of the grand list, marking an $18,055,150, or .752 percent, increase. In addition to the completion of The Fresh Market, which opens Feb. 8, DerAsadourian wrote in a memo to Robertson that “several large new homes” were also built.

“It’s typical of a recovery,” DerAsadourian said. “People are beginning to build more houses, which is evident with the increase in building permits.”

He said he anticipates larger growth in the real estate category in 2012 with the specialty grocer operating.

“I think the real estate market here in Avon is fairly stable,” DerAsadourian said.

Fresh Market will also affect the town’s assessed personal property value, which saw a .882 percent decrease in 2011, he said. There was no noted property value for Fresh Market as of October 2011 when the building was a shell, he said, but there will be in 2012. The personal property component includes belongings inside a home or business, as well as any improvements made on the building.

Owners of the , a pizza place coming soon to Avon, previously wrote to Patch they hope to open in March 2012 at the former Ninety Nine restaurant in Nod Brook Mall along Route 44. Ninety Nine closed Dec. 24, 2010, so the space was empty all last year. Between interior and exterior renovations for Colony Grill and company personal property, DerAsadourian expects to see more growth in that category.

Motor vehicle assessed value, measured at $173,638,190 in 2011, increased by $12,182,210, or 7.54 percent, largely because of new vehicles at Enterprise Car Rental on Route 44, DerAsadourian wrote in his memo to Robertson. Car sales were also up in 2011, he wrote.

By comparison, the overall grand list and .47 percent in 2009. DerAsadourian said that the smaller growth in 2009 was connected to the tough nationwide economy that year.

Avon's last revaluation was in 2008, yielding a 15.21 percent growth in Avon’s grand list over 2007. In 2007, the grand list grew by 1.56 percent.

The next property revaluation will be in October 2013, DerAsadourian said.

“I think this is a very positive result, “Robertson wrote in an e-mail to Patch regarding the 2011 Grand List. “It is proof that even in these difficult times, there continues to be a significant amount of economic activity and investment in Avon.“

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