BAL HARBOUR CLUB, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLANTS,
v.
DADE COUNTY, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. 3d DCA | 1969-05-13
No. 68-607
Before PEARSON, HENDRY and SWANN, JJ.
222 So. 2d 428 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1969) Positive Treatment
Cited by 10 cases

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Synopsis

Bal Harbour Club challenges a tax assessment of its oceanfront property, arguing the trial court erred in accepting the county's expert appraisal that valued the property based on speculative future rezoning and multiple-family use. The appellate court reverses, holding that appraisals based on potential future use rather than present zoning violate Florida's tax valuation statute.


Holding

The court held that the trial court erred in accepting Lummus's testimony as a basis for valuation because it was based on speculation and conjecture regarding future rezoning and potential use, which violates Florida Statute § 193.021 governing tax assessments. Appraisals for tax purposes must be based on present zoning and use, not on speculative assumptions about future rezoning.


Key Quotes

“that Lummus was of the opinion that the present zoning of the property for private club and single family residence was "unreasonable, terribly unreasonable" in light of the fact that the adjacent properties to either side were zoned for multiple use”

Shows the basis of Lummus's opinion relied on criticism of present zoning rather than its legal status for valuation purposes.

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Facts & Procedural History

Bal Harbour Club owns oceanfront property in Bal Harbour, Florida zoned for single-family residence and private club use. The property was assessed at…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The appellant was the plaintiff below, and sought to have a tax assessment made on its property by the appellee, taxing authorities, set aside, along with other appropriate relief. The trial court found in favor of the taxing authorities and denied the relief requested.

The sole question on appeal is whether the trial judge erred in adopting the appraisal of the appellee’s expert, Mr. Lum-mus, as the fair market value of plaintiff’s property for the year 1966.

The property in question contains two specific parcels, but we need focus attention on one only, that parcel being referred to as Tract A.1 This is oceanfront property, presently zoned by the Bal Harbour Village Council for single family residence and private club use. In 1963, the land portion of Tract A (plus that of Tract E, see footnote 1, supra) was assessed at $223,000; in 1964, it was assessed at $446,000; and in 1966, it was assessed at $1,860,030. The assessments for the improvements on the property are not at issue, and we now proceed to examine the correctness of the defendant’s expert, Lummus.

Mr. Lummus was certainly qualified as an expert witness, and by no means are we demeaning his credentials. However, the substance of his testimony2 showed the following: (1) that Lummus was of the opinion that the present zoning of the property for private club and single family residence was “unreasonable, terribly unreasonable” in light of the fact that the adjacent properties to either side were zoned for multiple use; (2) that the reasonable future use of the property would be that of multiple family dwellings, but would first necessitate a rezoning of the tract; (3). that such a rezoning was reasonably possible in the event that the property were sold; 3 (4) that the *430property, if sold to a buyer anticipating a rezoning to enable said buyer to erect a multiple family dwelling, would bring about $4,000 per ocean foot, or, stated another way, that the fair market value of the property here in question was between 1.3 and 1.6 million dollars.

We hold that the court’s order based upon Lummus’ expert testimony was incorrect. Our decision is controlled by Williams v. Simpson, Fla.App.1968, 209 So.2d 262, which presented a very similar factual situation to the First District Court of Appeal. There, it was held that the county tax assessor’s expert witness’ appraisal, admittedly based on the subject property’s ultimate potential which the witness estimated would not be realized for about five years, and further based on the assumption that the property should and could be rezoned so as to effect such ultimate potential, was not competent evidence for determination of valuation for tax purposes. Moreover, as to Lummus’ assertion that two similar private clubs in the Miami area pay the same taxes as the adjacent hotel and apartment property, we take judicial notice that The Surf Club, Surfside, Florida, and The Bath Club, Miami Beach, Florida, are both presently zoned for multiple family occupancy (“RE” and “RT” respectively), thereby giving each of them the same tax status as their neighboring tracts. In conclusion then, we hold that Lummus’ testimony here was likewise based on such speculation and conjecture as to make his testimony incompetent as a basis for the court’s determination of proper valuation.

Section 193.021, Fla.Stat. F.S.A. was the basis for the Williams holding, supra, and that statute has been judicially examined before with regard to the prohibitions against the taxing authorities’ consideration of potential use. Walter v. Schuler, Fla.1965, 176 So.2d 81; Lanier v. Overstreet, Fla.1965, 175 So.2d 521; Homer v. Dadeland Shopping Center, Inc., Fla.App.1969, 217 So.2d 844; Staninger v. Jacksonville Expressway Authority, Fla.App.1966, 182 So.2d 483, 22 A.L.R.3d 950 (see Judge Wigginton’s specially concurring opinion, id. at 489). Admission by the trial court of such speculative testimony appears to have violated § 193.021(2) Fla.Stat. F.S.A.

We therefore hold that the court erred in entering the final judgment and decree being appealed, and remand the cause for determination of the assessment in accord with this opinion.

Reversed and remanded.

PEARSON, Judge

(dissenting).

It seems to me that the question involved on this appeal is whether there is competent substantial evidence to support the finding of the trial judge. In re Thompson’s Estate, Fla.1955, 84 So.2d 911; Reserve Insurance Co. v. Earle W. Day & Co., Fla.App.1968, 209 So.2d 709. An *431appellate court does not ordinarily weigh the evidence and determine its creditability. Citizens Ins. Co. of New Jersey v. Harris, Fla.1949, 40 So.2d 775. Therefore the majority must have proceeded upon a conclusion that the evidence before the trial judge was so speculative as not to afford a basis for his finding. I think that conclusion is mistaken for the following reasons.

First, a member of the board of governors of the club testified that a number of offers had been made to purchase part of the land owned by the club for “approximately a million or a million and a half * * One particular offeror with knowledge of the zoning restriction on the property made a bona fide proposal to purchase 300 of the 400 waterfront feet of tract A for $1,500,000, or 250 feet for $1,-250.000.

Second, as the last part of footnote three in the majority opinion indicates, two other private clubs pay the same tax rate as their immediate neighbors. Yet the majority opinion would permit the club to pay approximately one-third the tax rate as its neighbor, the Kenilworth Hotel.

Third, the stipulations and testimony before the trial judge reveal that the private club zoning on the property is extended as a municipal courtesy to the club and would be changed at any time upon the request of the club.

Last, the determinative factor of the decision in Williams v. Simpson, Fla.App.1968, 209 So.2d 262, was that the valué at which the property there was appraised was commercial potential which would not be realized for five years. Here, the County’s expert appraised the property at its present fair market value.

I conclude that the trial judge did not base his finding that the property had been assessed correctly on shadowy speculation regarding a potential value but rather on competent substantial evidence regarding the present fair market value of the property. He correctly found that the artificially controlled zoning did not reduce the present fair market value of the property.

I would affirm.

Dissent
PEARSON, Judge

PEARSON, Judge

(dissenting).

It seems to me that the question involved on this appeal is whether there is competent substantial evidence to support the finding of the trial judge. In re Thompson’s Estate, Fla.1955, 84 So. 2d 911; Reserve Insurance Co. v. Earle W. Day & Co., Fla.App.1968, 209 So. 2d 709. An appellate court does not ordinarily weigh the evidence and determine its creditability. Citizens Ins. Co. of New Jersey v. Harris, Fla.1949, 40 So. 2d 775. Therefore the majority must have proceeded upon a conclusion that the evidence before the trial judge was so speculative as not to afford a basis for his finding. I think that conclusion is mistaken for the following reasons.

First, a member of the board of governors of the club testified that a number of offers had been made to purchase part of the land owned by the club for “approximately a million or a million and a half * * One particular offeror with knowledge of the zoning restriction on the property made a bona fide proposal to purchase 300 of the 400 waterfront feet of tract A for $1,500,000, or 250 feet for $1,-250.000.

Second, as the last part of footnote three in the majority opinion indicates, two other private clubs pay the same tax rate as their immediate neighbors. Yet the majority opinion would permit the club to pay approximately one-third the tax rate as its neighbor, the Kenilworth Hotel.

Third, the stipulations and testimony before the trial judge reveal that the private club zoning on the property is extended as a municipal courtesy to the club and would be changed at any time upon the request of the club.

Last, the determinative factor of the decision in Williams v. Simpson, Fla.App.1968, 209 So. 2d 262, was that the valué at which the property there was appraised was commercial potential which would not be realized for five years. Here, the County’s expert appraised the property at its present fair market value.

I conclude that the trial judge did not base his finding that the property had been assessed correctly on shadowy speculation regarding a potential value but rather on competent substantial evidence regarding the present fair market value of the property. He correctly found that the artificially controlled zoning did not reduce the present fair market value of the property.

I would affirm.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Bystrom v. Valencia Ctr., Inc., 432 So. 2d 108 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983)
    …efining “fair market value” the Court added (at p. 673): ... This court has previously held that testimony of potential future use is speculative and conjectural and incompentent as proof of fair market value. Bal Harbour Club, Inc. v. Dade County, 222 So. 2d 428 (Fla.App.1969); see also Williams v. Simpson, supra; R-C-B-S Corporation v. Walter, 225 So. 2d 426 (Fla.App.1969). However, it has also been well-recognized that a potential future use to which a piece of property is presently adaptable and which cr…
  • Lanier v. Walt Disney World Co., 316 So. 2d 59 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975)
    …o stated in Walter v. Shuler [Fla.], 176 So2d 81; Homer v. Dadeland Shopping Center, Inc. [Fla.App.], 217 So2d 844; Staninger v. Jacksonville Expressway [Fla.App.], 182 So2d 483; 22 A.L.R.3rd, [950] 960; Harbour Club, Inc. v. Dade County [Fla.App.], 222 So2d 428.”…
  • Comer v. State, 318 So. 2d 419 (Fla. 3d DCA 1975)
    …ed, defendant-appellant is precluded from presenting the alleged error for our consideration in that the omitted matter affects the determination of this court. See Costantino v. State, Fla.App.1969, 224 So. 2d 341; Williams v. State, Fla.App. 1969, 222 So. 2d 428; Farrington v. State, Fla.App. 1968, 207 So. 2d 513. In addition, immediately preceding the trial, the judge questioned two police officers as to their knowledge of the victim having a criminal record. Both responded in the negative. During the tri…

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