Complaint: New Canaan Lumber Co. Tax Assessment ‘Grossly Excessive’

New Canaan’s fourth-highest taxpayer is appealing the town’s assessment of a Grove Street property, court documents show. The New Canaan Lumber Company’s 1.64-acre lot at 45 Grove St., which includes the New Canaan Racquet Club building, in 2018 was assessed at $8,966,610. According to a complaint filed April 23 by attorney Amy Zabetakis of Darien- and New Canaan-based Rucci Law Group, the figure is “grossly excessive, disproportionate and unlawful.”

The plaintiff “[w]ithin the time prescribed by law” appealed to the Board of Assessment Appeals, however, on Feb. 24, the appointed body said the appeal was dismissed and would not be heard. “The Plaintiffs are aggrieved by the decisions of the Assessor and the Board,” said the complaint, filed in state Superior Court.

New Condo Complex Appeals Tax Assessment 

The owners of a new condo development on Vitti Street on Friday filed a complaint in state Superior Court challenging the town’s tax assessment of the property. The $10,183,810 assessment in October of 23 Vitti St. was “grossly excessive, disproportionate and unlawful,” according to the complaint filed on behalf of the owners of Gramercy Park Condominium. “The Town of New Canaan’s Assessment was manifestly excessive and could not have been carried at except by disregarding the provisions of the statutes for determining the valuation of such Property,” according to a complaint from attorney Todd Lampert of New Canaan-based Lampert, Toohey & Rucci LLC. The property at 23 Vitti Street was sold for $1,525,000 in February 2016, tax records show.