For Each Year the Business Investment Exemption from Real Property Tax Law Is Sought, a Separate Application Must Be Made
The Third Department determined Supreme Court erred when it ruled petitioner, the owner of commercial real property, did not need to apply for a business investment property tax exemption (Real Property Tax Law [RPTL] 485-b) each year for which the exemption is sought. Supreme Court had granted the exemption for several years based upon one application:
We are mindful that an RPTL 485-b exemption may be obtained upon a single application … . The separate point here, however, is that property owners must preserve their right to relief through annual challenges to the assessment pending a determination of the original assessment challenge. Since petitioner failed to do so here, Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction to direct the District to refund payments made based on the 2009 through 2011 assessments … . Matter of Highbridge Broadway LLC v Assessor of the City of Schenectady, 2015 NY Slip Op 00682, 3rd Dept 1-29-15