Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Court reviews whether greenhouses are real property or personal property for taxation purposes

HERMANN HOLTKAMP GREENHOUSES, INC. v. METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE, JO ANN NORTH, Assessor of Property for Davidson County, and TENNESSEE STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION (Tenn. Ct. App. February 3, 2010)

This appeal concerns the classification of property for taxation purposes. The petitioner commercial business grows plants in large greenhouses erected on its land. The county assessor of property classified the greenhouses as real property, to be taxed as such. The petitioner taxpayer appealed the assessor's classification, contending that the greenhouses are personal property. An administrative law judge concluded that the greenhouses are personal property, taxed at a lower rate than real property. The assessor appealed to the state board of equalization. The state board of equalization reversed the ALJ's decision and concluded that the greenhouses are real property.

The petitioner taxpayer then filed a petition for judicial review of the state board's decision. On cross motions for summary judgment, the trial court concluded that the greenhouses are real property and dismissed the taxpayer's petition. The petitioner taxpayer now appeals. Utilizing the common law of fixtures, we find that the greenhouses are properly classified as real property. Thus, we affirm the decision of the trial court.

Opinion may be found at:
http://www.tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2010/holtkamph_020310.pdf