Full record / Coho (efile error (4-16-26).pdf

Coho (efile error (4-16-26).pdf

Coho Drive Mfd LLC, Petitioner Vs. Township Of East Bay, Respondent · 26-000687-TT

← View full record

Text extracted from the reviewed PDF, organized by page. OCR and reading order may contain errors; confirm details in the PDF below.

Page 1

STATE OF MICHIGAN 

GRETCHEN WHITMER 

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS 

MARLON I. BROWN, DPA 

GOVERNOR 

LANSING 

DIRECTOR 

Coho Drive MFD LLC 

, 

MICHIGAN TAX TRIBUNAL 

Petitioner(s) 

v 

MTT Docket No. 

East Bay Charter Township 

Respondent(s) 

ENTIRE TRIBUNAL PROPERTY TAX PETITION 

Ts 

Property Parcel No: 03-218-014-10 

(If more than one parcel is at issue, attach a completed Multiple Parcel Petition 

Form addressing all other parcels at issue.) 

2. 

The property identified above is _X 

real ___ personal. 

3. 

If more than one parcel of real property is under appeal, are the properties 

contiguous? ___Yes ___ No. 

(If no, separate Petitions are required for each non- 

contiguous parcel.) 

4, 

Are all of the parcels of personal property located on a parcel of real property 

under appeal? ___Yes ___No. 

(If no, separate Petitions are required for each 

parcel of personal property not located on a parcel of real property under 

appeal.) 

5, 

If parcels of personal property are under appeal, when were the personal 

property statements filed by parcel number (attach additional page if necessary): 

N/A

Page 2

MTT Docket No. 

Page 2 of 4 

8. 

If a protest was required and no protest was made, list the separate and specific 

facts upon which Petitioner relies to invoke the Tribunal’s authority over the 

assessment or assessments at issue (attach additional page if necessary): 

N/A 

9. 

If the appeal was not submitted by the deadline for the filing of an appeal for the 

classification or classifications of the properties at issue (i.e., May 31 or July 31 

of the tax year involved), list the separate and specific facts upon which 

Petitioner relies to invoke the Tribunal’s authority over the assessment or 

assessments at issue (attach additional page if necessary): 

N/A 

10. 

The property or properties at issue are located in Grand Traverse 

County. The 

property or properties’ address is: 

3172 Coho Dr, Traverse City, MI 49686 

11. 

The assessment or assessments at issue were established by the (applicable 

local governmental unit): 

East Bay Charter Township 

12. 

Petitioner's legal residence or principal office address is: 

1435 Fulton Ave, FL 2, Grand Haven, MI 49417-1518 

13. 

This appeal involves issues relating to the (check all that are applicable): 

X 

the property or properties’ true cash and taxable values 

the property or properties’ taxable value only

Page 3

MTT Docket No. 

Page 3 of 4 

15. 

If more than the current tax year is being appealed, list the separate and specific 

facts upon which Petitioner relies to invoke the Tribunal’s authority over the prior 

tax year or years (attach additional page if necessary): 

N/A 

16. 

The values for the property identified above as established by Respondent's 

Board of Review are: 

Tax Year 

True Cash Value 

Assessed Value 

Taxable Value 

2026 

5,514,800 

2,757,400 

2,757,400 

17. 

Petitioner contends that the values for the property identified above are: 

Tax Year 

True Cash Value 

State Equalized Value 

Taxable Value 

2026 

3,415,000 

1,708,000 

1,708,000 

18. 

The values in dispute for the property identified above are: 

Tax Year 

True Cash Value 

State Equalized Value 

Taxable Value 

2026 

2,099,800 

1,049,400 

1,049,400 

19. 

Petitioner requests the following relief (attach additional page 

if necessary): 

Petitioner requests that the tribunal reduce the assessed and state equalized value 

from $2,757,400 to $1,708,000 and the taxable value from $2,757,400 to $1,708,000

Page 4

MTT Docket No. 

Page 4 of 4 

Signatu 

itioner's 

Authorized Representative or, if none, Petitioner: 

~ 

ce < 

Bled 

Printed Name of Petitioner's Authorized Representative or, if none, Petitioner: 

Scott Knowlton 

Email Address: 

scott@westwind.build 

Mailing Address: 

1435 Fulton St, Ste C 

Grand Haven, MI 49417 

Telephone Number: 616.607.2532 

Date: 

Ap! 

(lo) RoR(s

Page 5

Coho Drive MFD, LLC 

Parcel Number 03-218-014-10 

East Bay Township Real Property Tax 

April 2026 

 

 

This report has been assembled to refute the taxable value assessed by East Bay Township 

and to respecƞully request that it be reassessed based on the arguments outlined below. 

 

The Cost Approach and its Reliance on an Economic CondiƟon Factor (ECF) is Unreliable 

The Cost Approach uses Marshall & SwiŌ cost manuals which gather data from across the 

country and produce costs which are much higher than one would reasonably expect. 

Furthermore, using an Economic CondiƟon Factor (ECF) to adjust these naƟonal costs to a 

local market can oŌenƟmes be erraƟc and inaccurate. 

 

Developing a reliable ECF depends heavily on having sufficient comparable property sale 

transacƟons in the area to create an accurate raƟo of sales values to their underlying cost 

valuaƟons. East Bay Township (and its surrounding area) does not have sufficient comparable 

mulƟ-family sales data to properly calculate an ECF that can be relied upon for an accurate 

valuaƟon. 

 

In this instance, the assessor calculated an ECF of 1.696 based on three comparable 

commercial property sales: 1) Single-family home, 2) Small family office building, and 3) Gas 

staƟon. 

 

A good example of the current year East Bay Township ECF overstatement can be found by 

comparing it to another mulƟ-family property affiliated with the owners of Coho Drive MFD. 

Located just three miles away, it was assessed for the 2025 tax year using an ECF of 1.166. 

Even so, the final Board of Review decision was to shiŌ to an income-based valuaƟon 

approach. 

 

As another example, a mulƟ-family property located in Pavilion Township (also affiliated with 

the owners of Coho Drive MFD), was assessed using an ECF of 0.855, much lower than the 

1.696 ECF used by East Bay Township. 

 

An Income CapitalizaƟon Approach Should be Used to Accurately Assess the Value 

A mulƟ-family development is an income producing property and is more fairly valued using 

the Income CapitalizaƟon approach. Therefore, the Income CapitalizaƟon approach is the 

most reliable and accurate valuaƟon method to use. Although this project is in the lease-up

Page 6

stage of operaƟons with very liƩle track record of rents and operaƟng expenses, we can 

esƟmate income and expenses for the project with a high level of certainty. UlƟmately greatly 

improving the accuracy of the project’s valuaƟon when compared to the cost approach. 

 

In closing, the higher assessed value makes it more difficult to provide affordable housing to 

the local community. The resulƟng increased property taxes places an unfair burden on 

community tenants as they absorb the costs via higher rents. 

 

The aƩached Income CapitalizaƟon Approach worksheet and commentary outline a more fair 

valuaƟon for this project. It compares the current subject property with Hammond 

Investment ProperƟes LLC, another mulƟ-family property affiliated with the Coho Drive MFD 

owners and located just three miles away in Garfield Township. This comparable property was 

reviewed and its assessment revised at the Garfield Township 2025 Board of Review. 

 

In summary, this property should be properly assessed/valued at $1,708,000 as supported by 

the Income CapitalizaƟon Approach analysis.

Page 7

Coho Drive MFD, LLC dba Townline Flats

Real Property Tax - Income Capitalization Assessment Calculation

2026 Assessment

COMPARABLE PROPERTY

SUBJECT PROPERTY

2025 Board of Review Results

Coho Drive

Hammond Investment

MFD, LLC

Properties, LLC

Parcel 03-218-014-10

Parcel 28-05-023-026-55

East Bay Township

Garfield Twp

Income Capitalization

Income Capitalization

Analysis

Analysis

Commentary:

Annual Income

583,891

 

1,883,280

 

$2.16 psf

$1.93 psf

Vacancy & Collection Loss (10%)

(58,389)

 

(188,328)

 

Effective Gross Income

525,502

 

1,694,952

 

Less: Operating Expenses (35%)

(183,900)

 

(593,200)

 

Net Operating Income 

341,602

 

1,101,752

 

Capitalization Rate 

10.00%

10.24%

Income Capitalized Value

3,416,000

 

10,756,800

 

True Cash Value 

3,416,000

 

10,756,800

 

Assessed Value % 

50%

50%

Taxable Value

1,708,000

 

5,378,400

 

 The subject property is currently seeking $1,440 per unit per month but is not gaining market traction, and will 

likely need to pivot to additional concessions and a lower rental rate of $1,340 per unit per month ($2.16 psf). 

Even so, this would still be far higher than the $1,196 per unit per month ($1.93 psf) approved by the Garfield 

Township 2025 Board of Review.

 Furthermore, in order to attain the current cost-based assessment of $2,757,400, rent would need to be 

$2,182 per unit per month ($3.52 psf), 82% higher than the Garfield Board of Review decision. 

 The subject property is using the same vacancy and operating expense ratio assumptions as the comparable 

property.

 Additionally, the subject property is using a lower capitalization rate assumption as the comparable property, 

primarily due to slighly lower borrowing rates. This results in a higher valuation.

Page 8

fo. 4 Outlook 

Payment Confirmation 

From noreply@fiserv.com <noreply@fiserv.com> 

Date Thu 4/16/2026 12:17 PM 

To 

Chad Achterhof <cachterhof@westwind.build> 

[You don't often get email from noreply@fiserv.com. Learn why this is important at 

https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderldentification 

] 

Thank you for your recent payment to Michigan Tax Tribunal. 

If you have questions please contact the Michigan Tax Tribunal at 517-335-9760. 

Payment Application: Michigan Tax Tribunal 

Payment Status: Payment completed successfully. 

Confirmation Number: 26041681302619 

Payment Date: 04/16/2026 

Billing Address: Westwind Construction 

1435 Fulton Ave 

Suite C 

Grand Haven, MI 49417 

Card Type: MC 

Card Number: x8687 

Payment Amount: 600.00 USD 

Total Amount: 600.00 USD 

DO NOT REPLY DIRECTLY TO THIS EMAIL. 

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organization. Do not click links or open attachments 

unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

PDF reading copy

← View full record