Site inspections have begun on real property in San Juan County’s 2012 appraisal area, which includes north Lopez, Shaw, Decatur, Blakely, Center and Frost islands.

Additional site visits may be made to parcels enrolled in the county’s “open space” programs, such as Current Use, Open Space and Designated Forest Land. Such visits will be made by a current-use specialist to ensure that property owners comply with provisions of these special tax classifications.

For properties outside the 2012 appraisal area, the county assessor’s office will begin adjusting property values annually to reflect market value, beginning with 2012 assessments for the 2013 tax year. Site visits will occur once every six years rather than once every three or four years, as has been the custom in the past. Appraisers and current-use specialists will use these site visits as an opportunity to conduct a comprehensive and thorough inspection, knowing that six years will elapse before the next inspection, according to Assessor Charles Zalmanek.

“The assessor’s staff will make every effort to be as unobtrusive as possible while conducting these site inspections,” Zalmanek said in a prepared statement about changes in property-tax assessment cycle. “Although on a tight schedule, they always welcome the opportunity to talk with property owners about their property, the neighborhood and information which may have a bearing on market values.”

For more info about property tax assessments, visit the assessor’s website at, www.co.san-juan.wa.us/assessor/default.aspx