Notices of new assessed valuation on 14,020 parcels of land in San Juan County were mailed by the Assessor Nov. 21 to 11,078 property owners.

Notices were not mailed for approximately 4,000 parcels that did not change in value.

Countywide, values dropped by .8 of 1 percent since 2012. The largest average change in value, a 4.9 percent decrease, was in the Town of Friday Harbor, according to the assessor.

The overall decrease in value for San Juan Island was 2.1 percent.

Shaw, Lopez and Orcas Islands showed nominal increases in assessed values of 1.7 percent, .4 of 1 percent and .3 of 1 percent, respectively.

This is the second year that annual valuations have been done in San Juan County, so changes in valuation are significantly less than in prior years, when the county was reappraised section-by-section on a 3-to-4 year cycle, according to the assessor.

Under the new system of annual valuation, properties are re-assessed every year at market value, creating improved fairness, uniformity and equity countywide.

Large fluctuations in assessed values that sometimes resulted from multi-year revaluations have been moderated.

Taxpayers are encouraged to contact the Assessor at 360-378-2172 with questions about the recent round of property valuations.