Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 137b.41 - Application forms and procedures(a)Standardized application form required. A county shall require a landowner seeking to apply for preferential assessment under the act to make that application on a current "Clean and Green Valuation Application" Form-a uniform preferential assessment application form developed by the Department. The Department will provide an initial supply of these forms to a county upon request. The county assessor shall maintain an adequate supply of these forms. The following shall be required of an applicant on the Clean and Green Valuation Application Form: (1) The name, address and telephone number of each landowner.(2) A statement as to the form of ownership of the land (whether by an individual partnership, corporation, and the like. . .).(3) A statement of whether the land is currently subject to a covenant for preservation of "open space" land in accordance with the act of January 13, 1966 (1965 P. L. 1292, No. 515) (16 P. S. § § 11941-11947).(4) A description of the location of the land, including the school district in which it is located.(5) A designation of the land use category or categories (agricultural use, agricultural reserve and forest reserve) with respect to which preferential assessment is sought, and information that might reasonably be required to confirm that the land falls within the land use category with respect to which preferential asessment is sought.(6) Other information that might be reasonably required on the application form to confirm the location and ownership of the land, the land use category or categories of the land and whether the land is, in fact, eligible for preferential assessment.(7) The signation of all of the owners of the land.(b)Application form and worksheets. A landowner seeking to apply for preferential assessment under the act shall complete a Clean and Green Valuation Application. The county assessor shall complete the appropriate sections of the current "Clean and Green Valuation Worksheet" form for each category of eligible land described in the application. The Department will provide an initial supply of these forms to a county upon request.(c)Obtaining an application and reviewing this chapter. A landowner seeking preferential assessment under the act may obtain an application form and required worksheets from the county board of assessment office. A county assessor shall retain a copy of this chapter at the county board of assessment office, and shall make this copy available for inspection by any applicant or prospective applicant.(d)Required language. An application for preferential assessment shall contain the following statement: The applicant for preferential assessment hereby agrees, if the application is approved for preferential assessment, to submit 30 days notice to the county assessor of a proposed change in use of the land, a change in ownership of a portion of the land or of any type of division or conveyance of the land. The applicant for preferential assessment hereby acknowledges that, if the application is approved for preferential assessment, roll-back taxes and interest under the act in 72 P. S. § 5490.5a may be due for a change in use of the land, a change in ownership of a portion of the land, or any type of division or conveyance of the land.
(e)Additional information. A county assessor may require an applicant to provide additional information or documentation necessary to substantiate that the land is eligible for preferential assessment. A county assessor requiring additional information shall notify the applicant in writing and shall clearly state in the notice the reasons why the application or other information or documentation submitted by the applicant is insufficient to substantiate eligibility, and shall identify the particular information the county assessor requests to substantiate eligibility.(f)Signature of all landowners required. An application for preferential assessment may not be accepted by a county if it does not bear the notarized signature of all of the owners of the land described in the application. This section cited in 7 Pa. Code § 137b.63 (relating to notice of change of application).