For the second year in a row, the Grays Harbor County Assessor’s office has received a record low number of property value appeals, according to a statement released by the office Wednesday.

Looking back at the previous 10 years, there has been an average of 165 property value appeals per year. In 2017, there were a total of 41 property value appeals. This represents a 402 percent drop in the number of valuation appeals compared to the previous 10 year average, according to the Assessor’s Office statement.

Grays Harbor County Assessor Dan Lindgren, who took office in 2015, attributes this sharp decline in property value appeals to better communication between the Assessor’s Office and the public, a new parcel data and mapping website in 2017, and continued efforts to increase accuracy in mass appraisal techniques. This has resulted in greater confidence in assessed values among Grays Harbor County property owners, he said.

The Grays Harbor County Assessor’s Office is required to revalue nearly 65,000 real and personal property parcels each year. Revaluation notices are mailed to property owners each year — this year Nov. 11. Property owners have the right to appeal that value determination if they feel it is in error — the appeals window is open for 30 days. The appeals are handled by the county Board of Equalization.

10 year appeal history, year and number of appeals filed: 2007, 156; 2008, 132; 2009, 154; 2010, 397; 2011, 92; 2012, 85; 2013, 103; 2014, 269; 2015, 208; 2016, 50; 2017, 41.

For more information on the Board of Equalization and the property value appeals process, go to co.grays-harbor.wa.us/government/board_of_equalization/index.php.