Section 48-5-7.3. Landmark historic property

   (a) (1) For the purposes of this Code section, "landmark historic property" means tangible real property which:

      (A) Has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places or on the Georgia Register of Historic Places as provided in Part 1 of Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 12 and has been so certified by the Department of Natural Resources; and

      (B) Has been certified by a local government as landmark historic property having exceptional architectural, historic, or cultural significance pursuant to a comprehensive local historic preservation or landmark ordinance which is of general application within such locality and has been approved as such by the state historic preservation officer.

   (2) The preferential classification and assessment of landmark historic property provided for in this Code section shall apply to the building or structure which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places or on the Georgia Register of Historic Places, the real property on which the building or structure is located, and not more than two acres of real property surrounding the building or structure. The remaining property shall be assessed for tax purposes as otherwise provided by law.

   (3) Property may qualify as landmark historic property and be eligible to receive the preferential assessment provided for in this Code section only if the local governing authority has adopted an ordinance authorizing such preferential assessments for landmark historic property under this Code section. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, said ordinances may extend the preferential assessment authorized by this Code section to tangible income-producing real property, tangible nonincome-producing real property, or combination thereof, so as to encourage the preservation of historic properties and assist in the revitalization of historic areas.

(b) In order for property to qualify under this Code section for preferential assessment as provided for in subsection (c.1) of Code Section 48-5-7, the property must receive the certifications required for landmark historic property as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section.

(c) Upon receipt of said certifications, a property owner desiring classification of any such historic property as landmark historic property in order to receive the preferential assessment shall make application to the county board of tax assessors and include said certifications with such application. The county board of tax assessors shall determine if the provisions of this Code section have been complied with and upon such determination, the county board of tax assessors shall be required to grant preferential assessment to such property. The county board of tax assessors shall make the determination within 30 days after receiving the application and shall notify the applicant in the same manner that notices of assessment are given pursuant to Code Section 48-5-306. Appeals from the denial of an application for preferential assessment by the board of tax assessors shall be made in the same manner that other property tax appeals are made pursuant to Code Section 48-5-311.

(d) (1) Property which has been classified by the county board of tax assessors as landmark historic property shall be immediately eligible for the preferential assessment provided for in subsection (c.1) of Code Section 48-5-7; provided, however, that, for the purposes of determining the years of eligibility for preferential assessment, the tax year following the year in which the certification was filed with the county board of tax assessors pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section shall be considered and counted as the first year of eligibility.

   (2) Property which is subject to preferential assessment shall be separately classified from all other property on the tax digest; and such separate classification shall be such as will enable any person examining the tax digest to ascertain readily that the property is subject to preferential assessment.

   (3) The county tax receiver or tax commissioner shall enter upon the tax digest as the basis or value of a parcel of landmark historic property a value equal to the greater of the acquisition cost of the property or the assessment of the fair market value of the property as recorded in the county tax digest at the time certification on such property was received by the county board of tax assessors pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section. Property classified as landmark historic property shall be recorded upon the tax digest as provided in this Code section for nine consecutive assessment years, and the notation "landmark historic property" shall be entered on the tax digest adjacent to the valuation of such property to indicate that the property is being preferentially assessed. The tax commissioner or tax receiver shall also enter upon the tax digest an assessment of the fair market value of the property each year, excluding the provisions of subparagraph (D) of paragraph (3) of Code Section 48-5-2.

(e) (1) When property has once been classified and assessed as landmark historic property, it shall remain so classified and be granted the special assessment until the property becomes disqualified by any one of the following:

      (A) Written notice by the taxpayer to the county tax commissioner or receiver to remove the preferential classification and assessment;

      (B) Sale or transfer of ownership making the property exempt from property taxation;

      (C) Decertification of such property by the Department of Natural Resources. The Department of Natural Resources has the authority to decertify any property which no longer possesses the qualities and features which made it eligible for the Georgia Register of Historic Places or which has been altered through inappropriate rehabilitation as determined by the Department of Natural Resources. The sale or transfer to a new owner shall not operate to disqualify the property from preferential classification and assessment so long as the property continues to qualify as landmark historic property, except as specified in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph. When for any reason the property or any portion thereof ceases to qualify as landmark historic property, the owner at the time of change shall notify the Department of Natural Resources and the county board of tax assessors prior to the next January;

      (D) Decertification of such property by the local governing authority for failure to maintain such property in a standard condition as specified in the local historic preservation or landmark ordinance or in local building codes; or

      (E) The expiration of nine years during which the property was classified and assessed as landmark historic property; provided, however, that any such property may qualify thereafter as landmark historic property if such property is subject to subsequent rehabilitation and qualifies under other portions of the historic properties tax incentive program contained within the provisions of this Code section.

   (2) Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, if a property becomes disqualified pursuant to any provision of this subsection, the decertification shall be transmitted to the county board of tax assessors and said assessors shall appropriately notate the property as decertified. Such property shall not be eligible to receive the preferential assessment provided for in this Code section during the taxable year in which such disqualification occurs.

(f) Any person who is aggrieved or adversely affected by any order or action of the Department of Natural Resources pursuant to this subsection shall, upon petition within 30 days after the issuance of such order or taking of such action, have a right to a hearing before an administrative law judge appointed by the Board of Natural Resources. The hearing before the administrative law judge shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act." The decision of the administrative law judge shall constitute the final decision of the board and any party to the hearing, including the Department of Natural Resources, shall have the right of judicial review thereof in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act."

(g) No property shall be eligible to receive simultaneously more than one of the preferential assessments provided for in this Code section and Code Section 48-5-7.2.

(h) Any landmark historic property which lies within a locally designated landmark or historic preservation district which is predominantly a residential district as determined by the local governing authority shall not be eligible for the preferential assessment provided for in this subsection if such landmark historic property constitutes a nonconforming use pursuant to applicable local zoning ordinances or if such landmark historic property does not contribute to the architectural, historic, or cultural values for which said district is significant.

(i) (1) The difference between the preferential assessment granted by this Code section and the taxes which would otherwise be assessed and interest thereon shall constitute a prior lien and shall attach as of the date and in the same manner and shall be collected as are other liens for taxes, as provided for under this title, but shall only be due, payable, and delinquent as provided in this Code section.

   (2) Such liens for taxes, except for any lien covering the then current tax year, shall not be divested by an award for year's support authorized pursuant to former Chapter 5 of Title 53 as such existed on December 31, 1997, if applicable, or Chapter 3 of Title 53.

Code 1981, § 48-5-7.3, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1122, § 3; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 48; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1502, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 128, § 48; Ga. L. 2011, p. 752, § 48/HB 142.