Flashback: remember the article The Ellis County Press and I did — plus the two YouTube videos on ECP-TV.com — on the piece of vacant, road-less land in Lindell Estates off of Uhl Road that a Realtor submitted a letter to the Ellis Central Appraisal District and requested a sky-rocketed increase in appraised value? Well, my friend Kelly Chance, whose mom owned the vacant, road-less land in Lindell Estates, got her appraised value lowered and the taxes lowered considerably after that article was published (huge front page photo of the property, etc.)
Now comes the really interesting part: then, I wasn’t in on this Loop 9 sinister plot to artifically drive up appraisals in land and properties that will one day be home to traffic, on-and-off ramps, etc. for this Trans-Texas Corridor sister project. (the TTC didn’t die, no matter how many times Gov. Rick Perry’s glossed statements say it did)
I didn’t know at the time of the Kelly Chance/ECP article that these appraisals were going through the roof on speculation that LOOP 9 WOULD ONE DAY WIPE LINDELL ESTATES AND OTHER PROPERTIES OFF THE MAP.
But now I know…how do I know?
Because the city of Glenn Heights, Texas, ladies and gentlemen, has a city hall and other property with a market value of $108,000, according to ECAD.
That same property had $600,000 in improvements for a total appraised value of: $649,000!
So, you tell me, Glenn Heights…who the HELL do you think you are going to fool with this crap?
Loop 9 is coming, and I have purposely been quiet for the past few months on the subject due to some “behind-the-scenes” things I’m working on…this being one of those things.
Glenn Heights recently had a mayoral candidate, Dorothy Loney, mention Loop 9 and taking advantage of that toll road (the language on her posters and campaign literature was very broad) in some way…I don’t blame the city for wanting to take advantage of economic development opportunities, but the artificial inflation of property values in cities and those “in the know” is now very, very evident…Loney got destroyed in the election May 8, by the way, drawing only 61 votes. But, there are still others on the GH City Council who may or may not know about the extent that their city is preparing for Loop 9.
Over in Cedar Hill, we see the same thing with the future mayor, Cory Spillman, who now has property very, very close to where Loop 9 is going to pass through…I’m sure that was a total coincidence to move to South Joe Wilson Road. Yeah, pure coincidence.
Those that are in the know on this toll road are driving up the appraisals on purpose to benefit — and I plan to expose that….starting with today’s Glenn Heights report.
Joey
June 13, 2010
http://eco2.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/youtube-txdot-says-trans-texas-corridor-is-not-dead/?cpage=1#comment-31271
Joey
June 13, 2010
Councilman Dan Freeman, where are you? I need you to look at this and tell the public what’s going on with this…
There hasn’t been a single “improvement” on that property until this year…something is DRIVING that appraised value straight up…and it’s not liquor.
Tom Witzgall
June 13, 2010
Unfortunately, skyrocketing property values may be the only way, we (homeowners who stand to have their property stolen by the Texas Government), can get a decent price for our homes when the goons come around and order us out. This government is de facto Communism-when a “government” can just take peoples’ houses & land at will, so that certain politically connected individuals can put on their resumes that they were “instrumental” in improving the flow of commerce and transportation in the DFW area. I’ll have more to say on this matter at a later date.
Joey G. Dauben | The Palmer Post
June 13, 2010
Tom, if that were your property from $108,000 to $649,000, the state would laugh at you for asking maybe half that much for your land. But it’s government, and government will always give their inside deals to their good ‘ol boys.
Amy Hedtke
June 13, 2010
have you verified what “improvements” they claim?
Joey G. Dauben | The Palmer Post
June 13, 2010
I looked on there, and it shows a building constructed in 1980.
That was it.
Amy Hedtke
June 13, 2010
but if it’s showing “improvements” in 2010, what improvements in THAT year are counting as “improvements”? something internal? or definitely non-existent?
Erin McCullough
June 14, 2010
I live in GH & drive by that city hall each day. The only improvement I’ve seen at all in the 2 yrs I’ve lived here is a change in the annual flowers out front of the building & that’s not saying much. Just more evidence that Glenn Heights doesn’t care one bit about their residents, only money. My house us one in the direct path of Loop 9… can I plant flowers & have my property value skyrocket?
Amy Hedtke
June 15, 2010
I understand Erin– I drive by it a lot myself. I’m just saying that it would be more credible to at least ask some official questions about these recent so-called “improvements” instead of assuming. even though Joey’s original premise is probably correct.
Joey G. Dauben | The Palmer Post
June 15, 2010
I’m looking at official source information on Ellis Central Appraisal District. I typed in “Glenn Heights” into the Property Owner category and came up with all the details…and there are very little details as to what those improvements were.
Though today, I was driving through Glenn Heights on business-related matters and noticed Bear Creek’s widening…or preparations for the Bear Creek Road widening…
John McClean
June 15, 2010
Excuse for being somewhat off topic. Joey, what is your main objection to Loop 9? Placement or property rights? Seems like it can’t be both. If your ok with loop 9, but not in its present location, then property rights don’t seem to come into it. If property rights are the main problem, then there really is no place that it can be built.
Just curious.
fatamy
June 15, 2010
Is this an eminment domain issue too
Joey
June 15, 2010
I support Loop 9 with these exceptions:
1) The current study route
2) The current proposed study route “plan b” and “plan c” options
I don’t like the fact this massive toll road is still a Trans-Texas Corridor highway, so first, I don’t like the deception used to market Loop 9 as anything other than a TTC sister highway.
I also don’t like the fact that friends, neighbors and residents in Glenn Heights, Red Oak, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, etc. are sitting underneath the “lanes” and on-off ramps and that they were not notified (again, deception) that zoning changes were made from their residential areas to industrial (as has happened in Cedar Hill.)
I’m all for toll roads. I just don’t like how this stuff is being pushed…and it’s all deception and lack of information.
John McClean
June 15, 2010
Thanks,
I get the impression that any State or National highway that intersects any TTC ( substitute political label of the day) is a sister highway. So much so as to make the label useless.
Was the rezoning done according to law? Sounds like the deception was more on the local level than state. Do you think there would be less opposition if the state were more open about the plan. I can’t imagine that those in the path would have been any happier if they were told kindly. Nor would it have been wise to leak out proposed routes and have them not materialize.
I wasn’t really aware of any scandals during the acquisition phase of the SSC, but as a land holder that was bought out, I had no quarrel with their handling of land acquisition. But, I’m sure there will plenty who know more and don’t agree. I’m not sure there is a good way to tell people they are selling something they don’t want to sell, just for the greater good, allegedly.
Dorothy
June 16, 2010
Joey, why would you say I was destroyed? I tried to help my city and lose a race. Destroyed is not correct, I simply got 61 Votes to Victors 140. I’m ashamed by this, and I am not done by a long shot. I just have to wait till my next chance. I want the best for my city and will continue to make it a place for family’s to enjoy life. Victor has a chance to prove I was wrong about him, and I hope him the best.
Dorothy
June 16, 2010
Sorry lost
Amy Hedtke
June 16, 2010
I’m against the toll road, period.
If it’s to be built w/ public funds, then open it to free use.
If it’s to be built w/ private funds, then don’t use eminent domain to acquire land for a private company. they can buy the land themselves.
John McClean
June 16, 2010
If it’s a toll road built with public funds, but the tolls actually repay the initial costs and maint, I’m for that. You drive on it, you pay for it. Don’t drive on it, don’t pay for it. I think they should make a distinction between public and private from the start.
It’s just me, but I think private ownership of publicly available roads is just a bad idea. But, then I also think the public, as a whole (government), should own more roads, parks, beaches, etc. I think collective ownership of national parks is the only reason they are still here today and not split up and dissolved years ago. Corporations simply have no long term outlook, and little reason to have one. But I digress.
thepalmerpost
June 17, 2010
Dorothy, I use colorful language and wording, and due to the elections that come and go, I use other words for “landslide,” so often times, many will read me write that so-and-so got “hammered” or “buried” or “demolished” in an election. The same could be said about my elections, too, but no offense was intended towards you. It was merely a way to describe the violently large gap between you and Victor.
(see what I mean? What’s “violent” about it? Nothing…just my use of colorful language.)
Joey G. Dauben
Publisher
The Palmer Post
Daniel Freeman
July 27, 2010
Joey, I knew my ears were burning but didn’t know why. Now I know! Your website did some strange things a month or three back so I haven’t been watching like I used to but it all looks fixed now…..I hope.
Sorry for the late reply but better late than never. Nice article and although I don’t have any more info than you’ve already posted I will do some speculating about it for your readers as long as you all realize the appraisal is a surprise to me as well.
I can say for certain that neither the City Council nor staff has made any improvements whatsoever to the property on Hampton road so the appraisal must be based on other speculative matters. We certainly have no idea what spurred it. Heck, we don’t even mow it.
Some history-
The 70-ish acre property in question was purchased somewhere around 2000-2003 I believe and has always been earmarked as a potential city center project. Back then Loop-9 was not the monstrosity its grown into today. Back then, it was still a 2 lane (each way) highway with a tree lined median.
In Glenn Heights it was going to be called ‘Glenn Heights Blvd.’ and was going to connect Red Oak to our City Center at the location on Hampton rd. and run to Cedar Hill. That option was a really good idea if done right and done in conjunction with local business and developers.
Fast forward and you can see the “bait and switch” that occurred. Only in the last 3-5 years are we really beginning to see what the intent is for loop 9 and I certainly don’t think we’ve seen it all yet.
In the past year we began a review in preparation for the update to our Comprehensive Plan. This occurs every three to five years to help define what our goals are and a new discussion of the City Center concept is a natural part of that discussion. Several discussions on this topic have occurred and the Comp. Plan update is currently going forward.
Is it possible that plays into it? I wouldn’t think so. No one has started down the road to building one in earnest so I cannot fathom why that would cause the appraisal district to believe the property was “improved”. The City Center cocept has been part of the plan for 10 years and the appraisal never went up.
It cannot be a legitimate appraisal based on even a blazing drive-by of that property and it certainly does nothing to change my opinion of loop-9. To date I have not heard a reasoned, rational argument on why that toll way (groan) will be good for GH. Until that happens (and I cannot fathom how it will) I stand opposed to the current configuration and the entire concept of a “Toll way”.
As originally presented way back when, it was a good idea that took no one’s home. It has morphed into a monster who’s original intent has been replaced with potential a revenue stream instead of helping communities grow.
I am continually amazed that people buy into the idea that a toll is not a tax. How can any self respecting Texan who grew up with one of the best open road systems of highways in the United States be ‘ok’ with the idea of a controlled road where they can charge you whatever they wish, continually, through a third party to use it?
Erin- It is not true that we do not care for our citizens, we are citizens. I’m sorry you feel that way. Lets talk about what bothers you and perhaps I can help answer your concerns. All of us on council now are there because we didn’t like what we saw going on back in 2000-2004. We care so much that we give up a lot of time with our families to try and fix some of the things that have gone badly wrong in GH in the past, and we are making changes for the better. It takes time but we are trying. You have a good group on council, you have a good staff, come down, meet us, ask us questions. Please.
Dorothy- You promised me you would stay involved in the city after the election and we need you to keep that promise. We recently had openings on P&Z and it would have done GH good to place you there. We need more people like you. Come back.
Admin
July 27, 2010
Daniel you are an idiot.
Daniel Freeman
July 27, 2010
Wow, your the one that asked me to comment. If you don’t like the answer fine but no need to insult. Guess I misguided you joey.
Daniel Freeman
July 27, 2010
misjudged
Crow t Robot
July 27, 2010
If he says you are an idiot, you are Daniel! Joey is always right.
D. Freeman
July 28, 2010
Apparently! Then everyone wonders why more elected officials don’t come and give their thoughts. Amazing.
taxed
August 2, 2010
My problem with the whole thing is that the tax value should be a true value.
Not what we would like it to be.
If the loop goes in and land owners are given a fair market value. Our taxes pay for it.
Over inflating values on land with little or no value, leave the land owner with a choice to pay the tax or let it go. Why would you pay large taxes on property that nobody wants to buy.
Then the land is purchases at auction by someone who “knows” something and actually works to increase the tax values. By ” selling” the property for an amount I am surprised anyone would pay, for “500″ down and they carry the note. Then they tell the county tax assessor, that its worth what they “sold” it for and submit some of these “sales”.
The more they inflate the taxes the more likely it is that people will let it go. Since they cant even sell because nobody wants to buy it. (not even the guy who is buying at auction). I am sure he would rather buy it at auction.
SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THIS PICTURE!
L. Edwards
March 27, 2012
Quick note: I had been served for jury duty for the city of Glenn Heights and had paid notice to the map of Loop 9 in the same room court was being held. It was posted as coming right through our living room. I had been requested to serve again just over a year later, and the map was gone. That is as close as I have come to an update. I know I am not of popular opinion, but I am looking forward to the change. I just wish I knew more about it.