Donegan Racks Up 5th Land Tax Win

ORLANDO-Orange County property appraiser Bill Donegan has won his fifth straight battle in 18 months with some of the county’s largest land owners. His fifth tussle, with Sierra Florida Properties, is coming up this month.

A special master on the county’s Value Adjustment Board has ruled Vivendi Universal’s 1,800 prime undeveloped acres near the four-million-sf Orange County Convention Center can no longer be classified as “agriculture” land and qualify for a lower annual property tax bill. Donegan’s office maintains that although Universal is growing pine trees on the land, the entire parcel is actually being groomed for new development or re-sale to a third party. Universal vigorously denies that argument.

The special master’s ruling means Universal’s taxes on the dirt near hotel row in the International Drive tourist corridor will rise to $1.8 million from $390,000. A Universal representative tells GlobeSt.com the company will appeal the ruling to the full five-member Value Adjustment Board in February. If the ruling is upheld, Universal is expected to sue Donegan and the county in state Circuit Court, real estate lawyers intimate with comparable issues tell GlobeSt.com.