In Connecticut, what standards must a Town Assessor use when assessing
land for the tax roll?  Must the Town set forth the standards it
used in determining the assessment?  We own a vacation house in Old
Lyme Connecticut. The house was built in the 1950s and is on a 5000
square foot piece of land which fronts on the Long Island Sound.  The
zoning now requires l0000 square feet so our house and land is
non-conforming.  We purchased the house and land for $415,000 four
years ago.  The Assessor has set a value of $950,000 on the house and
land, of which $840,000 is for the land component.  The land does not
own directly to the sea - an Association owns the beach.  The Town
shuts off the water from November thru March thereby making the house
seasonal.  The Town does not maintain the street - the association
does.  Since the land does not conform to the zoning we can not alter
or enlarge the house.  There are easements on the property.  We are
sure that the property is not worth the assessed amount, and certainly
the land is not worth the assessed amount.  But we want to know the
basis which the Town must use is assessing residential property,
especially the land component.