FAQ Group Drain Assessments

Drain assessments appear on your winter property tax bill and are paid along with your property taxes.  In order to lessen yearly cost a drain assessment may be spread over multiple years, i.e. 1 of 3 years.

Appeal of Drain Special Assessments may be made to the Van Buren County Probate Court within 10 days after the Day of Review.

If you are unable to attend the Day of Review and have questions regarding your assessment or the assessment process, please call the Van Buren County Drain Office. It is possible to make an appointment at times other than the…

Although the work for which you are being assessed may have been completed prior to your purchase of the land, the Drain Code requires that assessments be levied to the property, and assessed to the current owner of record. In…

This is a time when you are invited to review the maintenance efforts and costs for providing your land with storm water drainage and to discuss your proposed share of (apportionment) of these costs. This is also a time to…

All property owners within a drainage district receive an assessment, unless specifically exempted by law. In addition, the municipality, Van Buren County, the Van Buren County Road Commission, and the Michigan Department of Transportation (as appropriate) also receive an assessment…

The law requires that assessments be based on benefit derived as determined by the Drain Commissioner. All properties within the drainage district are assessed considering factors such as size of the parcel, land use, proximity to the drain, and location…

No. Water may flow off your property in more than one direction to different drains and drainage districts and all of those drains may be assessed in one year.

Each notice informs you of a Drain Special Assessment for a different drainage district. Your property can be in multiple drainage districts because storm water moves from smaller watersheds through larger watersheds, ultimately discharging to the Great Lakes. For example,…

The Van Buren County Drain Office has maps and aerial photos that can show the location of your property and the county drains within the drainage district.   These documents will be available on the Day of Review.   Even…