Majority
—In a proceeding pursuant to CPLR
Ordered that the judgment is reversed, on the law, without costs or disbursements, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Dutchess County, for a hearing in accordance herewith.
The appellants granted the petitioner, a nonprofit corporation, a partial property tax exemption for the 1996 tax year. The petitioner then commenced this proceeding claiming that it is entitled to a full exemption pursuant to RPTL 420-a (1) (a). The Supreme Court granted the petition.
The court properly determined that this proceeding is not time-barred (see, Matter of Adventist Home v Board of Assessors, 83 NY2d 878 ; Kahal Bnei Emunim & Talmud Torah Bnei Simon Israel v Town of Fallsburg, 78 NY2d 194 ). However, because the petitioner did not, as a matter of law, meet its burden of demonstrating that it is entitled to a full exemption (see, Matter of New York Botanical Garden v Assessors of Town of Washington, 55 NY2d 328 , 334), the court erred in granting the petition without conducting a hearing.
While there is no dispute that the petitioner is organized and conducted exclusively for an exempt purpose (see, RPTL 420-a [1] [a]), the record does not sufficiently establish that the petitioner’s property is used primarily for that exempt purpose (see, Mohonk Trust v Board of Assessors, 47 NY2d 476 , 483). The questions of fact raised in this proceeding should be resolved at a hearing (see, CPLR 7804 [h]).
The appellants’ remaining contention is without merit (see, RPTL 420-a [11]). Copertino, J. P., Sullivan, Pizzuto and Lerner, JJ., concur.
Cases cited
- Adventist Home, Inc. v. Board of Assessors of Livingston 83 NY2d 878 p. 292
- Emunim v. Town of Fallsburg 78 NY2d 194 p. 292
- New York Botanical Garden v. Assessors of Washington 55 NY2d 328 at 334 p. 292
- Trust v. Board of Assessors of Gardiner 47 NY2d 476 at 483 p. 292