The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Assessor." The chief assessor of the county, the equivalent position in a home rule county or the equivalent position in a city of the third class that performs its own assessments of real property.

"Board." Any of the following:

(1) "Board." As defined in section 8802 (relating to definitions).

(2) "Board of Property Assessment, Appeals and Review." The Board of Property Assessment, Appeals and Review in a county of the second class under the act of June 21, 1939 (P.L.626, No.294), referred to as the Second Class County Assessment Law, or a similar body established by a home rule county.

(3) "Board of Revision of Tax and Appeals." The board of revision of taxes and appeals in cities of the third class.

(4) The body with responsibility for the making of assessments of real property in a city of the first class.

"Common level ratio." The ratio of assessed value to current market value used generally in the county as last determined by the State Tax Equalization Board under the act of June 27, 1947 (P.L.1046, No.447), referred to as the State Tax Equalization Board Law.

"Established predetermined ratio." The ratio of assessed value to market value established by the board of county commissioners and uniformly applied in determining assessed value in any year.

"Farmstead." All buildings and structures on a farm not less than ten contiguous acres in area, not otherwise exempt from real property taxation or qualified for any other abatement or exclusion pursuant to any other law, that are used primarily to produce or store any farm product produced on the farm for purposes of commercial agricultural production, to house or confine any animal raised or maintained on the farm for the purpose of commercial agricultural production, to store any agricultural supply to be used on the farm in commercial agricultural production or to store any machinery or equipment used on the farm in commercial agricultural production. This term shall only apply to farms used as the domicile of an owner.

"Farmstead property." A farmstead for which an application has been submitted and approved under section 8584 (relating to administration and procedure).

"Governing body." The board of county commissioners, including the successor in function to the board of county commissioners in a county which has adopted a home rule charter under the former act of April 13, 1972 (P.L.184, No.62), known as the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law, under Subpart E of Part III (relating to home rule and optional plan government) or under Article XXXI-C of the act of July 28, 1953 (P.L.723, No.230), known as the Second Class County Code, city council, borough council, incorporated town council, board of township commissioners, board of township supervisors, a governing council of a home rule municipality or optional plan municipality, a governing council of any similar general purpose unit of government which may hereafter be created by statute or a board of school directors of a school district.

"Median assessed value." The value which is the middle point in the sequential distribution of assessed values, above and below which exist an equal number of assessed values.

(July 5, 2012, P.L.1097, No.131, eff. imd.)

2012 Amendment. Act 131 amended the def. of "board."

References in Text. The act of June 27, 1947 (P.L.1046, No.447), referred to as the State Tax Equalization Board Law, referred to in the def. of "common level ratio," was repealed by the act of April 18, 2013 (P.L.4, No.2). The subject matter is now contained in Chapter 15 of the act of June 27, 1996 (P.L.403, No.58), known as the Community and Economic Development Enhancement Act.