BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Board of Equalization adjourned Tuesday after hearing about 1,200 tax appeals from property owners, but significant changes are not expected in the $128 million in tax bills which will be mailed Oct. 1, according to Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Teddy Faust.

Commission staffers now are preparing to begin property assessment for the 2011 tax year, which will include determining property values for oil-contaminated coastal parcels.

Valuation notices mailed in June reflected an 8.5 percent decline in property values, and devaluation of 20 percent or more in coastal areas, Faust said.

Roughly 3,500 appeals were generated by the valuation notices and most were resolved in informal hearings, bypassing the BOE.

Faust said a final abstract will be available next week.

“We do not anticipate a significant change from the preliminary abstract, but we have asked the county budget department to allow a 3 percent variation due to appeals,” Faust said.

Tax bills will be mailed Oct. 1 and become delinquent after Dec. 31.

Beginning Oct. 1, county appraisers will begin routine yearly assessment of properties for the 2011 tax billing. They also will attempt to measure coastal market value losses related to the BP oil spill.

State Attorney General Troy King asked Faust in a May 12 memo to assist in evaluating lost revenue due to the oil spill. The evidence will be used in presenting claims to BP.

Faust earlier said the review will include loss of revenue on rental properties, cost associated with oil cleanup and wide-ranging market activities.

“I have no idea if BP is paying for property damage,” Faust said Wednesday. “Our goal will be to reflect market value as of Oct. 1.

“Issues such as oil or the economy are important factors and it will be extremely difficult to determine how or if they have had an impact on market value.”

Faust said market value data from September will be closely analyzed in the evaluation process.