Invalid Group of Wayspots Appeal: All on Private Residential Property

[Like300Wombats]

When submitting a Wayspot Appeal, make sure to include as much of the following information as possible:

• Wayspot Title:
• 1. 58 Partners Church Fishing Dock
• 2. 58 Partners Foundation Church Gazebo
• 3. 58 Partners Foundation Church Plaque
• 4. 58 Partners Foundation Church Scenic Lookout
• 5. 58 Partners Foundation Church Chapel
• 6. 58 Partners Foundation Church Gazebo 2
• 7. 58 Partners Tennis Courts
• 8. 58 Partners Church Riverview Lookout Platform
• 9. 58 Partners Church Playground Hopscotch
• Location (lat/lon):
• 1. 40.055429, -83.100185
• 2. 40.055174, -83.101827
• 3. 40.055325, -83.102433
• 4. 40.055519, -83.100477
• 5. 40.055279, -83.101049
• 6. 40.054931, -83.102023
• 7. 40.055129, -83.102147
• 8. 40.055738, -83.100653
• 9. 40.05521, -83.100769
• City: Columbus, OH
• Country: United States
• Screenshot of the Rejection Email (do not include your personal information):

• Additional Information (if any): This private residential property was purchased by it’s current owner using his charitable foundation (58 Partners Foundation Church) as a tax dodge…perfectly legal, but that does not make this property a church. He most recently put the approximately 25,000 square foot estate up for sale in 2022 for $8,000,000. It has 16 bedroom and 28 bathrooms. The property listing at that time reads as follows:
• “Extraordinary Private Compound on the Scioto River Presenting one of the largest private residential estates in Central Ohio, where extraordinary resort-style living awaits you on the Scioto River. This long-admired property is a true compound featuring a primary residence, a carriage house with 2 additional private residences, a boat house with a private dock, and a caretaker’s office across 6.8 acres of lush landscaping. Seamless indoor-outdoor amenities include a pool and cabana overlooking a pond, clay tennis courts, croquet lawn with gazebo, shuffleboard, a sledding hill with moguls, an orchard, and a stream that meanders through the estate. The Tuscan-style primary home impresses with meticulous craftsmanship and custom millwork throughout. Floorplan includes an elaborate master suite with his and hers bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen on the main level and several service kitchens. In the lower level, a restaurant-style banquet kitchen with commercial-grade appliances delivers elevated service for large parties and events. Three additional bedroom suites and a guest wing with 6 bedrooms accommodate a large family or group. An expansive lanai stretches from each end of the mansion with waterfront views from every angle. Additional features include an indoor waterfall, an elevator, a 20-person dining room with vaulted ceilings, commercial-grade laundry, library with floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves, a music room, and on-site apartments for staff. For those who seek the ultimate exclusivity, the estate ensures privacy and discretion among tranquil grounds. With multiple buildings and leisure activities the opportunities are endless with this rare trophy property.”
• It’s recent history can be followed in this reddit post from the time:
• Reddit - Dive into anything

The property was also described at the time in this news story from the local newspaper:

Scioto River estate comes with an $8-million price tag, 16 bedrooms and 28...

All of the waypoints can be found mentioned in the article. There are two new additional waypoints at the site that have appeared since I reported the ones I have listed in this appeal. I hope that whoever is abusing the Wayfarer system in this manner is held to account. Again, this is private residential property.

[ZenMasterIO]

It seems as though the church pays their taxes and owns the land which is a public record.

[Franklin County Treasurer - Property Search]

(Franklin County Treasurer - Property Search)

[Leedle95]

Interesting what you can find on the Internet; However, it does seem as though the house is zoned as a single residential property and there’s information on it on several real estate websites.

Also, if you go to 58 partners church website is not an actual church. It’s a foundation that supports churches. So it could very easily be a business that’s run out of a home, but it’s not a church that welcomes parishioners on site.

[Like300Wombats]

Interesting regarding the taxes, as Ohio law provides that real property owned by non-profit institutions which is used exclusively for charitable, public or educational purposes is exempt from taxation. Therefore, since the 501(c)3 is paying taxes, the property must not have been deemed to be used “exclusively charitable, public or educational purposes” by the County.

For the record, this is the way the tax dodge works: the private residential property is purchased with a 501(c)3…when the true owner makes “donations” to the 501(c)3 in order to pay his property taxes, those “donations” are…tax deductible. So he’s getting a tax deduction for all of the property tax he pays.

Which…I mean…sweet deal if you can pull it off.

[eneeoh]

Well, I mean…

…if the Tax Bureau says the property is not exclusively church-related, and there is no actual church, all that is left is the name.

Does Churches Chicken qualify for Wayspots as a religious organization?

[Like300Wombats]

I just want to be perfectly clear about what the tax documents posted above actually mean. Under American tax law, actual churches are exempt from having to pay federal, state and local taxes…including property taxes. What these documents demonstrate is that because the 501(c)3 non-profit with the word “church” in its name IS paying property taxes IT THEREFORE IS NOT ACTUALLY A CHURCH. It is a simple transitive statement.

[Like300Wombats]

It was brought to my attention on Friday that the first 3 portals on my list (Fishing Dock, Gazebo, and Plaque [which is just the property’s address ]) had been removed from the game. They have been re-added as waypoints.

Does anybody know the correct way to report this type of abuse? It’s possible that the only way to keep these private residential property waypoints out of the system is to ban the individuals responsible for their existence. Otherwise we will be engaged in a relentless cycle of reporting, removing, and re-adding.

Note: these are the new coordinates for the reintroduced waypoints:

Fishing Dock: 40.055431, -83.100168
Gazebo: 40.055153, -83.101784
Plaque: 40.055352, -83.102393

They differ slightly from the original coordinates as one would expect; I add them here to make them as easy as possible to find.

[NianticAtlas]

Thanks for the appeal, @Like300Wombats. After reviewing the additional evidence provided, we’ve decided to retire the Wayspots in question.

[Like300Wombats]

Thank you…but please note that as you are removing them the player in question is simply reintroducing them. I have used the in game mechanism to report the reintroduced waypoints as being on private residential property, but if those reports are rejected I’ll be back with another appeal. Not suure what else to do about theae wapoint and this(these) player(s).