(a)
Upon being notified of the recommendation of an assessment hearing officer, the protesting party or the assessor may request the county board of equalization or assessment appeals board to accept or reject the recommendation of the assessment hearing officer. The assessor may request the board to reject the recommendation of the assessment hearing officer. The county board of equalization or assessment appeals board shall, without further testimony, do either of the following:
(1)
Accept the recommendation and change the assessed value in accordance with Section 1610.8.
(2)
Reject the recommendation and set the application for reduction for hearing by the local board of equalization.
If a request is not filed with the county board of equalization or assessment appeals board, the protesting party or the assessor may, within 14 days after mailing of the hearing officer’s report and recommendation, make application for a hearing before the county board or the assessment appeals board, and the application shall be set for hearing by the county board or the assessment appeals board. The board may consider, but shall not be bound by, the recommendation of the assessment hearing officer.
(b)
The provisions of this section shall supersede the provisions of Section 1641 in those counties in which the board of supervisors by resolution adopts the provisions of this section.