Investigations by zoning board member outside the hearing process did not give rise to due process violation

by Kaitlin Heinen and Gary Taylor

Timothy Hutchinson v. Wayne Township Board of Zoning Appeals
(Ohio Court of Appeals, 12th Appellate District, September 10, 2012)

Tim Hutchinson filed an application for a conditional use permit from Wayne Township Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) to operate a Halloween-themed nature walk on part of Jana Hutchinson’s farm, which was zoned A-1, agricultural district. The BZA held a hearing for Tim Hutchinson’s application in July of 2008. At this hearing, it was found that the nature walk would be open 6-8 weekends per year during the Halloween season from 5pm-midnight. Traffic would come from Wayne-Madison Road using two unpaved roads, while parking would be provided in nearby open fields. The BZA  found that Wayne-Madison Road is a narrow, two-lane, dead-end road with no lighting and with narrow berms that steeply slope into drainage ditches, although Hutchinson presented expert testimony from a traffic engineer that Wayne-Madison Road would be able to handle the additional traffic. The BZA also heard complaints from residents in the area, which addressed safety issues arising from the use of Wayne-Madison Road by drivers who are inexperienced with gravel roads as well as the peace and the security of the residents in area that may be affected by the increased traffic. The BZA adjourned the hearing in progress, expressing concern that Tim Hutchinson was not a proper applicant since he was only a tenant on the property and not the landowner. Jana Hutchinson was then joined on the application for a conditional use permit, and when the hearing resumed she provided additional information to BZA about security, traffic, road maintenance, and insurance for the nature walk.

In December of 2008, the hearing was reconvened. Tim Hutchinson testified that he estimated 500 cars would be expected at the nature walk each evening. However, BZA member Carleen Yeager stated that she had researched attendance at other Halloween-themed events and, to the contrary, 500 cars would be a “light night” and that nearly 1500 cars would be expected on a “good night.” Tim Hutchinson countered that the nature walk was new and that he was “starting off small.” At the end of the hearing, BZA member Jerry Gerber moved to deny the Hutchinsons’ application.  The vote was unanimous against the application. The Hutchinsons appealed the BZA’s oral denial of the application to the Butler County Court of Common Pleas and the case was remanded to the BZA for the issuance of a written decision.

In March of 2010, the BZA issued its written decision, which found that the Hutchinsons’ nature walk would be inconsistent and incompatible with the current uses of the surrounding area and would adversely affect the general welfare of neighboring residents in the area. The Hutchinsons’ appealed. In January of 2012, the common pleas court issued its decision that affirmed the BZA’s denial of the Hutchinsons’ application for a conditional use permit.

The issue before the Ohio Court of Appeals in this decision then is that “the common pleas court erred to the prejudice of the [appellants] by affirming the BZA’s decision.” The Hutchinsons claimed that the trial court erred in its affirmation of the BZA’s decision, even though the appellants had satisfied all requirements of the zoning resolution, and that the trial court erred in finding that their due process rights were not violated by BZA member Yeager’s outside investigation.

In regards to the Hutchinsons’ first claim, the township’s zoning code requires that conditional uses must meet several criteria, such as not adversely affecting the health, safety, comfort and general welfare of the surrounding area by threats of traffic hazards, noise disturbances, night lighting, fire hazards, etc. (Section 25.053). However, citing prior case law the court stated that satisfaction of these requirements does not make approval automatic, and that the township zoning code also requires the BZA to “give due regard to the nature and condition of all adjacent uses and structures” surrounding the proposed conditional use. After reviewing the record, the court found that the Hutchinsons did not satisfy all the requirements in the code. Despite the Hutchinsons’ presentation of an expert witness, the BZA had reason to find that the increased traffic would be incompatible with the surrounding area. Thus the trial court did not err in their decision to affirm the BZA’s denial on this count.

As for the due process violation alleged, “[t]he essence of due process dictates, at the very least, that an individual have an opportunity to be heard and to defend, enforce and protect his rights before an administrative body in an orderly proceeding.” Here, Yeager admitted to making “some calls” inquiring into the reasonable number of cars to be expected for a Halloween-themed event. The Hutchinsons argued that her statement negatively affected their ability to have a fair hearing, since they were not able to cross-examine Yeager’s informants as well as Yeager herself, at the risk of losing her vote. Again citing previous caselaw, the court stated that “[t]he combination of investigative, executive and adjudicative functions does not necessarily create a risk of bias or unfairness in an administrative adjudication.” The court noted that the BZA’s decision stated, in part, that it was denying appellants’ application because the Nature Walk “would significantly increase traffic flow, according to applicant’s testimony, by hundreds of cars each evening.” From this statement, according to the court, “it is clear that the BZA did not rely on Yeager’s view that as many as 1,500 cars would be traveling Wayne-Madison Road, but only that 500 cars would be on the road, as indicated by Tim Hutchinson.”

Further, the court noted that the BZA unanimously denied appellants’ application. Thus, even if Yeager’s statements demonstrated her own bias and prejudice toward the Nature Walk, the exclusion of her vote would not have altered the result.   No due process rights were violated.

The judgment of the trial court was affirmed, maintaining the denial of the Hutchinsons’ application for a conditional use permit to operate a Halloween-themed nature walk.

Conditional use permit criteria not vague; recusal of board member negates claim of bias

by Victoria Heldt

Gage Inc., LLP v. Village of Sister Bay
(Wisconsin Court of Appeals, July 6, 2011)

Gage Inc., LLP wanted to develop a three-story condominium/hotel in downtown Sister Bay.  The district in which they planned to build was zoned “B-3 Downtown Business District” and was adjacent to property owned by the Village president, Denise Bhirdo.  Gage planned to set aside 34 of the units as residential condominiums and utilize the rest of the units as hotel rooms.  While the B-3 district zoning regulations allowed buildings to be used as hotels, a condominium/hotel would require a conditional use permit.  The Village Plan commission recommended denying the permit after several public hearings.  Subsequently, the Village Board voted to deny the conditional use permit.  Gage appealed to the district court, which affirmed the Board’s decision.

Gage first argued that the Village’s conditional use provision in the zoning ordinance was unconstitutionally vague because it failed to describe what factors will influence whether a permit is issued or not issued.  The Court noted that the zoning code defines conditional uses as “uses of a special nature as to make impractical their predetermination as a permitted use in a district…which are designed to cover situations where a particular use, although not inherently inconsistent with the use classification of a particular zoning district, may create special problems and hazards if allowed to develop and locate as a matter of right in a particular zoning district.”  The zoning ordinance also describes the intent of the B-3 Downtown Business District which is to “offer greater flexibility in area requirements and setback requirements than other districts in order to promote the reuse of buildings and lots and the construction of new developments…consistent with the existing scale of development.”  The zoning provision also states that “conditional uses will be reviewed to see if they are in accordance with the purpose and intent of the chapter and is found to be not hazardous, harmful, offensive or otherwise adverse to the environment or the value of the neighborhood or the Village.”  The Court concluded that the conditional use ordinance, in tandem with the B-3 district statement of intent, was sufficiently definite.  The Court noted that general  criteria or standards for conditional uses have previously been accepted by the Court, and that allowing the Board to exercise its discretion is indeed appropriate.  “[For example] an ordinance regulating site development need not be created with a particular degree of specificity other than is necessary to give developers reasonable notice of the areas of inquiry that will be examined in approving or disapproving the development.”  For these reasons, the Court concluded that the conditional use ordinance was sufficiently definite.

Gage also claimed that the Board’s decision was arbitrary and without sufficient evidence.  He argued that the very same building he was proposing would be acceptable if all of the rooms were used as hotel rooms, so the only relevant issue is the intended use of 34 of the rooms.  Therefore, he reasoned that the entire project could not be denied based only one aspect of the project.  The Court noted that Gage cited no authority for this argument and disregarded it.  In any case, the Court ruled that the Board based its decision on protecting the intent of the downtown district.  It was meant to remain a primarily commercial area and to encourage business for the surrounding restaurants and shops.  Residential condominiums have a lower turn-over rate and house residents who are more likely to eat in and not do as much business in the downtown area.  In addition, condominium owners in a vacation area such Sister Bay usually reside more permanently elsewhere, so the condominiums could sit vacant for a good portion of the year.  Therefore, the Court reasoned that the Board correctly based its decision on protecting the welfare of the surrounding area.

Gage also contended that there was a high risk of bias in the decision since Denise Bhirdo (adjacent property owner) sat on both the Village Plan Commission and on the Village Board.  Gage claimed he negotiated with Bhirdo prior to his request for a permit regarding the project and agreed to purchase her property.  He testified that, after his plans changed and he did not need her property, she opposed the plan and influenced the Board.  The Court ruled that there was no impermissible risk of bias since Bhirdo excused herself from all public hearings of both the Planning Commission and the Village Board and did not case any votes regarding the case.

The Court affirmed the district court’s ruling in favor of the Village.

County attorney serving multiple roles in condemnation case creates impermissible likelihood of bias

by Melanie Thwing

Davenport v. Morris County Board of County Commissioners
(Kansas Supreme Court, September 10, 2010)

In February of 2000, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners in Kansas decided to vacate 2 roads. Davenport Pastures, LP filed a written application for damages because these roads accessed a ranch they leased. Without a hearing the Assistant County Attorney drafted a letter on the Boards behalf, rejecting the application. The matter was brought before the district court, which awarded Davenport $30,000.

The County Board appealed and the Court of Appeals remanded the case back to the County Board for further proceedings. After the remand the Assistant County Attorney pressed the Board to have a hearing, and on separate occasions took two commissioners to view the roads. At the attorney’s recommendation appraiser David Sundgren was hired. A hearing was held and the attorney acted as legal council for the Board, and cross-examined Davenport Pastures’ experts as well as Sundgren, who appraised damages of $4,050. The Assistant County Attorney also ultimately wrote the final decision of the Board.

Arguing that the Assistant County Attorney’s multiple roles violated due process, Davenport Pastures appealed. Neither the district court nor the Court of Appeals found sufficient evidence that his dual roles, “actually affected the Commission’s decision.”

Before the Kansas Supreme Court, Davenport Pastures argued that the multiple roles played by the attorney deprived them of their Fourteen Amendment right to due process. The Court cites Powers v. State Department of Social Welfare where the Department appointed its own attorney to preside over a “fair hearing,” and where the lawyer later represented the Department in the appeal. The Court in Powers found the double roles, “highly improper,” and a clear conflict of interest.”  Further, in Coats v. U.S.D. a similar situation occurred where a school’s selection board choose one of its own attorneys to serve on a hearing committee. The Court in Coats found, “[T]he school board’s appointment of its own attorney to the hearing committee violated the rule of fundamental fairness… Such a blatant defiance of due process cannot be countenanced…”

The Kansas Supreme Court concluded that having the Assistant County Attorney represent the Board on almost all matters in this proceeding caused a risk of bias that is too high to be constitutional. He first played a role of legal advisor, second as the sole advocate for the Board, and third as an adjudicator because he had advised the Board to hire Sundgren, brought the commissioners to see the road, and drafted the decision. The Court observed that “…due process is violated when, under all the circumstances of the case, the ‘probable risk of actual bias [is] too high to be constitutionally tolerable.” The case was remanded back to the Board County Commissioners for reconsideration.

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