Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC v. Town of Bloomsburg ZHB v. Town of Bloomsburg

CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 27, 2021
Docket1752 C.D. 2019
StatusUnpublished

This text of Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC v. Town of Bloomsburg ZHB v. Town of Bloomsburg (Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC v. Town of Bloomsburg ZHB v. Town of Bloomsburg) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC v. Town of Bloomsburg ZHB v. Town of Bloomsburg, (Pa. Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC, : Appellant : : v. : : Town of Bloomsburg Zoning : Hearing Board : : v. : : No. 1752 C.D. 2019 Town of Bloomsburg : Argued: December 8, 2020

BEFORE: HONORABLE RENÉE COHN JUBELIRER, Judge HONORABLE P. KEVIN BROBSON, Judge1 HONORABLE CHRISTINE FIZZANO CANNON, Judge

OPINION NOT REPORTED

MEMORANDUM OPINION BY JUDGE FIZZANO CANNON FILED: January 27, 2021

Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC (BIV) appeals the October 22, 2019 order of the Court of Common Pleas of the 26th Judicial District, Columbia County branch (trial court) sustaining the decision of the Town of Bloomsburg’s (the Town) Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) that denied BIV’s zoning permit application to operate a “nursing home” within the Town. Upon review, we reverse. BIV owns property located within the Town’s Business Campus Zoning District (BC District) at 338 West Sixth Street, Parcel C (Property). See

1 This case was assigned to the opinion writer before January 4, 2021, when Judge Brobson became President Judge. ZHB Decision dated March 18, 2019 (ZHB Decision) at 2 (pagination supplied), Findings of Fact2 (F.F.) 9; see also BIV Zoning Permit Application submitted May 30, 2018 (Application), Reproduced Record (R.R.) at 231a-32a. On May 30, 2018, BIV submitted the Application to the Town seeking approval to operate a “nursing home” at the Property pursuant to the requirements of the Bloomsburg Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance). See ZHB Decision at 1, F.F. 1; see also Application, R.R. at 231a-32a. The Application indicated that BIV intended to seek licensing for the nursing home through the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. See Application at 1, R.R. at 231a. On June 21, 2018, the Town denied the Application. See ZHB Decision at 1, F.F. 2; see also Letter from the Town Zoning Office dated June 21, 2018 (Denial Letter), R.R. at 235a-36a. The Town provided the following reasons for denying the Application:

A. The proposed use is not a nursing home as provided in the [] Ordinance[;]

B. Application does not provide with adequate specificity the activities which Applicant intends to provide at the facility to determine whether the intended activities comply with [the] Ordinance definition of a nursing home[;]

C. Whether the definition of a Nursing or Convalescent Home as contained in the Bloomsburg Ordinance includes [] “treatment and services in [a] free standing drug and alcohol facility license[d] by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs”[;]

2 The trial court agreed with the ZHB’s Findings of Fact and restated them in its opinion filed October 22, 2019 (Trial Court Opinion). See Trial Court Opinion at 3-4.

2 D. Application does not provide for a facility to be licensed as a nursing home under the licensure and regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Health[.]

In review of the application and information provided for the proposed use as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility as a nursing home indicates that the proposed use does not meet the definition of a nursing home as set forth in the [O]rdinance and is therefore DENIED accordingly.

Denial Letter at 2, R.R. at 236a (emphasis in original). BIV timely appealed the denial of the Application to the trial court, which conducted a hearing on February 7, 2019. See ZHB Decision at 1, F.F. 3-4; see also Notes of Testimony dated February 7, 2019 (N.T.), R.R. at 33a-201a. Matthew Zoppetti, a developer and the principal of BIV, testified on behalf of BIV before the ZHB, and explained his desire to do something positive in response to serious addiction issues facing the Town’s community. See N.T. at 14- 16, R.R. at 46a-48a. Zoppetti testified that the Ordinance contains no provision that expressly permits the operation of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in the Town. See N.T. at 16, R.R. at 48a. Zoppetti testified, however, that he felt the Ordinance’s definition of “nursing home” as “a building designed and licensed for the full-time care of human beings and which includes housing or lodging, meals and nursing”3 was broad enough to cover a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. See N.T. at 16-17, R.R. at 48a-49a. Zoppetti explained that the Property is located in the Town’s BC District, which permits the operation of nursing homes. See N.T. at 14 & 17, R.R. at 46a & 49a. Therefore, BIV submitted the Application to the Town seeking zoning approval for the Property as a nursing home to be licensed by

3 See Ordinance § 27-302.

3 the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.4 See N.T. at 18, R.R. at 50a. Additionally, Zoppetti testified that the Ordinance contains no restrictions regarding the type or characteristics of the human beings referred to in the “nursing home” definition. See N.T. at 24, R.R. at 56a. Zoppetti noted the Ordinance definition likewise places no limitations on the type of full-time care required to qualify for zoning as a nursing home. See N.T. at 24, R.R. at 56a. Similarly, Zoppetti noted that the Ordinance does not specify the type, quantity, or frequency of meals required for nursing home zoning, nor does the Ordinance define or provide guidance as to what constitutes the “nursing” required for nursing home zoning approval. See N.T. at 25-26, R.R. at 57a-58a. Further, Zoppetti testified that the Ordinance definition of “nursing home” contains no requirements as to what type of license is required to receive zoning approval as a nursing home or which Commonwealth agency must furnish the required license. See N.T. at 20-21 & 25, R.R. at 52a-53a & 57a. Zoppetti explained that he feels the Ordinance’s “nursing home” definition is expansive and inclusive and allows for more care than simply housing, lodging, meals, and nursing. See N.T. at 31-32, R.R. at 63a-64a. Zoppetti testified that, in accordance with the Ordinance’s definition, BIV plans to provide full-time care of human beings at the Property and to obtain a license from the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. See N.T. at 25, R.R. at 57a.

4 Zoppetti acknowledged that BIV also filed a separate application for zoning approval for a nursing home at the Property that was identical to the instant Application except that it indicated the nursing home was to be licensed by the Department of Health as opposed to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. See N.T. at 32-33, 133-37, R.R. at 64a-65a, 165a-69a. Zoppetti explained that he filed this other application knowing it would be approved, which it was. See N.T. at 32-33, 133-37, R.R. at 64a-65a, 165a-69a. Zoppetti explained that he filed the instant Application knowing it would be denied and BIV would be able to frame the appeal in terms of licensing. See N.T. at 32-33, 133-37, R.R. at 64a-65a, 165a-69a.

4 On cross-examination, Zoppetti reiterated that the Application complies with the Ordinance definition of “nursing home.” See N.T. at 39-40, R.R. at 71a-72a. Zoppetti noted that the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs licenses drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities and suggested that, if the Property receives a license from the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, it would not need a license from the Department of Health to operate as a nursing home. See N.T. at 40, R.R. at 72a. Zoppetti testified that BIV intends to use the Property as a nursing home as literally defined by the Ordinance and that, provided the literal requirements of the Ordinance definition of “nursing home” are met, the Town should issue a zoning approval. See N.T. at 42, 140-142, R.R. at 74a, 172a-174a. Thomas Shepstone also testified before the ZHB on behalf of BIV as an expert in planning and zoning.5 See N.T. at 43-77, R.R. at 75a-109a.

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Bluebook (online)
Bloomsburg Industrial Ventures, LLC v. Town of Bloomsburg ZHB v. Town of Bloomsburg, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bloomsburg-industrial-ventures-llc-v-town-of-bloomsburg-zhb-v-town-of-pacommwct-2021.