Concerned Citizens of Downtown Asheville v. Board of Adjustment

Court of Appeals of North Carolina

Concerned Citizens of Downtown Asheville v. Board of Adjustment

380 S.E.2d 130, 94 N.C. App. 364, 1989 N.C. App. LEXIS 463

CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina

DecidedJune 20, 1989

Docket8828SC877

StatusPublished

Cited by5 cases

This text of 380 S.E.2d 130 (Concerned Citizens of Downtown Asheville v. Board of Adjustment) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Concerned Citizens of Downtown Asheville v. Board of Adjustment, 380 S.E.2d 130, 94 N.C. App. 364, 1989 N.C. App. LEXIS 463 (N.C. Ct. App. 1989).

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Opinion

ARNOLD, Judge.

Defendant Board of Adjustment of the City of Asheville contends that plaintiffs lacked standing to seek review of the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s decision. We agree.

An appeal from a board of zoning adjustment decision may be taken by any person “aggrieved.” N.C.G.S. § 160A-388(e). Thus, plaintiffs had standing only if they were aggrieved persons within the meaning of the statute. Heery v. Town of Highlands Zoning Board of Adjustment, 61 N.C. App. 612, 300 S.E. 2d 869 (1983). As the court in Heery pointed out, an aggrieved party is one who can show either “some interest in the property affected,” or, if plaintiffs are nearby property owners, they must show “special damage” which amounts to “a reduction in the value of [their] property.” Id. at 613, 300 S.E. 2d at 870, citing Pigford v. Board of Adjustment, 49 N.C. App. 181, 270 S.E. 2d 535 (1980), disc. rev. denied and appeal dismissed, 301 N.C. 722, 274 S.E. 2d 230 (1981); Jackson v. Board of Adjustment, 275 N.C. 155, 161-62, 166 S.E. 2d 78, 82-83 (1969).

In this case, as in Heery, plaintiffs failed to allege, and the Superior Court failed to find that plaintiffs would be subject to “ ‘special damages’ distinct from the rest of the community.” Heery at 614, 300 S.E. 2d at 870. Plaintiffs allege nothing more than that they are nearby or adjacent property owners. Though this might be sufficient to challenge the validity of an amendment to the ordinance itself in a declaratory judgment action, Godfrey v. Zoning Board of Adjustment, 317 N.C. 51, 66, 344 S.E. 2d 272, 281 (1986), it is insufficient to allege standing under N.C.G.S. § 160A-388(e). See generally 3 Rathkopf, The Law of Zoning and Planning § 43.04 at 43-22 (1988).

*367 The order appealed from is vacated, and the matter is remanded to the Superior Court for the entry of an order dismissing the petition for writ of certiorari and vacating the writ of certiorari granted.

Vacated and appeal dismissed.

Judges Johnson and Phillips concur.

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ARNOLD, Judge.

Defendant Board of Adjustment of the City of Asheville contends that plaintiffs lacked standing to seek review of the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s decision. We agree.

An appeal from a board of zoning adjustment decision may be taken by any person “aggrieved.” N.C.G.S. § 160A-388(e). Thus, plaintiffs had standing only if they were aggrieved persons within the meaning of the statute. Heery v. Town of Highlands Zoning Board of Adjustment, 61 N.C. App. 612, 300 S.E. 2d 869 (1983). As the court in Heery pointed out, an aggrieved party is one who can show either “some interest in the property affected,” or, if plaintiffs are nearby property owners, they must show “special damage” which amounts to “a reduction in the value of [their] property.” Id. at 613, 300 S.E. 2d at 870, citing Pigford v. Board of Adjustment, 49 N.C. App. 181, 270 S.E. 2d 535 (1980), disc. rev. denied and appeal dismissed, 301 N.C. 722, 274 S.E. 2d 230 (1981); Jackson v. Board of Adjustment, 275 N.C. 155, 161-62, 166 S.E. 2d 78, 82-83 (1969).

In this case, as in Heery, plaintiffs failed to allege, and the Superior Court failed to find that plaintiffs would be subject to “ ‘special damages’ distinct from the rest of the community.” Heery at 614, 300 S.E. 2d at 870. Plaintiffs allege nothing more than that they are nearby or adjacent property owners. Though this might be sufficient to challenge the validity of an amendment to the ordinance itself in a declaratory judgment action, Godfrey v. Zoning Board of Adjustment, 317 N.C. 51, 66, 344 S.E. 2d 272, 281 (1986), it is insufficient to allege standing under N.C.G.S. § 160A-388(e). See generally 3 Rathkopf, The Law of Zoning and Planning § 43.04 at 43-22 (1988).

*367 The order appealed from is vacated, and the matter is remanded to the Superior Court for the entry of an order dismissing the petition for writ of certiorari and vacating the writ of certiorari granted.

Vacated and appeal dismissed.

Judges Johnson and Phillips concur.

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380 S.E.2d 130, 94 N.C. App. 364, 1989 N.C. App. LEXIS 463, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/concerned-citizens-of-downtown-asheville-v-board-of-adjustment-ncctapp-1989.

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