Davis v. Mansfield Planning Comm.

2023 Ohio 3048
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 30, 2023
Docket2023 CA 0009
StatusPublished

This text of 2023 Ohio 3048 (Davis v. Mansfield Planning Comm.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Mansfield Planning Comm., 2023 Ohio 3048 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

[Cite as Davis v. Mansfield Planning Comm., 2023-Ohio-3048.]

COURT OF APPEALS RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

JULIAN DAVIS : JUDGES: : Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J. Plaintiff-Appellant : Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, J. : Hon. Andrew J. King, J. -vs- : : CITY OF MANSFIELD PLANNING : COMMISSION, ET AL. : Case No. 2023 CA 0009 : Defendants-Appellees : OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 21 CV 304

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT: August 30. 2023

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellant For Defendants-Appellees

ROBERT A. FRANCO JAKE MICHAEL LINN 1007 Lexington Avenue 30 North Diamond Street Mansfield, OH 44907 8th Floor Mansfield, OH 44902 Richland County, Case No. 2023 CA 0009 2

King, J.

{¶ 1} Plaintiff-Appellant, Julian Davis ("Davis"), appeals the February 2, 2023

order of the Court of Common Pleas of Richland County, Ohio, affirming the demolition

order issued by Defendants-Appellees, City of Mansfield Planning Commission and City

of Mansfield Bureau of Buildings, Inspections, Licenses and Permits. We affirm the trial

court.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

{¶ 2} On March 28, 2017, the city of Mansfield issued a demolition order to Helen

C. Davis, aka Carrie Helen Davis, the record owner of a house located on South Foster

Street in Mansfield. This order noted the structure was "deemed to be unsafe, to the life

and health of children and the community * * *" and the structure "poses an imminent

threat to health, potential fire [sic] and the safety of the neighborhood * * *." Davis, Helen's

nephew, appealed the order on her behalf to the planning commission. Davis's notice of

appeal did not appear to object to the finding the structure was dangerous nor did he cite

the order lacked enough notice to reasonably appraise him of the necessary corrective

steps to avoid demolition. Davis also posted a bond as required by the municipal

ordinances.

{¶ 3} Davis appeared at the June 13, 2017 meeting where the planning

commission heard his appeal. One of the commission members asked Davis if he

determined "what has to be done [to the house.]" Davis answered affirmatively and

stated, among other things, that framing and masonry work were required on one side of

the house. The commission also expressed concerns about the structural defects

surrounding the chimney and the nearby exterior wall. Although not directly stated, it Richland County, Case No. 2023 CA 0009 3

does not appear that the city required Davis to submit construction plans before or during

the meeting, rather the commission relied on his verbal agreements to grant him six

months to begin the repairs and return to the commission with an update; Davis agreed.

{¶ 4} Davis was unable to appear at the next meeting on March 13, 2018,

because he was recovering from surgery the previous week. His cousin appeared and

acknowledged that Davis had not performed any structural work on the house. Despite

the lack of substantial progress, the commission gave Davis another extension until May

of 2018. Davis returned on August 14, 2018. He reported tearing off parts of the house

to access the basement wall that had been compromised by water. The commission was

also informed by the building inspector that although Davis had submitted an electrical

plan set, he had not submitted plans, received permits, or requested inspections. Davis

claimed to have submitted plans for the whole house, but none of the plans were

presented to the commission. Again, the commission engaged in a dialog with Davis

about the work that needed to be performed, he agreed to it, and they gave him an

extension of time.

{¶ 5} Over the next several years, this became the regular course of dealings

between Davis and the city: Davis would update the commission that he performed no

work or some work that was frequently unrelated to the structural defects, Davis would

agree to perform work, and be given more time to complete it. Throughout his dealings

with the commission, Davis never claimed to not understand what was expected of him

to avoid the house's demolition.

{¶ 6} At some point, Helen passed away and Davis became the owner of the

property in 2020. Over the course of four years from 2017, Davis received numerous Richland County, Case No. 2023 CA 0009 4

extensions and attended a dozen meetings with the commission wherein the appeal was

discussed with Davis; he continuously failed to make important repairs, meet deadlines

and benchmarks, and seek permits and inspections.

{¶ 7} On May 25, 2021, the commission denied the appeal, finding Davis failed

to remedy the situation by the deadline date of May 17, 2021. Davis was notified via letter

dated June 23, 2021. On June 24, 2021, Davis filed an administrative appeal with the

Court of Common Pleas of Richland County. Davis alleged the city failed to provide

proper notice, failed to present evidence that the house was a dangerous building, and

applied the incorrect standard of "habitability."

{¶ 8} An evidentiary hearing before a magistrate was held on October 28, 2021.

The magistrate personally viewed the house and accepted testimony and exhibits. By

order filed October 29, 2021, the magistrate granted Davis more time to make repairs and

listed specific items that needed to be completed by January 6, 2022.

{¶ 9} A second evidentiary hearing before a magistrate was held on February 9,

2022. Again, the magistrate personally viewed the house and accepted testimony. By

decision filed August 12, 2022, the magistrate found the city substantially complied with

the notice requirements and the house was a "dangerous building," and affirmed the

demolition order. Davis filed objections. By order filed February 2, 2023, the trial court

disagreed with the objections and adopted the magistrate's decision.

{¶ 10} Davis filed an appeal with the following assignments of error:

I

{¶ 11} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY FINDING THE CITY OF MANSFIELD

(THE 'CITY') SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIED WITH THE MANDATORY Richland County, Case No. 2023 CA 0009 5

REQUIREMENTS OF CITY ORDINANCE § 1335.05(E) AND (F), REQUIRING A

'SPECIFIC ITEMIZATION OF THE DEFECTS AND CONDITIONS' GIVING RISE TO

THE DETERMINATION THAT THE BUILDING NEEDS TO BE DEMOLISHED, AND 'A

REFERENCE TO THE SECTION OR SECTIONS OF [A CODE] WHICH ARE BEING

VIOLATED BY REASON OF THE DEFECTS OR CONDITIONS ENUMERATED,'

WHERE THE CITY PROVIDED NEITHER IN ITS NOTICE."

II

{¶ 12} "THE TRIAL COURT ABUSED ITS DISCRETION BY FINDING THAT THE

SUBJECT PROPERTY WAS A 'DANGEROUS BUILDING,' WHERE THE

UNCONTRADICTED TESTIMONY OF THE CITY’S WITNESSES WAS THAT THE

BUILDING IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION WAS NOT DANGEROUS."

STANDARD OF REVIEW

{¶ 13} Under R.C. 2506.04, in an administrative appeal, the common pleas court

considers the whole record, including any new or additional evidence, and determines

whether the administrative order is unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary, capricious, or

unreasonable.

{¶ 14} As an appellate court, our standard of review to be applied in an R.C.

2506.04 appeal is "limited in scope." Kisil v. Sandusky, 12 Ohio St.3d 30, 34, 465 N.E.2d

848 (1984). "This statute grants a more limited power to the court of appeals to review

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Bluebook (online)
2023 Ohio 3048, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-mansfield-planning-comm-ohioctapp-2023.