Dunham v. New Milford Pc, No. Cv01 0085538 (Aug. 20, 2002)

2002 Conn. Super. Ct. 10629, 33 Conn. L. Rptr. 231
CourtConnecticut Superior Court
DecidedAugust 20, 2002
DocketNo. CV01 0085538
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2002 Conn. Super. Ct. 10629 (Dunham v. New Milford Pc, No. Cv01 0085538 (Aug. 20, 2002)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dunham v. New Milford Pc, No. Cv01 0085538 (Aug. 20, 2002), 2002 Conn. Super. Ct. 10629, 33 Conn. L. Rptr. 231 (Colo. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION
STATEMENT OF APPEAL
This is an administrative appeal brought by the plaintiff, Carl M. Dunham, Jr. ("Dunham"), arising from the decision of the New Milford Planning Commission (the "Planning Commission') to amend its subdivision regulations. CT Page 10630

On May 24, 2001, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider a seventh draft of amendments to its subdivision regulations. Legal notice of the public hearing was published in the New Milford Spectrum. (Return of Record [ROR], Items 14 15.)

Among the amendments considered were changes to: Sections 2.2.1a (5) and 2.2.1b (2) of the regulations to authorize the Planning Commission to require a bond to ensure the completion of all required private driveway and common driveway improvements; Section 2.3.2b of the regulations to prohibits dead end streets within a subdivision with more than twenty lots "unless the Commission determines on the basis of the facts before it . . . that [the street] can accommodate a greater number of lots without endangering the public health, safety, convenience and welfare;" Section 2.8.1a and 2.8.1b of the regulations to authorize the commission to include as a condition of a subdivision approval off site improvements for drainage and sewerage; Section 2.9.1 of the regulations to authorize the commission to require a set aside for open space of not less than fifteen percent of the total area of a proposed subdivision; and 2.9.2 of the regulations to authorize the commission to require "the open space to have direct access to a public street."

On May 30, 2001, the Planning Commission voted to adopt the amendments to the subdivision regulations including the aforementioned amendments that are the subject of this appeal, effective June 2, 2001. The Planning Commission published notice of its decision in the Danbury News-Times on June 1, 2001. (RoR, Item 16.) On June 15, 2001, this appeal followed.

JURISDICTION
General Statutes §§ 8-28 and 8-8 govern an appeal taken from a decision of a planning commission to the superior court. A statutory right to appeal requires strict compliance with the statutory provisions which create the right. Bridgeport Bowl-O-Rama, Inc. v. Zoning Board ofAppeals, 195 Conn. 276, 283, 487 A.2d 559 (1985).

AGGRIEVEMENT
"As a jurisdictional matter, an appellant must demonstrate aggrievement to maintain an administrative appeal." Lewis v. Planning ZoningCommission, 62 Conn. App. 284, 288, 771 A.2d 167 (2001). "Aggrievement is essentially a question of standing; without it, a court must dismiss an action for want of jurisdiction." Id. "Two broad yet distinct categories of aggrievement exist, classical and statutory." Id.

"Classical aggrievement requires a two part showing. First, a party CT Page 10631 must demonstrate a specific, personal and legal interest in the subject matter of the decision, as opposed to a general interest that all members of the community share. Second, the party must also show that the agency's decision has specially and injuriously affected that specific personal or legal interest." Id. "Aggrievement does not demand certainty, only the possibility of an adverse effect on a legally protected interest." Id. A landowner affected by a town's amendments to its subdivision regulations satisfies the classical aggrievement test and thus can bring an administrative appeal even though he has not filed a subdivision application with the planning and Zoning Commission. SeeLewis v. Planning Zoning Commission, supra, 62 Conn. App. 290-96.

In this case, the court finds that Dunham owns 790 acres of property in the town of New Milford. Approximately, 600 of Dunham's acres are subject to the subdivision regulations. Dunham is the single largest individual landowner in the Town of New Milford. The acreage's fair market value is affected by the town's amendments to its subdivision regulations. Dunham has demonstrated an identifiable legal interest that the community as a whole does not share and have. Dunham has further demonstrated that an economic impact on his property exists and thus a specific personal or legal interest has been specially and injuriously affected. See Lewis v.Planning Zoning Commission, supra, 62 Conn. App. 297

SERVICE OF PROCESS
In pertinent part, General Statutes § 8-8 (b) provides that an "appeal shall be commenced by service of process in accordance with subsections (e) and (f) [now subsections (f) and (g)]1 of this section within fifteen days from the date that notice of the decision was published as required by the general statutes." Subsection (f) further provides that "[s]ervice of legal process . . . shall be made by leaving a true and attested copy of the process with, or at the usual place of abode of, the chairman or clerk of the board, and by leaving a true and attested copy with the clerk of the municipality." On June 1, 2001 the Planning Commission published notice of its decision in the Danbury News-Times. On June 15, 2001, this appeal was commenced by service of process upon the town clerk and the chairperson of the Planning Commission.

DISCUSSION
SECTION 2.3.2 b — DEAD END STREETS

The court has determined that Dunham is an aggrieved party, however, the mere fact that a party is aggrieved does not mean that standing alone creates a justiciable issue. The regulation states in part that "No CT Page 10632 dead-end streets within a subdivision or street system within a subdivision shall service more that twenty (20) lots not including corner lots at the entrance unless the Commission determines on the basis of thefacts before it. . . . [t]hat it [the subdivision] can accommodate agreater number of lots. . . . (Emphasis added.) Regulation 2.3.2b.

"It is a fundamental rule that a court may raise and review the issue of subject matter jurisdiction at any time." Kizis v. Morse DieselInternational, Inc., 260 Conn. 46, 52, 794 A.2d 498 (2000). Practice Book [§ 10-33] provides "[a]ny claim of lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter cannot be waived; and whenever it is found after the suggestion of the parties or otherwise that the court lacks jurisdiction of the subject matter, the [court] shall dismiss the action." "Subject matter jurisdiction involves the authority of the court to adjudicate the type of controversy presented by the action before it. . . .

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co.
272 U.S. 365 (Supreme Court, 1926)
Agins v. City of Tiburon
447 U.S. 255 (Supreme Court, 1980)
Dolan v. City of Tigard
512 U.S. 374 (Supreme Court, 1994)
Troiano v. Zoning Commission
231 A.2d 536 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1967)
Luf v. Town of Southbury
449 A.2d 1001 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1982)
Pierrepont v. Zoning Commission
226 A.2d 659 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1967)
Aunt Hack Ridge Estates, Inc. v. Planning Commission
273 A.2d 880 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1970)
Avonside, Inc. v. Zoning & Planning Commission
215 A.2d 409 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1965)
Kleinman v. Marshall
472 A.2d 772 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1984)
Bridgeport Bowl-O-Rama, Inc. v. Zoning Board of Appeals
487 A.2d 559 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1985)
Property Group, Inc. v. Planning & Zoning Commission
628 A.2d 1277 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1993)
Smith v. Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Greenwich
629 A.2d 1089 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1993)
Santini v. Connecticut Hazardous Waste Management Service
739 A.2d 680 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1999)
Kizis v. Morse Diesel International, Inc.
794 A.2d 498 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 2002)
Sowin Associates v. Planning & Zoning Commission
580 A.2d 91 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1990)
Fromer v. Tree Warden
602 A.2d 1060 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1992)
Property Group, Inc. v. Planning & Zoning Commission of Tolland
613 A.2d 1364 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1992)
Mayer v. Biafore, Florek & O'Neill
696 A.2d 1282 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1997)
Cumberland Farms, Inc. v. Town of Groton
699 A.2d 310 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1997)
Lewis v. Planning & Zoning Commission
771 A.2d 167 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 2001)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2002 Conn. Super. Ct. 10629, 33 Conn. L. Rptr. 231, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dunham-v-new-milford-pc-no-cv01-0085538-aug-20-2002-connsuperct-2002.