Shea, J.
This appeal concerns the refusal of a town building inspector to issue a permit to demolish a building located in an area designated as an historic district. In February, 1979, the Farming-ton building inspector denied the application for a demolition permit because the plaintiff Farming-ton Savings Bank failed to obtain prior approval for the demolition from the Farmington historic district commission. The bank appealed the inspector’s denial to the zoning board of appeals of the town of Farmington. The zoning board affirmed the inspector’s determination. The bank then appealed the zoning board’s decision to the Superior Court. The trial court permitted several persons owning property adjacent to or near the bank’s land to intervene as defendants. After a trial of the issues, the trial court dismissed the appeal. The bank has appealed to this court from that judgment.
[729]*729The facts are not substantially disputed. In April, 1964, the Farmington town council appointed an historic district study committee. Pursuant to the enabling act; General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) §§ 7-147a through 7-147m;1 the council took the [730]*730necessary steps to establish an historic district in 1965. The study committee submitted to the council a report recommending a proposed district; General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (b) and (c); which included the plaintiff’s property, and held a public hearing on the proposal; General [731]*731Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (d); written notice of which was sent to owners of record of real property located in the proposed district. General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (e). The town council then “cause [d] ballots to be taken of the owners of record of all real property to be included in the proposed district on the question of the adoption of an historic district ordinance . . . .” General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (g). The town [732]*732of Farmington interpreted the voting eligibility provision of General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-1471 (b) as rendering the balloting requirement of § 7-147b (g) applicable only to natural persons. Corporate landowners, including the plaintiff, did not receive ballots. Since the proposed district was approved by over 75 percent of those voting, the council, on April 27, 1965, enacted an ordinance, Ordinance No. 47,2 to effectuate the purposes of the enabling act. See General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) $7-147b(g).
[733]*733Ordinance No. 47, § 5, which is patterned after General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147d provides: “No building or structure shall be erected, altered, restored, moved or demolished within the Farming-ton Historic District until after an application for a certificate of appropriateness as to exterior architectural features has been submitted to the [Historic District] Commission and approved by said Commission.” The building inspector refused to act upon the bank’s application for a demolition permit on the ground that the bank had not obtained [734]*734a certificate of appropriateness. Although conceding that its property was listed among those parcels of real property included within the historic district established by Ordinance No. 47, the bank claimed that it was not required to seek a certificate of appropriateness because the ordinance was inapplicable to its property. The gist of the bank’s argument is that the town of Farmington improperly interpreted the balloting provisions of the historic district enabling act to exclude corporate owners of real property from voting on the proposed district. The result, according to the bank, is the exemption of its property from the historic district. The trial court found that the Farmington town council had properly interpreted the provisions of § 7-lé7l (b), as it existed in 1965, as granting voting privileges only to natural persons owning affected property. The trial court therefore concluded that the bank was subject to the historic district ordinance and 'that the building inspector had properly declined to issue a demolition permit for lack of a certificate of appropriateness.
On appeal the bank raises the following issues: (1) whether the trial court erred in concluding that the balloting provisions of the historic district enabling act did not apply to corporate owners of real property within the proposed historic district; and (2) whether Public Acts 1980, No. 80-314(11), now codified as General Statutes § 7-147k,3 cures [735]*735the possible defects in the adoption of the historic district ordinance which the plaintiff relies upon in claiming that its property is exempt from that ordinance. Since onr resolution of the second issue disposes of the appeal, we need not address the first. We find no error.4
I
Prior to discussing the effect of General Statutes § 7-147k upon this appeal, we must first address the threshold issue, raised by the defendants, of whether the appeal is properly before this court. According to the defendants, the plaintiff bank should not have pursued administrative remedies, but instead should have brought an action for a declaratory judgment. The defendants contend that the plaintiff’s claim that it is exempt from Ordinance No. 47, § 5 is inappropriate for review as a [736]*736zoning appeal, since such review would be violative of the principle that one cannot seek approval of the zoning board and at the same time attack the validity of the zoning regulations. See Strain v. Zoning Board of Appeals, 137 Conn. 36, 38-40, 74 A.2d 462 (1950); Zelvin v. Zoning Board of Appeals, 30 Conn. Sup. 157, 162, 306 A.2d 151 (1973); 82 Am. Jur. 2d, Zoning & Planning § 259. Moreover, the defendants argue that where the validity of a town ordinance is being challenged an action for a declaratory judgment is appropriate because the town and others are necessary parties. See England v. Coventry, 183 Conn. 362, 365, 439 A.2d 372 (1981); Meadowbrook Third Co-op, Inc. v. Hamden, 165 Conn. 546, 550, 338 A.2d 478 (1973).
Although we have often stated that declaratory judgment actions may be appropriate proceedings in which to determine rights in regard to the regulation of administrative agencies; see Hartford Electric Light Co. v. Water Resources Commission, 162 Conn. 89, 104, 291 A.2d 721 (1971); Sage-Allen Co. v. Wheeler, 119 Conn. 667, 673, 179 A. 195 (1935); Sigal v. Wise, 114 Conn. 297, 301, 158 A. 891 (1932); the factor determining the proper forum is the underlying basis of the party’s claim. “ [Declaratory judgment proceedings are appropriate for determining jurisdictional issues or questions concerning the validity of the regulations of an administrative agency, while questions concerning the correctness of an agency’s decision in a particular case or the sufficiency of the evidence can properly be resolved only by appeal. Hartford Electric Light Co. v.
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Shea, J.
This appeal concerns the refusal of a town building inspector to issue a permit to demolish a building located in an area designated as an historic district. In February, 1979, the Farming-ton building inspector denied the application for a demolition permit because the plaintiff Farming-ton Savings Bank failed to obtain prior approval for the demolition from the Farmington historic district commission. The bank appealed the inspector’s denial to the zoning board of appeals of the town of Farmington. The zoning board affirmed the inspector’s determination. The bank then appealed the zoning board’s decision to the Superior Court. The trial court permitted several persons owning property adjacent to or near the bank’s land to intervene as defendants. After a trial of the issues, the trial court dismissed the appeal. The bank has appealed to this court from that judgment.
[729]*729The facts are not substantially disputed. In April, 1964, the Farmington town council appointed an historic district study committee. Pursuant to the enabling act; General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) §§ 7-147a through 7-147m;1 the council took the [730]*730necessary steps to establish an historic district in 1965. The study committee submitted to the council a report recommending a proposed district; General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (b) and (c); which included the plaintiff’s property, and held a public hearing on the proposal; General [731]*731Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (d); written notice of which was sent to owners of record of real property located in the proposed district. General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (e). The town council then “cause [d] ballots to be taken of the owners of record of all real property to be included in the proposed district on the question of the adoption of an historic district ordinance . . . .” General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147b (g). The town [732]*732of Farmington interpreted the voting eligibility provision of General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-1471 (b) as rendering the balloting requirement of § 7-147b (g) applicable only to natural persons. Corporate landowners, including the plaintiff, did not receive ballots. Since the proposed district was approved by over 75 percent of those voting, the council, on April 27, 1965, enacted an ordinance, Ordinance No. 47,2 to effectuate the purposes of the enabling act. See General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) $7-147b(g).
[733]*733Ordinance No. 47, § 5, which is patterned after General Statutes (Rev. to 1963) § 7-147d provides: “No building or structure shall be erected, altered, restored, moved or demolished within the Farming-ton Historic District until after an application for a certificate of appropriateness as to exterior architectural features has been submitted to the [Historic District] Commission and approved by said Commission.” The building inspector refused to act upon the bank’s application for a demolition permit on the ground that the bank had not obtained [734]*734a certificate of appropriateness. Although conceding that its property was listed among those parcels of real property included within the historic district established by Ordinance No. 47, the bank claimed that it was not required to seek a certificate of appropriateness because the ordinance was inapplicable to its property. The gist of the bank’s argument is that the town of Farmington improperly interpreted the balloting provisions of the historic district enabling act to exclude corporate owners of real property from voting on the proposed district. The result, according to the bank, is the exemption of its property from the historic district. The trial court found that the Farmington town council had properly interpreted the provisions of § 7-lé7l (b), as it existed in 1965, as granting voting privileges only to natural persons owning affected property. The trial court therefore concluded that the bank was subject to the historic district ordinance and 'that the building inspector had properly declined to issue a demolition permit for lack of a certificate of appropriateness.
On appeal the bank raises the following issues: (1) whether the trial court erred in concluding that the balloting provisions of the historic district enabling act did not apply to corporate owners of real property within the proposed historic district; and (2) whether Public Acts 1980, No. 80-314(11), now codified as General Statutes § 7-147k,3 cures [735]*735the possible defects in the adoption of the historic district ordinance which the plaintiff relies upon in claiming that its property is exempt from that ordinance. Since onr resolution of the second issue disposes of the appeal, we need not address the first. We find no error.4
I
Prior to discussing the effect of General Statutes § 7-147k upon this appeal, we must first address the threshold issue, raised by the defendants, of whether the appeal is properly before this court. According to the defendants, the plaintiff bank should not have pursued administrative remedies, but instead should have brought an action for a declaratory judgment. The defendants contend that the plaintiff’s claim that it is exempt from Ordinance No. 47, § 5 is inappropriate for review as a [736]*736zoning appeal, since such review would be violative of the principle that one cannot seek approval of the zoning board and at the same time attack the validity of the zoning regulations. See Strain v. Zoning Board of Appeals, 137 Conn. 36, 38-40, 74 A.2d 462 (1950); Zelvin v. Zoning Board of Appeals, 30 Conn. Sup. 157, 162, 306 A.2d 151 (1973); 82 Am. Jur. 2d, Zoning & Planning § 259. Moreover, the defendants argue that where the validity of a town ordinance is being challenged an action for a declaratory judgment is appropriate because the town and others are necessary parties. See England v. Coventry, 183 Conn. 362, 365, 439 A.2d 372 (1981); Meadowbrook Third Co-op, Inc. v. Hamden, 165 Conn. 546, 550, 338 A.2d 478 (1973).
Although we have often stated that declaratory judgment actions may be appropriate proceedings in which to determine rights in regard to the regulation of administrative agencies; see Hartford Electric Light Co. v. Water Resources Commission, 162 Conn. 89, 104, 291 A.2d 721 (1971); Sage-Allen Co. v. Wheeler, 119 Conn. 667, 673, 179 A. 195 (1935); Sigal v. Wise, 114 Conn. 297, 301, 158 A. 891 (1932); the factor determining the proper forum is the underlying basis of the party’s claim. “ [Declaratory judgment proceedings are appropriate for determining jurisdictional issues or questions concerning the validity of the regulations of an administrative agency, while questions concerning the correctness of an agency’s decision in a particular case or the sufficiency of the evidence can properly be resolved only by appeal. Hartford Electric Light Co. v. Water Resources Commission, [162 Conn. 89] 104-105 [291 A.2d 721 (1971)].” Aaron v. Conservation Commission, 178 Conn. 173, 178, 422 A.2d 290 (1979). The plaintiff’s claim clearly falls into [737]*737the category of “questions concerning the correctness of an agency’s decision in a particular case.” The bank has consistently contended that its property was never subject to the historic district established by Ordinance No. 47. If the bank were correct in this contention, the procedure it followed— application for permit, appeal to the zoning board and administrative appeal to the Superior Court— would clearly be correct. That the plaintiff might be incorrect in its underlying assumption does not change the appropriateness of the forum chosen. The bank’s appeal, therefore, is properly before this court.
II
In 1980 the General Assembly enacted an extensive revision of the historic district enabling act. See Public Acts 1980, No. 80-314. The legislative history of this revision indicates that it was made in response to the internal inconsistencies and the lack of clarity in the existing statutes resulting from the repeated piecemeal amendment of the act since its passage in 1961.5 Both chambers of the [738]*738General Assembly were aware that legal controversies had arisen from the imprecision of the existing statutes and enacted the revision with the express purpose of permitting effective judicial enforcement of historic preservation laws.6
With this legislative background in mind we turn to the question of what effect, if any, the enactment of § 7-147k has on the plaintiff’s action. This section provides in pertinent part: “Any and all historic districts created under the general statutes, prior to October 1,1980, otherwise valid except that such districts, district study committees, municipalities or officers or employees thereof, failed to comply with the requirements of any general or special law, and any and all actions of such districts or historic district commission are validated.” General Statutes § 7-147k (a). The plaintiff claims that although its property is located in the area designated as an historic district by Ordinance [739]*739No. 47, the provisions of that ordinance are inapplicable because the town council did not permit it to vote upon the establishment of the district. In the light of the legislative purpose of the 1980 revision of the historic district enabling act and the plain language of the provision, we interpret § 7-147k (a) as confirming the establishment of the Farmington Historic District despite the alleged defects in its adoption and as rendering obligatory the historic district regulations upon each parcel of real property included in the district by Ordinance No. 47. The basis for the plaintiff’s complaint has been eliminated by an act of the Greneral Assembly. The issue concerning whether it was properly excluded from participating in the balloting which established the district has thereby been rendered moot.
Ill
The plaintiff bank contends that to conclude that the Farmington Historic District was lawfully established or that § 7-147k (a) renders its cause of action moot deprives it of equal protection of the law and due process, respectively, as guaranteed by the federal and state constitutions. We decline to review these claims, which are raised for the first time in this court. Where a legal claim is raised neither by oral argument nor by written brief in the court below,7 “it will not be the duty of . . . the appellate court to decide the claim.” [740]*740Practice Book § 285A. The constitutional nature of these claims provides no basis for an automatic exception to the application of this rule of judicial discretion in civil actions. See Edmundson v. Rivera, 169 Conn. 630, 635-36, 363 A.2d 1031 (1975); Pizzola v. Planning & Zoning Commission, 167 Conn. 202, 209, 355 A.2d 21 (1974); 16 Am. Jur. 2d, Constitutional Law § 131.
We find that the plaintiff’s property is properly deemed part of the Farmington Historic District and subject to Ordinance No. 47, § 5, which requires a certificate of appropriateness from the historic district commission prior to the issuance of a demolition permit. Accordingly, we affirm the trial court’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s administrative appeal.
There is no error.
In this opinion the other judges concurred.