Gelinas v. Town of West Hartford, No. 70 12 08 (Jun. 5, 1991)

1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5317
CourtConnecticut Superior Court
DecidedJune 5, 1991
DocketNo. 70 12 08
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5317 (Gelinas v. Town of West Hartford, No. 70 12 08 (Jun. 5, 1991)) 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
Gelinas v. Town of West Hartford, No. 70 12 08 (Jun. 5, 1991), 1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5317 (Colo. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]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

By application dated June 10, 1990, the plaintiffs William P. Gelinas and Morton Weiner, seek an order in the nature of a mandamus. The defendants in the mandamus action are Town of West Hartford and Donala Foster, Town Planner.

After a full evidentiary hearing, the court in an extensive oral decision denied the plaintiffs' application for an order in the nature of a mandamus. CT Page 5318

II.
By a verified counterclaim dated February 7, 1991, the Town of West Hartford and Charles J. McCarthy as its building inspector (hereinafter called the plaintiff) seek injunctive relief and civil penalties against William P. Gelinas (hereinafter called the defendant).

The counterclaim is in 2 counts, the first count alleges zoning code violations and the second count alleges building code violations. The allegations are as follows:

COUNT ONE (Zoning Code Violations)

1. The plaintiff in the counterclaim, Town of West Hartford, the "town", is a municipal corporation organized and acting under the laws of the State of Connecticut, including, without limitation, its municipal charter and ordinances.

2. The plaintiff in the counterclaim, Charles J. McCarthy, is the building inspector of the town and as such is charged by the charter and ordinances of said town with the enforcement of the town's zoning ordinances and is authorized by 29-261 of the General Statutes to enforce the building code.

3. The defendant in the counterclaim, William P. Gelinas, is and has been since December, 1986, the owner of a parcel of land and the structures thereon located in said town and known as 119 Park Road.

4. The town duly and lawfully adopted various zoning regulations, which among other things, prohibit the erection, expansion or structural alteration of a structure until a permit has been issued pursuant to 177-38 of said ordinances.

5. Said zoning regulations also prohibit any part of a structure from being occupied or used or changed to another use until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by said building inspector certifying that the zoning ordinance has been complied with in full pursuant to 177-39 of said ordinances.

6. The subject property consists of a nonconforming structure and nonconforming use of a two-story building located in a BG zone constructed in 1925 pursuant to a building permit issued for use as a clubhouse, one residence and stores.

7. The defendant, on or about June 25, 1987, altered CT Page 5319 the structure by removing a stage, decreasing the size of an assembly hall and erecting two floors of off ices in place of the assembly hall area, storage area and stage without first obtaining site plan approval and building permits pursuant to said zoning regulations.

8. The defendant has used, occupied or changed said first floor assembly hall area, stage area and a storage area to said two floors of offices without first obtaining a certificate of occupancy pursuant to said zoning regulations.

9. The defendant has occupied, used or changed the basement of said structure from kitchen, dining, meeting and storage use to office and retail use without first obtaining a site plan approval and a certificate of occupancy pursuant to said regulations.

10. Said plaintiff building inspector examined said premises and ordered in writing the defendant to remedy the zoning violations on October 26, 1990 . . . March 31, April 21 and December 5, 1989 . . . December 23, 1988, June 29, June 30 and July 10, 1987.

11. The defendant failed to comply with the order to discontinue said zoning violations.

COUNT TWO (Building Code Violations)

1. Paragraphs 1 through 3 and 6 through 9 of the first count are hereby incorporated and made paragraphs 1 through 7 of the second count.

8. The state building code is the building code for the town pursuant to 29-253 of the General Statutes and prohibits, among other things, the construction or alteration of a structure, or change of occupancy of a building or structure requiring greater strength, or change to another use, or installation or alteration of any equipment regulated by said building code, without first applying for an obtaining a permit pursuant to Section 111.1 of said building code.

9. Said building code also prohibits any change in the use or occupancy of any portion of a structure subjecting it to any special provisions of said code without the approval of said building inspector and his certification that such structure meets the intent of the building laws for the proposed new use and occupancy and that such change results in no greater hazard to public safety or welfare pursuant to Section 103.2 of said building code. CT Page 5320

10. Said plaintiff building inspector notified the defendant in writing that he was in violation of said building code on October 26, 1990, and on said date ordered the defendant to cease and desist from the illegal use and occupancies. . . .

11. The defendant has failed to comply with said order.

12. Said plaintiff building inspector also notified the defendant in writing of said building code violations on March 31, April 21, December 5, 1989 . . . December 23, 1988, June 29, June 30 and July 9, 1987.

William P. Gelinas, the defendant in the counterclaim, in his answer, has admitted plaintiff's 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the first count. The defendant admitted the subject property is in a BG Zone and admitted that interior structures were altered by removing a stage in the assembly hall on or about June 25, 1987, without first obtaining site plan approval and building permit. The defendant also admitted that it had used or occupied the first floor areas without first obtaining a certificate of occupancy.

As to Count 2 of the counterclaim, the defendant admitted Nos. 8, 9 and 10 and denied No. 11.

The defendant interposed 5 special defenses, special defenses 1-4 refer to claimed automatic approval, which is the basis for the mandamus action, which was denied by the court, rendering special defenses 1-4 moot. Special defense 5 relates to the plaintiff's request for restoration in its prayer for relief.

III.
The property in question, 119 Park Road, West Hartford, is a two story building that was owned by a fraternal organization prior to the defendant's ownership in 1986.

The building is in a BG Zone. It has been described as a non-conforming structure with a residence on the top floor which is permitted because of the non-conformity. A BG Zone allows for businesses as a proper use.

Exhibit 5, which is a letter dated July 10, 1987 to William Gelinas from Adore Flynn Kurtz, Zone inforcement Official, indicates the following uppermost floor, caretaker's dwelling; first floor large public assembly room and stage, two rest rooms, small cloak room, small storage room, dressing/locker room on west side of state, barber shop east CT Page 5321 side of entry and Knights of Pythias office west side of entry and basement, kitchen area, dining area, meeting space, locker rooms in rear, storage room with lockers, boiler room, 1 bathroom and cloak room. The letter states, "any pre-existing non-conformity at 119 Park Road is limited to the use of the building in the same way with the same intensity as its non-conforming status permits."

IV.
The plaintiff presented evidence through Charles McCarthy, the building inspector for the Town of West Hartford. Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gelinas-v-town-of-west-hartford-no-70-12-08-jun-5-1991-connsuperct-1991.