Mar-Del Holdings, LLC v. Orange Twp. Board of Sup. v. M. Acker

CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 12, 2016
Docket1228 C.D. 2015
StatusUnpublished

This text of Mar-Del Holdings, LLC v. Orange Twp. Board of Sup. v. M. Acker (Mar-Del Holdings, LLC v. Orange Twp. Board of Sup. v. M. Acker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mar-Del Holdings, LLC v. Orange Twp. Board of Sup. v. M. Acker, (Pa. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Mar-Del Holdings, LLC, : : No. 1228 C.D. 2015 Appellant : Argued: March 7, 2016 : v. : : Orange Township Board of Supervisors : : v. : : Mark Acker, Donna Acker, Morgan : Barclay, Mary Barclay, Steve Beyer, : Cindy Beyer, Patricia Brewster, Robert : Brewster, Fred Brockway, Jan Brockway, : Marty Chamberlain, Gail Chamberlain, : John J. D’Orazio, Barbara D’Orazio, : John D’Orazio, Pam D’Orazio, Susan B. : Fetterman, Dan Fetterman, Nathaniel : Flook, Sherry Flook, Charles Fritz, : Jennifer Fritz, Susan Hales, Gary Hess, : Penny Hess, Corey Hughes, Madeleine : Hughes, Ronald Hunter, Janet Hunter, : John Katch, Jennifer Thomas, George : Larson, Nancy Larson, Jayleen Miller, : Eric Ortuba, Amanda Ortuba, Larry : Recla, Carrie Recla, Anthony Reed, : Cathy Reed, Gregory Sherman, Joyce : Sherman, Andrew Smith, Christine Smith, : Eric Sorg, Erin Sorg, and Matthew : Swinehart :

BEFORE: HONORABLE RENÉE COHN JUBELIRER, Judge HONORABLE MICHAEL H. WOJCIK, Judge HONORABLE BONNIE BRIGANCE LEADBETTER, Senior Judge

OPINION NOT REPORTED

MEMORANDUM OPINION BY JUDGE WOJCIK FILED: May12, 2016 Mar-Del Holdings, LLC (Landowner) appeals the order of the Court of Common Pleas of the 26th Judicial District (Columbia County Branch) (trial court) affirming the Orange Township (Township) Board of Supervisors’ (Board) decision that denied Landowner’s conditional use application1 to construct a

1 Section 603(c)(2) of the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), Act of July 31, 1968, P.L. 805, as amended, 53 P.S. §10603(c)(2) states, in relevant part:

Zoning ordinances may contain . . . provisions for conditional uses to be allowed or denied by the governing body . . . pursuant to express standards and criteria set forth in the zoning ordinance. . . . In allowing a conditional use, the governing body may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards . . . in addition to those expressed in the ordinance, as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this act and the zoning ordinance[.]

See also Section 909.1(b)(3) of the MPC, added by the Act of December 21, 1988, as amended, 10909.1(b)(3) (“The governing body . . . shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and render final adjudications . . . [on a]pplications for conditional use under the express provisions of the zoning ordinance pursuant to section 603(c)(2).”); Section 913.2(a), added by the Act of December 21, 1988, as amended, 53 P.S. §10913.2(a) (“Where a governing body, in zoning ordinances, has stated conditional uses to be granted or denied by the governing body pursuant to express standards and criteria, the governing body shall hold hearings on and decide requests for such conditional uses in accordance with such standards and criteria. . . . In granting a conditional use, the governing body may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards, in addition to those expressed in the ordinance, as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this act in the zoning ordinance.”).

As this Court has explained:

A conditional use is a special exception which falls within the jurisdiction of the municipal legislative body rather than the zoning hearing board. The municipal legislative body may grant a conditional use pursuant to express standards and criteria set forth in the zoning ordinances enacted pursuant to the police powers to regulate land use. The fact that a use is permitted as a conditional use, rather than prohibited, reflects a legislative decision that the use is not per se adverse to the public interest.

(Footnote continued on next page…) campground and recreational vehicle (RV) park2 on its property in the Township’s Rural zoning district. We affirm. In November 2014, Landowner filed a conditional use application3 with the Board to construct a campground and RV park on its 13-acre parcel of

(continued…)

In order to demonstrate that the applicant is entitled to the conditional use, the applicant initially bears the burden of establishing that the application complies with the objective standards and criteria of the particular ordinance. Satisfaction of the applicant’s burden establishes a legislative presumption that the use is consistent with the health, safety, and welfare of the community. Once the applicant has satisfied this initial burden, the burden shifts to the objectors to rebut this presumption by establishing that the use will have a detrimental impact on the surrounding community.

In re Richboro CD Partners, L.P., 89 A.3d 742, 745 (Pa. Cmwlth.), appeal denied, 97 A.3d 746 (Pa. 2014) (citations omitted).

2 Section 3.300 of the Zoning Ordinance defines “Campground or Recreational Vehicle (RA) Park” as “[a] plot of ground upon which two or more campsites are located, established or maintained for temporary occupancy by persons using tents or recreational vehicles, and which shall not be used for long term occupancy or residency of occupants.”

3 Section 1108.4 of the Zoning Ordinance sets forth the standards and criteria required for the grant of a conditional use:

A. The proposed use shall be in harmony with [the] purposes, goals, objectives and standards of the Township Comprehensive Plan, this Ordinance and all other ordinances of the Township.

B. The proposal shall also be evaluated as to the degree to which the proposed location may be particularly suitable or unsuitable for the proposed use in terms of the physical characteristics of the site.

C. The proposed use at the proposed location shall not result in a substantial or undue adverse effect on adjacent property, the (Footnote continued on next page…) 2 (continued…)

character of the neighborhood, traffic conditions, parking, public improvements, public sites or rights-of-way, adjacent property values, or other matters affecting the public health, safety, and general welfare, either as they now exist or as they may in the future be developed as a result of the implementation of this Ordinance, or any other plan, program, map or ordinance of the Township.

D. In reviewing an application, the following additional factors shall be considered:

***

5. Adequacy of storm water and drainage facilities [and] storm water leaving any site shall not exceed pre- development levels and facilities shall be designed to accommodate a 10 year storm.

6. Adequacy of water supply and sewage disposal facilities.

9. Special attention to the adequacy and impact of structures, roadways and landscaping in areas with susceptibility to ponding, flooding and/or erosion.

E. No application shall be approved unless it is found that, in addition to complying with each of the standards enumerated above, any of the applicable standards contained in this Ordinance shall be met.

The applicant shall supply evidence regarding compliance with the express standards and criteria contained herein; and data or evidence may be accepted from protestants. Such evidence shall be evaluated relative to the injurious impact on the health, safety and welfare of the Township; and the proposed use shall be approved with appropriate conditions or denied based on said evaluation.

3 property in the Township’s Rural zoning district. Section 404.4 of the Township’s Zoning Ordinance permits such a use in the zoning district as a conditional use. The main entrance to the park would be on Mount Pleasant Road directly across from Sandy Stone Drive. A private road with a 20-foot cartway would be constructed of stone. Landowner intends to construct an RV park consisting of 100 units, each located on a 50’ by 80’ pad.

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

Related

In Re Thompson
916 A.2d 636 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2007)
In Re Appeal of Thompson
896 A.2d 659 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2006)
In Re Appeal of Brickstone Realty Corp.
789 A.2d 333 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2001)
Schatz v. New Britain Township Zoning Hearing Board of Adjustment
596 A.2d 294 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)
In Re Application for Conditional Use Approval of Saunders
636 A.2d 1308 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
East Manchester Township Zoning Hearing Board v. Dallmeyer
609 A.2d 604 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
Elizabethtown/Mt. Joy Associates, L.P. v. Mount Joy Township Zoning Hearing Board
934 A.2d 759 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2007)
Patullo v. Zoning Hearing Board
701 A.2d 295 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1997)
Broussard v. Zoning Board of Adjustment
907 A.2d 494 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2006)
Appeal of Richboro CD Partners, L.P.
89 A.3d 742 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Mar-Del Holdings, LLC v. Orange Twp. Board of Sup. v. M. Acker, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mar-del-holdings-llc-v-orange-twp-board-of-sup-v-m-acker-pacommwct-2016.