Mdj Properties v. Union Township Board, Unpublished Decision (3-27-2000)

CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 27, 2000
DocketNos. CA99-02-013, CA99-02-019.
StatusUnpublished

This text of Mdj Properties v. Union Township Board, Unpublished Decision (3-27-2000) (Mdj Properties v. Union Township Board, Unpublished Decision (3-27-2000)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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
Mdj Properties v. Union Township Board, Unpublished Decision (3-27-2000), (Ohio Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

OPINION
In a zoning dispute, defendant-appellant/cross-appellee, Union Township Board of Trustees ("Union Township"), appeals the decision of the Clermont County Court of Common Pleas that certain property ("the property") located adjacent to State Route 32 was unconstitutionally zoned "R-2" (single-family residential). In a cross-appeal, plaintiff-appellee/cross-appellant, MDJ Properties, Ltd. ("MDJ"), appeals the decision of the trial court refusing to rezone the property "B-1" (business zone) and denying MDJ's request for an award of damages and attorney fees. For the reasons that follow, we reverse the finding of the trial court that the R-2 zoning classification of the property is unconstitutional.

On May 10, 1996, MDJ filed a complaint for declaratory judgment and money damages against Union Township. MDJ alleged that the R-2 residential zoning was unconstitutional as applied to certain property owned by MDJ located adjacent to State Route 32. MDJ further alleged that the residential zoning deprived MDJ of all economically viable use of the property, resulting in an unconstitutional "taking" of the land. The property borders Marjorie Drive on the north, Bells Lane on the west, and State Route 32, a four-lane highway, on the south. The east side of the property borders vacant land with a thick stand of trees; multi-family residential housing and a convenience store are farther east beyond the vegetation. The adjacent land is zoned R-2 to the north and west, and B-2 (business zone) to the west and the south, across State Route 32.

The case proceeded to a bench trial on July 14, 1997. On September 16, 1997, the trial court found the existing zoning unconstitutional under Gerijo v. Fairfield (1994),70 Ohio St.3d 223. The trial court provided Union Township with a reasonable opportunity to rezone the property. See UnionOil Co. v. Worthington (1980), 62 Ohio St.2d 263, 267 (upon a finding that zoning is unconstitutional, as applied to a certain property, the zoning authority is entitled to exercise the option to rezone the property within a reasonable time). Union Township failed to rezone the property. On November 7, 1997, the trial court ordered a further hearing on appropriate rezoning of the property and possible damages. See id. On May 13, 1998, before the rezoning and damages hearing had occurred, MDJ moved for summary judgment on all further issues. Specifically, MDJ argued that, pursuant to the intervening decision of the Supreme Court of Ohio in Goldberg Cos., Inc.v. Richmond Hts. City Council (1998), 81 Ohio St.3d 207, the property was free from the unconstitutional zoning restrictions and MDJ could develop the property in any manner MDJ deemed appropriate. Therefore, MDJ argued that the case should be terminated. MDJ conceded that the Goldberg decision foreclosed MDJ's damages claim. The trial court disagreed with MDJ's interpretation of the Goldberg decision that a hearing need not be held on appropriate rezoning of the property. The trial court overruled MDJ's motion for summary judgment.

The case proceeded to the previously ordered hearing. At the hearing, MDJ proposed rezoning the property as B-1. After the second hearing, the trial court found that the B-1 classification was not appropriate and failed to award MDJ any relief. Union Township filed a notice of appeal and MDJ filed a notice of cross-appeal. We first consider Union Township's appeal.

Assignment of Error No. 1:

THE TRIAL COURT ERRED HOLDING APPELLANT'S R2 ZONING UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDER THE FACTS AND APPLICABLE LAW OF THE CASE.

Assignment of Error No. 2:

THE TRIAL COURT ERRED HOLDING THAT LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENTAL INTERESTS ARE NOT SERVED BY EXISTING R2 ZONING.

Assignment of Error No. 3:

THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN NOT DISMISSING APPELLEE'S CLAIMS FOR REZONING AND DAMAGES AND IN NOT ENTERING FINAL JUDGMENT FOR APPELLEE [sic] UNDER THE FACTS OF THIS CASE.

In its assignments of error, Union Township essentially challenges the decision of the trial court finding that the R-2 zoning classification was unconstitutional as applied to the property and that it deprived MDJ of all economic use of the property. For purposes of clarity, we will consider Union Township's assignments of error simultaneously.1

In reviewing the decision of the trial court, we are guided by the principle that judgments supported by competent, credible evidence going to all the material elements of the case must not be reversed, as being against the manifest weight of the evidence. C.E. Morris Co. v. Foley Constr. Co. (1978),54 Ohio St.2d 279, syllabus; see, also, Shemo v. MayfieldHeights (2000), 88 Ohio St.3d 7, 8-9. If the evidence is susceptible to more than one interpretation, we must interpret it consistently with the judgment of the trial court. SeasonsCoal Co. v. Cleveland (1984), 10 Ohio St.3d 77, 80.

A landowner can challenge the constitutionality of a zoning ordinance in two ways. First, a landowner can allege that a zoning ordinance is unconstitutional as applied to a particular parcel of land. Goldberg Cos., 81 Ohio St.3d at 213. Second, a landowner may also allege that a zoning ordinance as applied to property constitutes a "taking" in violation of theFifth Amendment to the United States Constitution that entitles the owner to compensation. Id.

MDJ challenged the constitutionality of the property's zoning classification on both grounds. The trial court's analysis underGerijo effectively found that the zoning was unconstitutional as applied to the property and that it also constituted a taking. We will consider each ground in turn.

I. Constitutionality of the Zoning Ordinance as Applied
Zoning ordinances are presumed constitutionally valid.Cent. Motors Corp. v. Pepper Pike (1995), 73 Ohio St.3d 581,584. Therefore, a zoning regulation is presumed to be constitutional unless the landowner demonstrates beyond fair debate that it is "clearly arbitrary and unreasonable and without substantial relation to the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the community." Goldberg,81 Ohio St. 3d at 213, quoting Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co. (1926), 272 U.S. 365, 395.2 The party challenging the constitutionality of a zoning classification bears the burden of proof and must prove unconstitutionality beyond fair debate.Goldberg at paragraph two of the syllabus. The standard of "beyond fair debate" in zoning litigation is analogous to the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard in criminal law. Cent. Motors. Corp., 73 Ohio St.3d 581 at 584.

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Bluebook (online)
Mdj Properties v. Union Township Board, Unpublished Decision (3-27-2000), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mdj-properties-v-union-township-board-unpublished-decision-3-27-2000-ohioctapp-2000.