Morello v. City of Omaha Zoning Board of Appeals

565 N.W.2d 41, 5 Neb. Ct. App. 785, 1997 Neb. App. LEXIS 91
CourtNebraska Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 10, 1997
DocketNo. A-96-187
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 565 N.W.2d 41 (Morello v. City of Omaha Zoning Board of Appeals) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morello v. City of Omaha Zoning Board of Appeals, 565 N.W.2d 41, 5 Neb. Ct. App. 785, 1997 Neb. App. LEXIS 91 (Neb. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

Mues, Judge.

FACTS

Bernard J. Morello owns certain real property in Omaha, Nebraska. The property is zoned “general office.” Morello sought to have the property rezoned so that he could build a convenience store with gas pumps and a carwash. When the Omaha City Council and the city planning department denied his request, Morello filed an application with the City of Omaha Zoning Board of Appeals (Board) seeking a use waiver. The Board heard Morello’s request on May 18,1995, and denied the same. After reconsideration, Morello’s request was again denied.

Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 14-413 (Reissue 1991), Morello filed a petition for review with the Douglas County District Court. The district court held a hearing on October 20,1995. At the hearing, the parties submitted the evidence that was presented to the Board, including a verbatim transcript of the proceedings. After reviewing the evidence, the district court affirmed the decision of the Board on December 4. Morello filed a motion for new trial on December 14, seeking, inter alia, to offer additional evidence. The court heard arguments on January 5, 1996, and denied the motion on January 18. Morello filed his appeal to this court on February 12. Because the appeal [787]*787to this court was not timely filed, we lack jurisdiction to consider the issues presented on appeal.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

Restated, Morello alleges that the district court erred in affirming the decision of the Board and in denying his motion for new trial.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

An appellate court reviews the decision of a district court, and irrespective of whether the district court took additional evidence, the appellate court is to decide if, in reviewing a decision of a zoning board of appeals, the district court abused its discretion or made an error of law. Where competent evidence supports the district court’s factual findings, the appellate court will not substitute its factual findings for those of the district court. Kuhlmann v. City of Omaha, 251 Neb. 176, 556 N.W.2d 15 (1996).

JURISDICTION

Before we can determine the merits of Morello’s assignments of error, we must first address the Board’s argument that we lack jurisdiction over this appeal.

Jurisdiction is a court’s power or authority to hear a case. Kuhlmann v. City of Omaha, supra; Welch v. Welch, 246 Neb. 435, 519 N.W.2d 262 (1994). An appellate court acquires no jurisdiction unless the appellant has satisfied the requirements for appellate jurisdiction. Manske v. Manske, 246 Neb. 314, 518 N.W.2d 144 (1994). A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the final order from which an appeal is taken. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1912(1) (Reissue 1995). Generally, a motion for new trial tolls the time during which a notice of appeal must be filed. § 25-1912(2). However,

“[a] motion for new trial may appropriately be filed only in a trial court. See Interstate Printing Co. v. Department of Revenue, 236 Neb. 110, 459 N.W.2d 519 (1990). It is improper to move for a new trial in a court which reviewed the decision of a lower court or administrative agency and thus functioned not as a trial court but as an intermediate court of appeals. See Interstate Printing Co., supra. It nec[788]*788essarily follows then that the filing of a motion for new trial in a court which functioned as an intermediate court of appeals does not stop the running of the time within which to perfect an appeal from the reviewing court. Id.”

Hueftle v. Northeast Tech. Community College, 242 Neb. 685, 686-87, 496 N.W.2d 506, 507 (1993) (quoting Booker v. Nebraska State Patrol, 239 Neb. 687, 477 N.W.2d 805 (1991)).

An administrative agency is a governmental authority, other than a court and other than a legislative body, which affects rights of private parties through either adjudication or rulemaking. Hoiengs v. County of Adams, 245 Neb. 877, 516 N.W.2d 223 (1994). “The [zoning] board [of appeals], which is neither a court nor a legislature, is a governmental authority that affects the rights of private parties through adjudication or rulemaking. As such, it functions primarily as an administrative agency.” Stratbucker Children’s Trust v. Zoning Bd. of Appeals, 243 Neb. 68, 73, 497 N.W.2d 671, 675 (1993). “A zoning board of appeals is vested with discretion to dispose of matters within its province, but its acts are judicial in nature and are subject to review and reversal when they constitute an abuse of discretion and are arbitrary.” McClelland v. Zoning Bd. of Appeals, 232 Neb. 711, 712, 441 N.W.2d 893 (1989).

The Supreme Court first addressed the specific issue of whether a district court, reviewing the decision of a zoning board of appeals, acts as a trial court or as an appellate court in Kuhlmann v. City of Omaha, 251 Neb. 176, 556 N.W.2d 15 (1996). In that case, the zoning board of appeals granted Kuhlmann a 1-year use waiver. After the year expired, the board did not renew the waiver, and Kuhlmann appealed to the district court for a review of the board’s decision. The City of Omaha filed a counterclaim, alleging that Kuhlmann was in violation of the city municipal code and requesting injunctive relief. Eventually, the district court granted a permanent injunction against Kuhlmann, and Kuhlmann appealed. The Supreme Court observed that pursuant to § 14-413,

a zoning board of appeals’ decision may be reviewed by a district court, but the scope of the district court’s review is limited to the legality or illegality of the board’s decision. . . .
[789]*789... Pursuant to § 14-414, the district court is given only the power to reverse, modify, or affirm “the decision brought up for review.” The City’s counterclaim was not the subject of any appeal to the Board and thus was not brought up for review. . . . The district court was acting as an appellate court to review the proceedings before the Board.

251 Neb. at 181-82, 556 N.W.2d at 19.

Morello acknowledges that the district court performs some appellate functions, but argues that this type of appeal is really a hybrid between an appeal and a trial and that, therefore, a motion for new trial was appropriate. In support of this contention, Morello observes that under § 14-413 and Neb. Rev. Stat. §

Related

Morello v. CITY OF OMAHA ZONING BD.
565 N.W.2d 41 (Nebraska Court of Appeals, 1997)

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