Sablegolf, LLC v. Inhabs. of the City of South Portland

CourtSuperior Court of Maine
DecidedJune 9, 2004
DocketCUMap-03-44
StatusUnpublished

This text of Sablegolf, LLC v. Inhabs. of the City of South Portland (Sablegolf, LLC v. Inhabs. of the City of South Portland) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sablegolf, LLC v. Inhabs. of the City of South Portland, (Me. Super. Ct. 2004).

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE CUMBERLAND, ss.

SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL ACTION \ DOCKET NO. AP-08-44

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SABLEGOLF, LLC, AND SABLOTS, LLC,

Petitioners Vv.

THE INHABITANTS OF THE

CITY OF SOUTH PORTLAND, DECISION AND ORDER MAINE, and

THE PLANNING BOARD OF SAID CITY,

Respondent and

PINNACLE PARTNERS OF SABLE OAKS, LLC

Party-In-Interest

This matter is before the court on the appeal of the petitioners, Sablegolf, LLC and Sablots, LLC (together, “Sable”) from the decision of the Planning Board of the City of South Portland (“Board”) to grant site plan and amended subdivision approval to the party-in-interest, Pinnacle Partners of Sable Oaks, LLC (“Pinnacle”),

BACKGROUND

Pinnacle owns a parcel of land in the Sable Oaks development known as 1515 Sable Oaks Drive (“Lot 1515”). (R. Tab 37, Ex. 4.) The land is located within South Portland’s Professional Office (“PO”) zoning

district. (R. Tab 19(b).) On October 15, 2002, Pinnacle filed an application with the Board seeking site plan approval for the development of a large office building and associated parking on its property. (R. Tab 37.) The proposed project consists of a three to four story building and a field of on-grade parking providing 509 spaces for vehicles. (R. Tab 19(d).)

Pinnacle’s parcel is surrounded by land owned by Sable, much of which is occupied by the Sable Oaks Golf Course. (R. Tab 37, Ex. 24.) Pinnacle’s site plan calls for improvements on land located adjacent to the fairways and greens that form part of two holes of the golf course. (Sable’s Br. at 3.) Sable alleges that the orientation of the project may pose significant hazards to persons and property due to the risk of errant golf balls entering the Pinnacle development. (Sable’s Br. at 3 citing R. Tab 10 at 17-18; R. Tab 18 at 12; R. Tab 19, Ex. B, Ex. C and Ex. D.)

In addition to its application for site plan approval, Pinnacle submitted to the Board a request for approval of an amendment to the subdivision plan that originally created Lot 1515. (R. Tab 37; R. Tab 25.) The amendment was necessary because Pinnacle’s proposal involves the relocation of a fifty-foot easement enjoyed by Sable across Pinnacle’s parcel that Sable has been using for the purpose of accessing a golf course maintenance building. (R. Tab 37, Ex. 6.) In the deed description of Lot 1515, Sable’s easement is expressly made subject to Pinnacle’s right to “reasonably relocate said easement facilities at its expense provided that such relocation shall be carried out so as to avoid disruption to the beneficial use and enjoyment of the easement.” (R. Tab

37, Ex. 5.) Given that the easement was depicted on the existing _ subdivision plan as being in a location different from where it would be located under Pinnacle’s proposal, Pinnacle was technically required to obtain an amendment to the original subdivision plan so that it would show the relocated easement in the proper location. (Pinnacle’s Br. at 5.)

On June 10, 2003, the Board conducted a public hearing on both of Pinnacle’s applications. (R. Tab 10.) Following several hours of discussion, the Board voted to approve Pinnacle’s applications for site plan and amended subdivision approval by a vote of 4-1, subject to seven express conditions. (R. Tab 10 at 49-53.)' After voting to approve the site plan and subdivision applications, the Board adopted its Findings of Fact and Decision. (R. Tab 3.)

DISCUSSION

In an 80B appellate proceeding, a decision of a Board is reviewed

for “error of law, abuse of discretion, or findings of fact not supported by

substantial evidence in the record.” Yates v. Town of Southwest Harbor,

‘ The conditions are as follows:

1. Planning Board Regulation #5, standard condition of approval.

2. The applicant shall provide correspondence to the City of Portland on any future traffic studies performed at the intersection of Sable Oaks Drive and Running Hill Road and Sable Oaks Drive and Cummings Road.

3. The approval shall incorporate Conditions found in both the MDOT traffic permit and the MDEP Site Location permit.

4. The applicant shall maintain in perpetuity a maintenance contract(s) for the proprietary stormwater treatment units, evidence shall be submitted to the Planning Department upon request.

5. Prior to building permits, the applicant shall submit updated financial commitment information.

6. Prior to building permits, the applicant shall submit details on the proposed gated access system to be installed at the intersection of Country Club Drive and Sable Oaks Drive.

7. Prior to the issuance of building permits the applicant shall submit revised rear setbacks.

(R. Tab 3 at 6.) 2001 ME 2, f 10, 763 A.2d 1168, 1171 (citation and internal quotation omitted). This Court may not substitute its judgment for that of the Board. Brooks v. Cumberland Farms, 1997 ME 203, 1 12, 703 A.2d 844, 848.

Interpretation of an ordinance is a question of law that the court reviews de novo. Isis Dev., LLC v. Town of Wells, 2003 ME 149, { 3, 836 A.2d 1285, 1287 (citations omitted). In construing the language of a zoning ordinance, the court takes into consideration “both the objectives sought to be obtained and the general structure of the ordinance as a whole.” Id. (citations and internal quotations omitted).

In the present action, the petitioners make several arguments in favor of reversal or remand of the Board’s decision. First, they argue that the Board committed a legal error by erroneously determining that it did not have authority to require Pinnacle to mitigate safety hazards by increasing buffers. Second, petitioners assert that the Board committed a legal error by failing to require Pinnacle to submit required evidence demonstrating financial capacity to complete the project. Finally, the petitioners claim that the Board acted arbitrarily and capriciously by determining that Pinnacle satisfied applicable site plan review criteria despite the lack of substantial evidence in the record. Each of these arguments will be discussed in turn.

1. Authority To Impose Conditions

Petitioners assert that the layout of Pinnacle’s proposed development results in an obvious risk of personal injury and property

damage posed by errant golf balls, that the Board recognized this risk, and that the Board improperly interpreted the Code as prohibiting it from imposing additional buffering requirements on Pinnacle’s Project. They argue that the Board’s misunderstanding regarding its own authority and its failure to act constituted an error of law.

Chapter 27 of South Portland’s Code of Ordinances (“Code”) authorizes the Board to impose additional conditions on proposed developments when it determines that such conditions are necessary for the mitigation of safety hazards. See R. Tab 39 at 27058 (allowing the planning board to increase the parking or landscaping requirements of a proposed development where the planning board finds that the proposed development is likely to need additional parking spaces and landscaping); R. Tab 39 at 27059 (allowing the Board to impose reasonable conditions of approval related to the standards of approval including requirements for buffering, screening or landscaping in addition to the minimum standards set forth in the ordinance). The imposition of such additional conditions on proposed projects is not mandatory and is left to the discretion of the Board.

Here, the Board correctly interpreted its ordinance and understood its authority to impose additional conditions relating to the mitigation of safety hazards. See e.g. R. Tab 10 at 46-49 (evidencing the Board’s .

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Related

George D. Ballard, Builder, Inc. v. City of Westbrook
502 A.2d 476 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1985)
Yates v. Town of Southwest Harbor
2001 ME 2 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 2001)
Brooks v. Cumberland Farms, Inc.
1997 ME 203 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1997)
Robinson v. Board of Appeals, Town of Kennebunk
356 A.2d 196 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1976)
Veilleux v. City of Augusta
684 A.2d 413 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1996)
Isis Development, LLC v. Town of Wells
2003 ME 149 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 2003)
Moyer v. Board of Zoning Appeals
233 A.2d 311 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1967)
Fitanides v. City of Saco
2004 ME 32 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 2004)

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