Stegriy v. King County Board of Appeals

693 P.2d 183, 39 Wash. App. 346
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 27, 1984
Docket12902-3-I
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 693 P.2d 183 (Stegriy v. King County Board of Appeals) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stegriy v. King County Board of Appeals, 693 P.2d 183, 39 Wash. App. 346 (Wash. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

Coleman, J.

— This is an appeal from an order of the King County Superior Court affirming a decision of the King County Board of Appeals in which the Board denied the Stegriys a license for a hobby kennel under King County Code 11.04.060. 1 The Stegriys contend that (1) the *348 Board acted arbitrarily and capriciously in upholding the King County Animal Control Division's denial of the Ste-griys' application for a hobby kennel license; (2) KCC 11.04.060 does not authorize the Animal Control Division to deny an application for a license; and (3) KCC 11.04.060 is in conflict with RCW 36.49.010 and is therefore unconstitutional.

The Stegriys reside in a rural neighborhood in Carnation, Washington, on approximately 37,000 square feet of land. They own five dogs, three of which they keep as pets, and two for show. The dogs are confined in their yard, which is enclosed by cyclone fencing.

On August 10, 1981, the Stegriys received a citation from the Animal Control License Section, Division of General Services of King County (Animal Control), for a barking problem. The record indicates that the citation was subsequently dismissed. As a result of the investigation, however, the Stegriys were advised by Animal Control that they needed a hobby kennel license to keep more than three pets on their property. They applied for the license, and the application was denied by Animal Control. The notice denying their application stated that Animal Control interpreted KCC 11.04.060(b)(4) to require that the department insure the compatibility of a hobby kennel with the surrounding development. The notice stated that Animal Control had

inspected your premises and the proposed hobby kennel operation in determining compliance with King County *349 Code 11.04.060 . . .
During the investigation it became very clear that the proposed hobby kennel could never exist compatibly with the surrounding development.

From this notice and order, the Stegriys appealed to the King County Board of Appeals. The Board conducted a public hearing and received testimony from a license inspector for Animal Control, several neighbors who opposed the hobby kennel license, one neighbor who was in favor of the license application, and the Stegriys. The Board upheld the denial of the license by a 4-to-l vote, and entered a notice and order which stated in part:

I.
Statement
This matter came on before the Board of Appeals for King County on the appeal of Michael & Betty Stegriy, who through investigation and careful consideration of the application, was denied. The investigation was based on infromation [sic] received from residents in the area voicing their concern that the hobby kennel would not be fully compatible with the neighborhood due to excessive noise from the dogs (barking). Upon further investigation it became apparent to the Department that due to the incompatibility with the surrounding development, the application be denied pursuant to K.C.C. 11.04.060(B)(4).
II.
Findings
3. That the inspectors of the King County Animal Control Division of the General Services Department acted reasonably under the circumstances noted in this matter.
4. That after an investigation by the Department of Animal Control the application for Hobby Kennel License was denied due to incompatibility with the surrounding development pursuant to K.C.C. 11.04.060-(B)(4).

The matter was appealed to the King County Superior Court pursuant to a writ of certiorari, and the Superior Court affirmed the decision of the Board. The Superior Court entered findings of fact and conclusions of law which *350 provided in part:

Findings of Fact
m.
Upon plaintiffs' application for a hobby kennel license the Animal Control Division (ACD) for King County conducted an investigation, which included a physical inspection of plaintiff [s'] property and neighborhood and receiving the comments of neighbors. As a result of the investigation and objections of neighbors the ACD concluded that the proposed hobby kennel was not compatible with the surrounding development.
Conclusions of Law
II.
That the scope of review in this case is whether the decision was arbitrary and capricious or contrary to law. This standard does not allow the court to substitute its own judgment for that of the Board of Appeals. There is substantial evidence in the record to support the decision of the Board of Appeals, therefore the decision of the Board was not arbitrary or capricious neither was the decision contrary to law.
III.
The power to grant licenses contained in King County Ordinance 11.04 also contains the power to deny licenses.
V.
King County Code 11.04.060(b)(4) which regulates hobby kennel licenses is constitutional and does not conflict with state law.

This appeal followed. In assigning error to conclusion of law 2, the Stegriys contend that Animal Control did not consider the specific criteria listed in KCC 11.04.060(d) when it denied the Stegriys' application for the hobby kennel license. Therefore, they argue, Animal Control's determination was an abuse of discretion.

The scope of judicial review of actions of an administrative agency is narrow:

[T]he judiciary will only review the actions of an administrative agency to determine if its conclusions may be said to be, as a matter of law, arbitrary, capricious, or contrary to law.

*351 Helland v. King Cy. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 84 Wn.2d 858, 862, 529 P.2d 1058 (1975) (quoting Reiger v. Seattle, 57 Wn.2d 651, 653, 359 P.2d 151 (1961)). The long-standing definition of arbitrary and capricious action is:

wilful and unreasoning action, in disregard of facts and circumstances. Action is not arbitrary and capricious when exercised honestly and upon due consideration of the facts and circumstances.

(Citations omitted.) Northern Pac. Transp. Co. v. State Utils. & Transp. Comm'n, 69 Wn.2d 472, 478, 418 P.2d 735 (1966). Furthermore,

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693 P.2d 183, 39 Wash. App. 346, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stegriy-v-king-county-board-of-appeals-washctapp-1984.