Vaillancourt v. Gray Wolf Realty, LLC

29 Mass. L. Rptr. 496
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedMarch 12, 2012
DocketNo. MICV200800317L
StatusPublished

This text of 29 Mass. L. Rptr. 496 (Vaillancourt v. Gray Wolf Realty, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vaillancourt v. Gray Wolf Realty, LLC, 29 Mass. L. Rptr. 496 (Mass. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

Leibensperger, Edward P., J.

I. Introduction

In 1985, when a plan for the development of approximately 85 acres of land in the town of Tyngsborough (the “Town”) was approved by issuance of a special permit, a condition was imposed by the planning board of the Town with respect to the approval. The condition was that “no future development shall be allowed on this PUD site which will increase the density of development or number of occupants over what is allowed by this plan” (the “Condition”). This litigation concerns the effort by the current owner of a 25-acre portion (the “Property”) of the site to obtain a modification of the Condition so as to allow further development. The case raises issues of standing, ripeness, lawfulness of the Town planning board’s actions and, ultimately, the appropriate process for resolution of the interests and concerns of all relevant parties.

The current owner of the Property is Gray Wolf Really, LLC (“Gray Wolf’).4 In 2007, twenty-two years after the Town’s approval of the original development plan, Gray Wolf applied to the planning board to modify the 1985 special permit “to eliminate ‘no further development restriction’ alleged to still exist.” The application was opposed by plaintiff, David Vaillancourt, a resident of a condominium property located within the original 85-acre parcel and allegedly an abutter to the Property. The application was .also opposed by plaintiff, Gilbert C. Campbell, an alleged owner of an easement abutting the Property. Campbell also was the original developer of the 85-acre parcel [497]*497and the individual who obtained the 1985 approval of the development plan containing the Condition.

As will be described more fully below, the planning board, after hearing, voted to deny a modification of the 1985 special permit upon a motion proposing a specific allowance of up to 45 new condominium units. The planning board, however, failed to file its decision with the Town clerk within 90 days of the hearing date. Gray Wolf then filed a Notice of Constructive Approval declaring, pursuant to G.L.c. 40A, §9, that its application to modify the 1985 special permit to eliminate the “no further development restriction” must be deemed approved. Vaillancourt timely commenced this action, under G.L.c. 40A, §17, to appeal the allowance of the modification of the special permit. Subsequently, an amended complaint was allowed in this action adding Campbell and the Tessi Trust as plaintiffs. Following a trial on the merits, including a view of the land at issue, the Court issues these findings of fact and conclusions of law.

II. Facts

A. Origin of the Condition

On May 31,1984, Gilbert G. Campbell, Inc. (“Campbell, Inc.”) purchased a large tract of land in the Town. Campbell, as president of Campbell, Inc., then proposed a development on approximately 85 acres of the tract. He composed a plan to build a high quality inn and restaurant (later named the Stonehedge Inn) on the property, as well as a condominium complex of approximately 55 units (later known as the Stonehedge Farm Condominium). Campbell was an experienced real estate developer, having been in the business since 1947. To accomplish the development, Campbell proposed that the Town adopt a Planned Unit Development (“PUD”) zoning district for the 85 acres. On May 21, 1985, by unanimous vote at town meeting, the Town adopted the PUD zoning amendment to its zoning bylaws and voted to rezone Campbell, Inc.’s 85 acres as a PUD district. The newly adopted PUD bylaws allowed uses for a hotel, inn and restaurant, as well as for a town house development and other uses. The bylaws required that a proposed development “be allowed as a special permit" by the planning board subject to certain procedures and requirements including approval of the plan by a town meeting. The planning board could grant a special permit only upon finding that the applicant designed the plan in substantial conformity with the preliminary plan presented to town meeting and that the plan met the design requirements of the bylaw.

Campbell, Inc. filed an application, dated July 29, 1985, for a special permit under the PUD district zoning bylaw. On October 21, 1985, the Town planning board approved the plan in a written Summary of Decision. The approval required that “(t]he following qualifications/conditions shall be referenced on the plan.” Number 5 of the qualifications/conditions was that “[a] note shall be added to the final plan before endorsement by the Planning Board indicating that ‘no future development shall be allowed on this PUD site which will increase the density of development or number of occupants over what is allowed by this plan.’ ” The final plan, the Stonehedge Farm II Plan, approved by the planning board contained a handwritten note stating “(n]o future development shall be allowed which will increase the density of development over what is allowed on this plan.” The plan was recorded at the Registry of Deeds on November 13, 1985.5

The handwritten note on the plan did not conform exactly to the condition imposed by the planning board for the granting of the special permit. Specifically, the words “or number of occupants” were left out of the handwritten note. The intent of the planning board is more likely reflected in its typewritten Summary of Decision. The condition of “no future development” in that Summary of Decision is the “Condition” referred to in this memorandum of decision.

B. Ownership of the Condominium Land

Following the approval of the development plan, on March 6, 1986, Campbell, Inc. conveyed approximately 52 acres of the 85-acre parcel to Michael F. Rindo, Inc. (“Rindo”). Rindo was to be the builder of the condominium units now known as Stonehedge Farms Condominium. In that deed, Campbell, Inc. reserved an easement to a'24-foot-wide right-of-way, named the bridle path easement, and an easement shown on the plan for a pasture. The purpose of the easement was to allow Campbell, who owned property across Sherburne Road from the 52 acres, to exercise on foot and on horseback along the bridle path and in the pasture.

In November 1986, Rindo executed and recorded a master deed creating the Stonehedge Farm Condominium. The master deed conveyed approximately 11 acres of the 52 acres received from Campbell, Inc. to the Condominium for “Phase I” of the development. Phase I was to consist of four buildings, each with 4 units, for a total of sixteen units. The common area of the Condominium was defined to be the entire acreage in the deed other than the units themselves. The common area was described as “(t]he Condominium Land together with the benefit of, and subject to, all rights, easements, reservations, conditions, and restrictions of record as the same may be in force and applicable.” The deed references the intent of the grantor to construct two additional phases totaling nine residential buildings, containing a total of 36 units. The record before this Court does not reflect when Rindo conveyed the remaining 41 acres received from Campbell, Inc. to the Stonehedge Farm Condominium as part of Phase II and III, but there appears to be no dispute among the parties that the Condominium eventually received ownership of all 52 acres, with additional condominium units built thereon.

[498]*498Neither the deed from Campbell, Inc.

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Bluebook (online)
29 Mass. L. Rptr. 496, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vaillancourt-v-gray-wolf-realty-llc-masssuperct-2012.