Title: Vicki Minnaugh v. County Commission of Broward County

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida
 
____________
No. SC00-875
____________
VICKI MINNAUGH, et al.,
Petitioners,
vs.
COUNTY COMMISSION OF BROWARD COUNTY, etc.,
Respondent.
[April 12, 2001]
WELLS, C.J.
We have for review a decision on the following question certified to be of
great public importance:
ARE DECISIONS REGARDING SMALL-SCALE
DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENTS PURSUANT TO SECTION
163.3187(1)(c), FLORIDA STATUTES, LEGISLATIVE IN
NATURE AND, THEREFORE, SUBJECT TO THE FAIRLY
DEBATABLE STANDARD OF REVIEW; OR QUASI-JUDICIAL,
AND SUBJECT TO STRICT SCRUTINY?
Minnaugh v. County Commission of Broward County, 752 So. 2d 1263 (Fla. 4th
DCA 2000).  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const.
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The Minnaughs applied to the Broward County Commission (Commission)
for a small-scale development amendment to Broward County’s comprehensive
plan in an attempt to change the designation of their property from “agricultural” to
“employment center.”  The Commission denied the Minnaughs’ application. 
Thereafter, the Minnaughs filed suit against the Commission in the circuit court in
Broward County seeking to reverse the Commission’s decision.  The Minnaughs
requested a writ of certiorari (count I), a writ of mandamus (count II), and
alternatively requested declaratory and injunctive relief (count III).  The circuit court
dismissed counts I and II based upon the circuit court’s conclusion that the
Commission’s decision was not subject to certiorari review.  The circuit court ruled
that it would apply the fairly-debatable standard of review to the declaratory and
injunctive relief proceedings.
The Minnaughs petitioned the Fourth District for certiorari to review the
circuit court’s decision.  The Fourth District denied the petition, holding that the
circuit court was correct in concluding that the proper method of challenging the
Commission’s decision was by an action seeking declaratory or injunctive relief
rather than by certiorari.  See Minnaugh, 752 So. 2d at 1264.  The Fourth District
also concluded that small-scale development decisions are legislative in nature and
that the fairly-debatable standard of review applied.  See id. at 1265.  The Fourth
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District then certified the question.  See id. at 1266.
We have answered this exact question in Coastal Development of North
Florida, Inc. v. City of Jacksonville Beach, No. SC95686 (Fla. April 12, 2001), by
holding that small-scale development amendment decisions made pursuant to
section 163.3187(1)(c), Florida Statutes (Supp. 1996), are decisions which are
legislative in nature and subject to the fairly-debatable standard of review.  We
adhere to the answer we gave in Coastal Development.  Accordingly, we approve
the decision below.
It is so ordered.
SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS and QUINCE, JJ., concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND
IF FILED, DETERMINED.
Application for Review of the Decision of the District Court of Appeal - 
Certified Great Public Importance
Fourth District - Case No. 4D99-0751
(Broward County)
William S. Spencer of Ellis, Spencer and Butler, Hollywood, Florida; and Nancy
Little Hoffmann, Pompano Beach, Florida,
for Petitioners
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Edward A. Dion, County Attorney, Andrew J. Meyers, Chief Appellate Counsel,
and Tamara M. Scrudders, Assistant County Attorney, Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
for Respondent
Cari L. Roth, General Counsel, and Karen Brodeen, Assistant General Counsel,
Tallahassee, Florida,
for Department of Community Affairs, Amicus Curiae
Terrell K. Arline, Legal Director, Tallahassee, Florida; and Thomas G. Pelham,
Tallahassee, Florida, 
for 1000 Friends of Florida, Inc. and The Florida Chapter of the 
American Planning Association, Amicus Curiae