FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DI L LA RD, P. J.

, RI C KM A N and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l

E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r

infor m a tion a t (https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s ).

June 2, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 19 2 . CITY OF DOUGLASVILLE et al . v . BOYD.

B R O W N , J u d g e.

In th i s d i s cret i o n ary ap peal

, th e Ci ty o f Do u g l as v i l le, al o n g wi t h it s m ay o r an d

C i t y C o u n c i l m em

b ers

, (co l l ect i v el y “ t he Ci t y ”) as s ert t h at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt erred

b y co n cl u d i n g t h at t h e Ci t y Co u n ci l “ act ed arb i trari l y an d cap ri ci o u s l y an d erred as

a m at t er o f l aw i n d en y i n g [Bart B o yd ’ s d ev el o p m en t p lan a] p p li cat i o n .” Th e Ci t y

as s ert s t h at t h e s up eri o r co u rt erred b y i g n o ri n g p reced en t reg ard i n g “ m o re i nt en s e o r

h eav y us es o f a p ro pert y t h an th e p ro p ert y i s zo n ed ,” s u b s t i t u t in g i t s ju d g m en t fo r t h at

o f t h e Ci ty C o u n ci l

, an d co n cl ud i n g t h at t h e Ci t y Co u n ci l d i d n o t h av e au t h o ri t y to

wei g h t h e ev i d en ce i n d eci di ng wh et h er t o ap pro v e t h e ap p l i cat i on . Fo r t h e reas on s

ex p lai n ed b el o w , we rev ers e.W h en rev iewi n g a l o cal g o vern i n g b od y ’ s zo n i n g d eci s i o n by wri t

o f cert i o rari

, [ t ]h e s co p e o f rev i ew s h al l be l i m i t ed t o al l erro rs o f l aw

an d d et erm i n at i on as t o wh e t h e r t h e ju d g m en t o r ru l i n g b el o w w as

s u s t a i n ed b y s u b s t an t ial ev id en ce. OCGA § 5 -4 -1 2 (b ). “ Su b s tan t i al

ev i d en ce” u n d er t h i s s ect i o n h as b een co n s is ten t l y i n terp ret ed t o m ean

“ a n y e v i d en ce[.] ” Th i s Co u rt ’ s “ s t an d ard o f rev i ew i s wh et h er th ere i s

an y ev i d en c e s u p p o r ti n g t h e d eci s i o n o f t h e l o cal g o v ern i n g bo d y

, n o t

wh et h er t here is an y ev i d en ce s u p p o rt i n g th e d eci si o n o f t h e s u p eri o r

co u rt .”

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ma co n -Bi bb Co u n ty Pl a n ni n g & Zo n i n g Co mm.

v. Ep i cMi d

s t r ea m

, LLC

, 34 9 Ga. Ap p

. 5 6 8

, 5 7 2 (1 ) (8 2 6 SE2 d 4 0 3 ) (2 01 9 ) (p h y s i cal

p reced en t o n l y ).

T h e r e co rd s h o ws t h at o n Ap ri l 1 8

, 2 0 1 8

, Bart Bo y d an d Geo rg i a S t o n e

Pro d uct s, LLC, s u bm i t t ed a “ Dev el o p m en t Pl an Ap p l icat i o n ” fo r a po rt ab l e ro ck

cru s h i n g p l an t t o u s e on p ro p ert y zo n ed h e av y i n d us t ri al

. Raw m at eri al s wo u l d b e

t ru ck ed i n t o t h e si t e, pro ces sed

, an d t h en t ru ck ed o u t. T r u c k s wi t h t h e raw an d

fi ni s h ed m at eri al s wo u l d p as s ov er Bo y d ’ s ad jacen t p ro p ert y t o t h e eas t zo n ed l i g ht

i n d u s t ri al t o acces s t h e pl an t l o cat ed o n th e p ro p ert y zo n ed h eav y i n d u st ri al

. Ci t y s taff

co n cl u d ed th at t h e ap p l i cat i o n “ m et al l o f t h e req ui rem en t s o f t h e s u b m i t t al .” Th e Ci t y

Co u n ci l t h en co n s i d ered t h e ap p li cat i o n o v er t h e c o u r se o f fo u r m eet i n g s b efo re

2d en y i n g i t b y a v o t e o f 4 -3 . In th e h eari n g s

, Bo y d as s ert ed t hat h e h ad a ri gh t t o u s e

t h e po rt i o n o f h i s p ro p ert y zo n ed h eav y i nd u s t ri al fo r “ St o ne, Cl ay

, G l as s an d

Co n cret e Pro d uct s .” An o bject i o n t o ap p ro v al of t h e d ev el op m en t p lan rai s ed i n o n e

o f t h e m eet i n g s was t hat t h e dev el o p m en t p l an sh o wed an acces s ro ad o n l an d l o t 1 9 0,

zo n ed l i gh t i n d u s t ri al

, t o acces s l an d l o t 1 89

, zo n ed heav y i nd u s t ri al

, wh ere t h e ro ck

cru s h i n g faci l i t y wo u ld b e l o cat ed

. T h e dev el o p m en t pl an ap pl icat i o n l i s t ed b o t h l an d

l o t s 1 8 9 an d 19 0

. A leg al m em o ran d um s u bm i t t ed t o t h e Ci t y b y i t s at to rn ey n o t ed t h e

co n ten t i o n “ t h at au t om o b i l e t raffi c fo r [a h e a v y i n d u s tri al ] u s e can n o t b e ro u t ed

t h ro u g h [l i g h t i n d us t ri al ] p ro p ert y wh ere t h at u s e i s p ro h i b it ed

, an d fo r t h is reas o n t h e

d ri v eway fo r t h i s p ro

j ect can n o t b e l o cat ed t hro u g h t he [l i gh t i n d us t ri al ] p arcel t o t h e

eas t . . . . Th i s i s p ro b ab l y a v al i d reas on t o d i sap p ro ve t he ap p l i cat i o n .”

Fo l lo wi n g t he Ci t y Co u n ci l ’ s d en i al o f t he d ev el o p m en t p l an ap p l i cat i o n

, Bo y d

fi led a p et i t i o n fo r wri t o f cert i o rar i i n t h e s u p e ri o r co u rt as s ert i n g, i n part

, t h at t h e

Ci t y ’ s deci s i o n t o d en y h i s ap p l i cat i o n “ w as arb it rary

, cap ri ci o u s, an ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n an d n o t s u p p o rt ed b y an y ev i d en ce.” Fo l l o wi n g a h eari n g

, t h e s u p eri o r

co u rt en t ered an o rd er s u m m ari l y co n cl u d in g t h at t h e Ci t y Co u n ci l “ act ed arb i t rari l y

an d cap ri ci o us ly

an d erred as a m at t er o f l aw i n d en y i n g Pet i ti o n er’ s Ap p l i cat i o n at

3t h e M ay 2 1

, 2 0 1 8 Ci t y Co un ci l m eet in g .” Th i s Co u rt su b seq u en tl y g ran t ed t h e Ci t y ’ s

ap p li cat io n fo r a d i s cret io n ary ap p eal

.

1

. Th e Ci ty as s ert s t h at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt erred b ecau s e t he Ci t y was au t h o ri zed

t o den y t h e d ev el o p m en t pl an b ecau s e acces s t hro u g h t h e p ro p ert y zo n ed l i g ht

i n d u s t ri al t o s u p p o rt th e h eav y i n d u s t r i a l us e o n p ro p ert y zo n ed h eav y i n d u s t ri al

wo u l d v i o l at e i t s zo n i n g co d e. W e ag ree.

Art i cl e II of t h e Ci t y o f Do u g l as v i l l e Zo ni n g Co d e s t at es : “ Th i s art icl e d efi n es

t h e zo n i n g d i s t ri ct s i n t he ci ty an d i d en t i fi es t h e s p eci fi c us es t o wh i ch l an d an d

s t ru ct u res m ay b e p u t i n t h e vari o u s zo n i ng d is t ri ct s

. . . .” A r t i cl e II, Sect io n 2 .0 1.

Th es e zo n i n g d is t ri ct s i ncl u d e a l ig h t i n du s t r i a l d i s t ri ct ab b rev i at ed as “ IL” an d a

he a vy in d u st ri al d is t ri ct ab b rev i at ed as “ IH.” Art i cl e II, Sect i o n 2.0 2 .0 1

. A dditiona lly

,

“ [a] n y u s e n o t s h own o n t h e fo l l o w i n g t ab l es as p erm it t ed i n a zo n i n g di s t ri ct i s

s p eci f i ca l l y p r o h i b i ted .” (Em

p has i s s u p p l i ed .) Art i cl e II, Sect i o n 2 .0 5.0 5

. Tab l e 2 -1

,

co v eri n g “ Perm it t ed p ri nci p al u s es b y zo n i n g d i s t ri ct

, ” i s b ro k en do wn in t o t h ree

cat eg o ri es : (1 ) “ Us es Perm i t t ed i n D i s t ri ct b y Ri g h t ”; (2 ) “ Us es Al l o wed b y A p p ro v al

as a Sp eci al Us e”; an d (3 ) “ Us es No t Perm i tt ed

. ” Tab l e 2 -2

, co v eri n g “ Perm i t t ed

Acces s ory Us es b y Z o n i n g Di s t ri ct ,” l i s t s t he s am e t h ree cat eg o ri es as Tab l e 2 -1

. Th e

p reface t o Tab l e 2 -2 s t at es :

4T h e f o l l owi n g are al lo wed as an acces s o ry u se t h at i s n o rm al l y

i n ci d en t al t o a n e x i s t i n g p ri nci p al u se o n a p ro p ert y i n t he zo n i n g

d i s t ri ct s n o t ed

. S e e al s o “ res t ri ct io n s o n p art i cu l ar u s es ” art i cl e o f t h i s

z o ni n g ord in an ce fo r res t ri ct i o n s t h at m ay ap p l y to s peci fi c us e s i n

g en eral o r i n s p eci fi c zo n i n g d i s t ri ct s

, as wel l as res t ri ct i on s i m p o sed b y

t h e FH o r en vi ro n m en t al o v erl ay d i s tri ct s

.

Acces s ro ad s an d d ri v eway s are n o t l i s t ed i n Tab l e 2 -2

.

Art i cl e III o f th e Co d e g o v ern s re s t r i c t i o n s o n p art i cu l ar u s es w i t h t h e

fo l l o w i n g st at ed p u rp o s e: “ Th e fo l lo wi n g s p eci fi c req u i rem en t s ap p l y t o each o f t h e

fo l l o w i n g p ri n ci p al an d acces s o ry u s es i n al l zo n i n g d i s tri ct s wh ere each p ri n ci p al o r

acces s o ry u s e i s o t h erwi s e p erm i t t ed b y ri g h t o r as a s peci al us e.” Art i cl e III, Sect i o n

3 .0 1. On e o f t h es e p ro v i s i o n s s t at es : “ N o acces s o ry us e o r s tru ct u re s h al l b e al l o wed

o n an y l o t excep t i n r el a ti on t o a n exi s t i n g p r i n c i p a l us e o n t he l o t .” (Em p h as i s

s u p p li ed .) Art i cl e III, Sect i o n 3 .3 4 .0 1

.

W i t h reg ard t o t h e p ro p ert y zo n ed l i g h t in d u s t ri al o n wh i ch Bo y d s o u g h t to

p l ace an acces s ro ad t o t h e p ro p ert y zo n ed h eav y i n d u s t ri al

, n ei t her “ M i n i n g an d

Qu arry i n g ” n o r “ St o n e, Cl ay

, Gl as s an d Co ncret e Pro d u ct s” are a p erm i t ted p ri n ci p al

u s e b y ei t h er ri gh t o r s p eci al p erm i t

. Acco rd i n g l y

, we m u s t d eci de wh et h er an acces s

ro ad t h at d o es n ot rel at e t o an al l o wed p ri nci p al u s e o n t h e li g h t i n d u s t ri al p ro p ert y

5c o m

p l i es wi t h t he Ci t y ’ s Zo n in g Co d e. W h i l e t h ere i s n o ex i s ti ng G eo rg i a c a s e

ad d res s i n g t h i s p art i cu l ar set o f fact s

, Geo rg i a co u rt s hav e co n cl u d ed

, b as ed o n

o rd i n an ces wi t h p ro v i s i o n s h av i n g a s i m i lar o r an al o g o u s effect t o t h o s e at is su e h ere,

t h at an acces s o ry us e t hat d o es n o t p ert ai n t o t h e al lo wed u s e o f a p ro p ert y v i o l at es

a l o c a l z o n i n g o rd i nan ce. See Bo Fa n cy Pr o d u ct i o n s v. Ra b un Co u n ty Bd

. of

Co mmr s

. , 26 7 Ga. 3 4 1

, 3 4 3-3 4 4 (1 ) (b ) (4 78 SE2 d 3 7 3) (1 9 9 6 ) (“ o p erat i n g o n

‘ res i d en t i al ’ p ro p ert y a p ark i n g l o t fo r t h e v eh i cl es o f t h o s e at t en di n g t h e co m m erci al

ral l y o n t h e ad

jo in i n g ‘ ag ri cu lt ural ’ p ro p ert y wo u ld v i o l at e th e o rd i n an ce”); DeKa lb

Co u n t y v. Pu b l i x S u p er Mkt

. , 2 6 4 Ga. 7 39

, 7 4 3 (3 ) (4 5 2 SE2 d 4 7 1 ) (1 9 9 4 ) (h o l d i n g

“ n o en ti t l em en t as a m at ter of l aw t o ap p ro v al o f p l at p ro p os i n g p ark i n g fo r a [l o cal

co m m erci al ] u se in an ad

jacen t [o ffi ce-i n st it u t i o n al ] ”); Da wki n s & S mi t h Ho mes v.

Lo wn d es Co un t y

, 3 0 6 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9

, 8 0 -8 1 (1 ) (7 0 1 SE2 d 5 4 4) (2 01 0 ) (acces s

eas em en t t o b o at ram

p o n s in g l e-fam i l y res i d en ce l o t fo r b en e f i t o f 1 3 nei g h b o ri n g

s i ng l e fam i l y l o t s was n o t “ acces s o ry u s e” p erm i t t ed b y t h e co u n t y zo n i n g o rd i n an ce).

Ot h er ju ri s di ct i o n s h av e co n cl u d ed t hat an a c c e s s d ri v eway o r p ri v at e ro ad

rel at ed t o a u s e no t p erm i t t ed by zo ni n g fo r th e p ro p ert y o n w h i c h t h e dri v eway i s

l o cat ed v i o l at es a lo cal zo n i n g o rd i n an ce. See Tea ch er s In s

. & An n u i t

y As s n. v.

Fu r lo t t i

, 7 0 Cal

. A p p

. 4 th 14 8 7

, 1 49 4 -1 4 96 (2 ) (Cal

. Crt

. A p p

. 1 9 99 ) (u s e o f

6r e s i d e n t ial h al f o f p ri v at e al l ey t o g ai n acces s t o l an d o r b u i l d i n g s i n co m m erc i a l l y

zo n ed areas v i o l at ed lo cal zo n i n g o rd i n an ce); B ea l e v. Pl a nn i n g Bd

. , 42 3 M as s

. 6 9 0,

6 9 4 (2 ) (6 7 1 NE2 d 1 2 3 3 ) (1 9 96 ) (“ U s e of l an d i n o n e z o n i n g d i s t ri ct fo r an acces s

ro ad t o an o t h er zo n i n g d i s t ri ct i s p ro h i b i t ed wh ere t h e ro ad wo u l d p ro v i de acces s to

u s es t h at wo u l d t hem s el v es b e b ar r e d i f t h ey h ad b een l o cat ed in t h e fi rs t zo n i n g

d i s t ri ct .”); Bl d

g

. In s p ect o r v. Ha r n ey

, 2 Mas s. Ap p

. Ct

. 5 8 4

, 5 8 5 -5 8 6 (3 1 7 NE2 d 8 1 )

(1 9 7 4) (h o l d i n g “ u s e o f th e p o rt i o n o f t h e d efen d an t s ’ l an d l y i n g wi t h i n t h e res i d en t i al

zo n e as an acces s ro ad t o a co m m erci al en t erp ri s e l y i n g wi th i n t h e u nres t ri ct ed zo n e

cl earl y d o es n ot fal l wi t h in an y o f t h e u s es p erm i t t ed i n a res i d en t i a l z o n e b y t h e

t o wn ’ s zo n i n g b y -l aw”; b y

- l a w req u i red q u al i fy in g u s e t o “ be acces s o ry t o a

p erm i t t ed u s e o n th e s a me l ot ”) (em p h as is i n o ri g i n al ). Th e zo n i ng o rd i n an ce at i s s u e

h ere u n am

b i g u o u sl y s tat es : “ No acces s o ry u s e o r st ru ct ure s h al l b e al l o wed o n an y

l o t excep t i n r el a t io n to a n exi s t i n g p r i n ci p a l u s e o n t h e l o t .” (Em

p h as i s s u p p l i ed .)

Art i cl e III, Sect i o n 3 .3 4 .0 1. Ad d i t i o n al ly

, i t p r o v i d e s t h at “ [a] n y u s e n o t s ho wn o n

[Tab l es 2 -1 an d 2-2 ] as perm i t t ed in a zo n i n g di s t r i c t i s s p eci fi cal ly p ro h i b i t ed .”

Art i cl e II, Sect io n 2

. 0 5

. 05. B a se d u p o n t h is u n am b i g u o u s l an gu ag e, t h e su p eri o r co u rt

7erred wh en i t r e v e r s ed t h e Ci t y Co u n ci l ’ s d en i al o f Bo y d ’ s ap p li cat i o n fo r a

d ev el o p m en t p l an an d ap pro ved i t as a m at t er o f l aw. 1

2

. Th e Ci t y ’ s al t ern at i v e g ro u n d s to rev ers e t he s up eri o r c o u r t ’ s o rd er are

ren d ered m o o t b y

o u r h o l d i ng i n Di v i s io n 1

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Di l l a r d

, P. J., a n d

Ri ckma n

, J., co n cu r

.

1 Th e i s s u e o f acces s s h o u l d n o t b e a g ro un d fo r co ncl u d i n g t h at t h e acces s ro ad

o v er t h e l i g h t i n d us t ri al p ro p ert y d o es n o t v i o lat e t h e zo n i ng o rd i n an ce. As o n e co u rt

fro m an o th er j u ri s d i ct i on n o t ed

, “ acces s m ay b e a reas o n fo r g ran t i n g a v ari an ce [fro m

t h e zo n in g req u i rem en t s ; ] i t i s no t a ju s t i fi cat io n fo r d i s pen s i n g wi t h o n e.” Nu ckel v.

Bo r ou g h o

f Li t t l e Fer r

y P l a n n i n g Bd

. , 2 0 8 N. J

. 9 5

, 1 0 5

- 1 0 6 (IV) (2 6 A3 d 4 1 8 )

(2 0 1 1).

8