Opinion ID: 2334846
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: East Avenue

Text: The town alleges that East Avenue's application failed to satisfy substantial completeness for four of the ten factors listed in § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i). The town argues that East Avenue did not include a sufficient list of variances, special-use permits, and waivers as stated in § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(B). Specifically, the town contends that East Avenue failed to address the following zoning ordinances and regulations relating to housing development review: minimum lot size and width restrictions, lots containing wetlands, culs-de-sac, drainage calculations, traffic circulation, stormwater best management practices, subdivision and land development fees, land application narratives, and soil erosion and sediment control. The town also argues that East Avenue failed to satisfy § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(C) because it did not provide sufficient evidence of site control. Specifically, the town contends that East Avenue did not submit evidence that it was qualified to do business in Rhode Island. To support this assertion, the town presented to SHAB a certificate of nonexistence for East Avenue Development Realty, LLC, the name that appeared in East Avenue's comprehensive permit application. As such, the town argues that SHAB erroneously accepted unsubstantiated comments from East Avenue that it was qualified to do business in Rhode Island because the certificate of nonexistence demonstrates there was no legally competent evidence in the record to support the contention. The town further alleges that East Avenue failed to provide evidence of eligibility for state or federal subsidies in violation of § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(D). The town alleges that a letter from RIHMFC in East Avenue's application contained a reference to the project but did not name East Avenue as the applicant. Finally, the town contends that East Avenue failed to provide a list of abutters with the application, in violation of § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(J). The town argues that SHAB's finding of substantial completeness without any evidence of an abutters list demonstrates its predisposition to deem the applications substantially complete without competent evidence. SHAB's October 17, 2005 written decision on the East Avenue project delineated reasoning for its finding of substantial completeness. With respect to the list of requested waivers, variances, and special-use permits under § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(B), SHAB's written decision noted that East Avenue's comprehensive permit application included the town zoning ordinance from which it sought relief. SHAB concluded that East Avenue sufficiently identified its requests for relief, and that any disputes about the need for additional relief adequately could be addressed on remand during evidentiary hearings before the town zoning board. SHAB also noted that East Avenue's statement that construction is expected to commence in late 2004 and continue at a pace dictated by market conditions was a fair and reasonable estimate of its intended construction schedule. Turning to the evidence of site control and § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(C), SHAB addressed the town's argument that East Avenue's official corporate name listed in its comprehensive permit application did not exist as a corporate entity in Rhode Island. SHAB dismissed the argument as a red herring, reasoning that the zoning board has not submitted any credible evidence into the record to prove that the developer is not qualified to do business in Rhode Island. SHAB next addressed East Avenue's eligibility for a state or federal subsidy and § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(D). SHAB employed similar reasoning as it used in the Pascoag and Crystal Lake written decisions, finding that the absence of East Avenue's name from RIHMFC's letter was not a material issue. SHAB concluded that the letter was consistent in form and content with other letters that SHAB had accepted over the last several years and that the letter clearly related to East Avenue's proposed project. SHAB explained that East Avenue would be proceeding at its peril and would not get its project off the ground if it submitted an eligibility letter that applied to a different party. With respect to the absence of an abutters list and § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(J), SHAB noted that East Avenue said that it did not submit the list with its application so that it could submit a current list when a public hearing was scheduled. SHAB concluded that the lack of the abutters list was not fatal to the determination of substantial completeness for East Avenue's application, reasoning that the list could be submitted properly at the outset of the evidentiary hearings after remand to the zoning board. Finally, at the end of its written decision, SHAB summarized its findings relating to substantial completeness for East Avenue in the same manner as it did for the Pascoag and Crystal Lake projects. [18] As with Pascoag and Crystal Lake, this Court is unable to conclude that legally competent evidence exists to support SHAB's finding of substantial completeness for the East Avenue project. First and most evidently, East Avenue's application failed to include a list of abutters. Given that § 45-53-6(f)(1)(i)(J) specifically lists an abutters list as one of ten factors in the substantial completeness calculus, East Avenue's promise to submit the list at a public hearing after February 13, 2004, is of no moment. The dearth of information in East Avenue's application concerning requested variances and special-use permits under the zoning ordinance, as well as the lack of any requested waivers from subdivision regulations, is also significant. Moreover, detailed plans were not submitted, nor was relief requested, relative to regulations concerning drainage systems, stormwater management practices, or soil erosion and sediment control. East Avenue's requested deferral of the submission of fiscal impact reports and traffic reports until the public hearing stage of the review process is also noteworthy. As the town argued before this Court, the limited amount of information presented by East Avenue made it difficult to understand the project's impact on the town. Finally, we note that East Avenue's comprehensive permit application, submitted on or about January 22, 2004, listed the owners of the site as Donald P. St. Angelo, Sr. and Richard St. Angelo. The applicant name in the application and its supporting materials appeared as East Avenue Development Realty, LLC. As evidence of site control in the application, East Avenue stated, See Real Estate Agreement information attached. Applicant is nominee of `Buyer'. The attached real estate agreements, in turn, named the two Mr. St. Angelos as sellers and Empire Acquisition Group, or its nominee or assignee as the buyer. At the time East Avenue submitted its application, however, East Avenue Development Realty, LLC, was not qualified to do business in Rhode Island, [19] and, therefore, could not stand as Empire Acquisition Group's nominee because it did not exist as a corporate entity. This Court concludes, therefore, as in the cases of Pascoag and Crystal Lake, that a review of East Avenue's comprehensive permit application as of February 13, 2004, did not meet SHAB's definition of substantial completeness  viz., it did not contain all parts or elements that are material, important, and essential.