Opinion ID: 2003432
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Refusal to Allow Plaintiff Municipalities to File an Amended Complaint

Text: Finally, we must consider the trial court's refusal to allow the plaintiff municipalities to file an amended complaint. Leave to amend should generally be granted unless it is apparent that even after amendment no cause of action can be stated. In determining whether a trial court abused its discretion in refusing to allow an amended complaint, we look to the following factors: (1) whether the proposed amended complaint would cure the defects of the dismissed pleading; (2) whether the amendment would prejudice or surprise the other parties; (3) whether the proposed amendment was timely; and (4) whether previous opportunities to amend the pleading can be identified. ( People ex rel. Hartigan v. E & E Hauling, Inc. (1992), 153 Ill.2d 473, 505, 180 Ill.Dec. 271, 607 N.E.2d 165.) In applying these factors to the instant case, we note that the appellate court correctly determined that the plaintiff municipalities' proffered amended complaint did not add any additional claims but, rather, merely reorganized the allegations of the original complaint and added facts to reinforce its position that there was standing to sue under Village of Barrington Hills v. Village of Hoffman Estates (1980), 81 Ill.2d 392, 43 Ill.Dec. 37, 410 N.E.2d 37, and City of Hickory Hills v. Village of Bridgeview (1977), 67 Ill.2d 399, 10 Ill.Dec. 539, 367 N.E.2d 1305. However, as we have already observed, the rule in these cases that extraterritorial municipalities have standing to challenge the zoning decisions of other municipalities is inapplicable to siting ordinances made pursuant to the Act. Thus, we conclude that the proffered amended complaint did not cure the defects of the original and that the appellate court properly affirmed the trial court's ruling denying leave to file the amended complaint.