Opinion ID: 2336245
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Zoning Violations

Text: Defendant raises several claims concerning the zoning violations. The City's zoning bylaws permit certain uses, including farming, within the Conservation and Open Space District where defendant's land is located, subject to certain specific limitations. The use may not damage the quantity or quality of surface or ground water, and any excavation of earth materials or cutting or removal of trees is limited to the extent necessitated by the permitted use. See South Burlington Zoning Regs., § 3.40. The court here found that the same activities that violated § 6.3 of the Wetland Rules and 10 V.S.A. § 1259 also violated the above-referenced zoning provisions. Defendant argues that the finding was unclear as to the nature of the violations, and was unsupported by the evidence. There was no lack of clarity in the court's finding, however, which plainly referred to the clearing of trees, brush, and stumps, the depositing of debris in the irrigation ditch, and the discharge of sediment into Bartlett Brook. Furthermore, even assuming, as defendant contends, that the work was done for agricultural purposes, the evidence amply supported a finding that erosion from the irrigation ditch had impaired the quality of surface water, and that the excavation and removal of trees and brush exceeded what was necessary for the supposed use, in violation of the zoning bylaws. Although defendant argues that the Accepted Agricultural Practice regulations adopted by the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Markets specifically authorize the ditching and subsurface draining of farm fields, they also explicitly prohibit the discharge of waste into the surface waters of the state, in accordance with state law. See Accepted Agricultural Practice Regs., §§ 3.2(e), 4.01(a). Thus, the court's finding was supported by the evidence, and must be upheld. See Bean, 164 Vt. at 443, 672 A.2d at 472 (court's findings will stand if supported by any credible evidence). Finally, defendant contends the City's complaint failed to adequately specify the zoning violations subsequently found by the trial court. All of the issues relating to the violations found by the court were actively tried by the parties. Accordingly, they were properly addressed by the trial court. See V.R.C.P. 15(b) (when issues not raised by pleadings are tried by express or implied consent of parties, they shall be treated in all respects as if they had been raised in pleadings). [3]