Opinion ID: 2001431
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: association is an aggrieved party and entitled to appeal county's action.

Text: Next, County asserts that Association was without standing to appeal their refusal to reapprove the landfill facility because they are not an aggrieved party. SDCL 7-8-27 provides that [f]rom all decisions of the board of county commissioners upon matters properly before it, there may be an appeal to the circuit court by any person aggrieved[.] Wold v. Lawrence County Comm'n, 465 N.W.2d 622 (S.D.1991). We have declared that this statute provides for an appeal from decisions of the board of county commissioners only to such persons who suffer personal or individual grievances, as distinguished from those grievances suffered by taxpayers or the public generally. Simpson v. Tobin, 367 N.W.2d 757 (S.D.1985) (citation omitted). The concept of an aggrieved party is not new to this Court ... the first in-depth analysis of aggrieved party regarding a test for standing was made by this Court in an appeal from a board of county commissioners' decision. Barnum v. Ewing, 53 S.D. 47, 220 N.W. 135 (1928). In Barnum we set forth the following test: [W]e think [`any person aggrieved'] can only include such persons when they are able affirmatively to show that they are `aggrieved' in the sense that [...] they suffer the denial of some claim of right either of person or property.... Id. at 53, 220 N.W. at 138. Keogan v. Bergh, 348 N.W.2d 462, 463 (S.D.1984) quoting In re Appl. of Northern States Power Co., 328 N.W.2d 852, 855 (S.D.1983) (ellipses and brackets in original). Applying these standards, it is clear that Association is an aggrieved party. Association appeals County's refusal to pass a resolution approving their facility. Without such a resolution, Association may not proceed to construct the landfill under the terms of the BME permit. This decision directly affects Association as it prevents this non-profit group from proceeding with its plans to use their property for the purpose for which it was purchased and prevents them from fulfilling the purpose of Association's corporate existence. [6] Clearly, Association is an aggrieved party and was entitled to appeal County's decision to the circuit court.