Opinion ID: 1977450
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Subdivision Regulation Section II(O)

Text: The first issues to be addressed are the interpretation of and the interrelationship between the South Kingstown zoning ordinance and Section II(O) of the town's subdivision regulations. When interpreting an ordinance, we employ the same rules of construction that we apply when interpreting statutes. Ruggiero v. City of Providence, 893 A.2d 235, 237 (R.I. 2006). If the statute is clear and unambiguous, we must enforce it as written by giving the words of the [ordinance] their plain and ordinary meaning. Id. The construction of a regulation is a question of law to be determined by the court. The principles or rules of statutory construction apply to administrative regulations. 2 Am.Jur.2d. Administrative Law § 245 at 221 (2004); see also Arnold v. County of Nassau, 252 F.3d 599, 602 (2nd Cir.2001) ([W]here    a decision turns on the meaning of a word in a statute or regulation, the decision is one of law which must be made by the court.) (internal quotation marks omitted); Diamond v. Marcinek, 226 Conn. 737, 629 A.2d 350, 355 n. 8 (1993) (Our rules of statutory construction apply to administrative regulations.) (internal quotation marks omitted); Vector Marketing Corp. v. New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, 156 N.H. 781, 942 A.2d 1261, 1263 (2008) (We use the same principles of construction in interpreting administrative rules as we use with statutes.). By its clear and unambiguous language, Section II(O) of the South Kingstown Subdivision Regulations applied to lot No. 64 when that lot was created in 1992. The subdivision regulations in effect on October 20, 1992 defined subdivision as [t]he division of a lot, tract or parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, tracts, parcels or other division of land   . South Kingstown Subdivision Regulations, Section II(C) (1977, as amended May 27, 1986). [4] Section II(O) specifically states that [w]etlands    may not be considered as part of the land area required per lot in a subdivision. South Kingstown Subdivision Regulations Section II(O) (adopted Dec. 10, 1985). Reading its plain and ordinary language in a straightforward manner, it is clear that Section II(O) requires that wetlands not be included in the dimensional measurement of a lot created by subdivision. The Timpsons contend that the enactment of Section II(O) of the subdivision regulations by the South Kingstown Planning Board was ultra vires and that said regulation was, for this reason, invalid as of October 20, 1992. It is clear, however, that the statewide subdivision statute, originally adopted in 1956 and reenacted in 1991, clearly granted the South Kingstown Town Council the authority to empower the local planning board to enact subdivision regulations. [5] In 1957, the South Kingstown Town Council did, in fact, grant the town planning board the authority to promulgate regulations for the control of the subdivision of land. Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of South Kingstown, Section X-A (1957). Thus, the planning board's adoption of Section II(O) was well within its authority to promulgate regulations pertaining to the subdivision of land. Although Section II(O) of the subdivision regulations created a more restrictive standard for lot composition than existed under the zoning ordinance then in effect, the zoning ordinance itself provided guidance as to which standard should prevail. The zoning ordinance provided: In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance shall be construed to be minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare. Wherever the requirements of this Ordinance are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, ordinances, deed restrictions or covenants, the more restrictive or those imposing the higher standards, shall govern. South Kingstown Zoning Ordinance, § 1904 (1976) (emphasis added). In view of the just-quoted language, the Superior Court was correct when it stated that [a]s the more restrictive standard, Section II(O) of the subdivision regulations should be applied to the calculation of lot size.