Opinion ID: 2362071
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Adequacy of Written Decision

Text: Although our resolution of the preceding issue is sufficient to resolve this appeal, we address petitioners' argument that the zoning board and the Superior Court failed to make evidentiary findings concerning the requirements of § 45-24-41(d)(2) and § 706 E.2 of the zoning ordinance. The Legislature has mandated that [t]he zoning board of review shall include in its decision all findings of fact   . Section 45-24-61. In addition, this Court has long held that a zoning board of review is required to make findings of fact and conclusions of law in support of its decisions in order that such decisions may be susceptible of judicial review. Cranston Print Works Co. v. City of Cranston, 684 A.2d 689, 691 (R.I. 1996) (quoting Thorpe v. Zoning Board of Review of North Kingstown, 492 A.2d 1236-37 (R.I.1985)); see Sciacca, 769 A.2d at 585 (quoting Irish Partnership v. Rommel, 518 A.2d 356, 358 (R.I.1986)); May Day Realty Corp. v. Board of Appeals of Pawtucket, 107 R.I. 235, 239, 267 A.2d 400, 403 (1970). [W]e must decide whether the board members resolved the evidentiary conflicts, made the prerequisite factual determinations, and applied the proper legal principles. Those findings must, of course, be factual rather than conclusional, and the application of the legal principles must be something more than the recital of litany. These are minimal requirements. Unless they are satisfied, a judicial review of a board's work is impossible. Irish Partnership, 518 A.2d at 358-59 (quoting May-Day Realty Corp., 107 R.I. at 239, 267 A.2d at 403). [W]hen the board fails to state findings of fact, the court will not search the record for supporting evidence or decide for itself what is proper in the circumstances. Irish Partnership, 518 A.2d at 359. Although the zoning board in this case made findings of fact regarding other statutory requirements for a dimensional variance, it made no findings of fact specifically addressing the requirements of § 45-24-41(d)(2). There was no discussion in the written decision of what the board considered to be the hardship suffered by the applicants, nor was there any discussion of reasonable alternatives or a lack thereof necessitating relief. We cannot determine what evidence that was presented to the zoning board persuaded it that the requirement of § 42-24-41(d)(2) had been met. Indeed, there is no evidence that the zoning board considered or applied the statutory requirement, given that the statute is not acknowledged in the zoning board's decision. Thus, even if the applicants did present sufficient evidence to support a finding that no other reasonable alternative existed whereby a legally permitted beneficial use of the property was possible, the zoning board's decision was conclusional and failed to apply the proper legal principles, thereby making judicial review of the board's work impossible. Irish Partnership, 518 A.2d at 358. Accordingly, we hold that the Superior Court erred in affirming the zoning board's decision that did not comply with statutory provisions. Section 45-24-69(d)(2). The petitioners also argued that the zoning board's decision was defective because it approved the application without addressing the necessary lot-size requirement. Although the zoning board clearly was aware that lot-size relief was being requested for lot No. 5, lot-size relief is not expressly mentioned anywhere in the decision letter. This omission was also error. As is apparent from our preceding discussion, a zoning board cannot grant relief by implication; it must state expressly any relief that is being granted, in this case, a lot-size dimensional variance. In our recent decision in Sciacca, we emphasized a caveat that bears repeating: [W]e point out that it would be difficult to sustain the board's decision in any event in view of the inadequate record kept by it and also because of the inadequacy of the statement summarizing its decision. It might be appropriate to suggest again that, because of the complicated legal questions incident to all zoning hearings, zoning boards should avail themselves of the legal service of their municipal legal departments. Sciacca 769 A.2d at 585-86 (quoting Souza v. Zoning Board of Review of Warren, 104 R.I. 697, 699-700, 248 A.2d 325, 327 (1968)). More specifically, we caution zoning boards and their attorneys to make certain that zoning-board decisions on variance applications (whether use or dimensional) address the evidence in the record before the board that either meets or fails to satisfy each of the legal preconditions for granting such relief, as set forth in § 45-24-41(c) and (d). Such a specification of evidence in the decision will greatly aid the Superior Courts, and, if necessary, this Court, in undertaking any requested review of these decisions. Sciacca, 769 A. 2d at 585. Because these issues are dispositive in deciding the petition, we need not address the remaining issues raised by the parties.