Opinion ID: 4514933
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: {¶ 2} Appellant Columbus Bituminous Concrete Corporation owns 178.9 acres of land in Harrison Township, on which it seeks to have appellant Shelly Materials, Inc., conduct quarrying and mining of sand and gravel. (We refer to appellants, Columbus Bituminous Concrete Corp. and Shelly Materials, Inc., collectively as “CBCC.”) CBCC sought approval from the BZA to engage in sandand-gravel mining, but the BZA denied its request, and the court of common pleas and the Fourth District affirmed on appeal.
{¶ 3} Ohio townships have “ ‘no inherent or constitutionally granted police power, the power upon which zoning legislation is based. Whatever police or zoning power townships of Ohio have is that delegated by the General Assembly, and it follows that such power is limited to that which is expressly delegated to them by statute.’ ” Bainbridge Twp. Bd. of Trustees v. Funtime, Inc., 55 Ohio St.3d 106, 108, 563 N.E.2d 717 (1990), quoting Yorkavitz v. Columbia Twp. Bd. of Trustees, 166 Ohio St. 349, 351, 142 N.E.2d 655 (1957). See also Apple Group, Ltd. v. Granger Twp. Bd. of Zoning Appeals, 144 Ohio St.3d 188, 2015-Ohio-2343, 41 N.E.3d 1185, ¶ 6 (“In Ohio, the authority of a township to enact zoning ordinances derives not from the township’s inherent authority or the Ohio Constitution, but from the General Assembly”). 2 January Term, 2020 1. Revised Code Provisions on Township Trustees’ Power to Adopt Regulations {¶ 4} R.C. 519.02 grants township trustees the power to adopt certain building and land-use regulations. These regulations pertain to matters such as “the location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures,    and the uses of land for trade, industry, residence, recreation, or other purposes.” R.C. 519.02(A). But the statute places certain restrictions on township trustees’ power to adopt these regulations. Namely, the regulations are permitted to further only specified interests, including “public health and safety” and “public convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare.” Id. The statute also provides that certain types of regulations may apply only to nonresidential properties. Id. {¶ 5} After setting out these grants of power, R.C. 519.02(A) contains a provision applying only to mining activities regulated under R.C. Chapters 1513 and 1514, which concern coal and other surface mining, respectively. The sandand-gravel mining sought to be engaged in by CBCC is regulated under R.C. Chapter 1514. R.C. 519.02(A) states: For any activities permitted and regulated under Chapter 1513. or 1514. of the Revised Code and any related processing activities, the board of township trustees may regulate under the authority conferred by this section only in the interest of public health or safety. (Emphasis added.) Id. 2. Revised Code Provisions on the Board of Zoning Appeals’ Power to Grant Conditional Zoning Certificates {¶ 6} The Revised Code also empowers a township board of zoning appeals to “[g]rant conditional zoning certificates for the use of land, buildings, or other structures if such certificates for specific uses are provided for in the zoning 3 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO resolution.” R.C. 519.14(C). But for mining activities “permitted and regulated under Chapter 1514. of the Revised Code   , the board shall proceed in accordance with section 519.141 of the Revised Code.” Id. {¶ 7} R.C. 519.141(A) provides that the BZA “shall not consider or base its determination on matters that are regulated by any federal, state, or local agency.” But it “may require as a condition of the approval of a conditional zoning certificate    compliance with any general standards contained in the zoning resolution that apply to all conditional uses that are provided for in the zoning resolution   .” Id. With certain exceptions not relevant here, the BZA also may require any specified measure, including, but not limited to, one or more of the following: (1) Inspections of nearby structures and water wells to determine structural integrity and water levels; (2) Compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations; (3) Identification of specific roads in accordance with division (B) of section 303.141 of the Revised Code to be used as the primary means of ingress to and egress from the proposed activity; (4) Compliance with reasonable noise abatement measures; (5) Compliance with reasonable dust abatement measures; (6) Establishment of setbacks, berms, and buffers for the proposed activity; (7) Establishment of a complaint procedure; (8) Any other measure reasonably related to public health and safety. 4 January Term, 2020 R.C. 519.141(A). {¶ 8} Finally, the board of zoning appeals may “[r]evoke [a]    conditional zoning certificate granted for the extraction of minerals, if any condition of the    certificate is violated.” R.C. 519.14(D). 3. Regulation of Conditional Uses in Harrison Township {¶ 9} Pursuant to R.C. Chapter 519, the Harrison Township Board of Trustees has adopted a zoning resolution regulating land use in the township. See Harrison Township, Pickaway County, Ohio Zoning Resolution (March 2008), available at https://www.harrisonpickaway.com/pdf/zoningresolution.pdf (accessed February 14, 2020) [https://perma.cc/ZEX9-7NNE] (“Zoning Resolution”). {¶ 10} Article XVII of the Zoning Resolution identifies uses that are specifically permitted on property zoned as a “general business district,” as CBCC’s property is, as well as several “Conditional Uses.” A “Conditional Use” is “an uncommon or infrequent use which may be permitted in specific zoning districts subject to compliance with certain standards, explicit conditions, and the granting of a conditional use permit as specified in Article IX of this Resolution.” Id. at Article 2, Section 2.02. “Quarrying or mining operations” are among the conditional uses permitted in a general business district, “provided that all County, State and federal regulations are met and licenses are obtained.” Id. at Article XVII, Section 17.03(J). {¶ 11} A property owner seeking permission to engage in a conditional use must file an application for review by the BZA. See id. at Article IX, Section 9.02. The application must contain specific information on the proposed conditional use and its impact on the surrounding area, id., and for applications to engage in mining in particular, a development plan is required, id. at Article XVII, Section 17.03(J). {¶ 12} In addition to these provisions, the township trustees have enacted General Standards for Conditional Uses, which the BZA is also required to 5 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO consider. Id. at Article IX, Section 9.03 (“General Standards”). The General Standards require the BZA to “review the particular facts and circumstances of each proposed use in terms of [six specified standards] and    find adequate evidence that such use at the proposed location meets all of [those] requirements.” Id. Three of those six requirements are relevant to this case—subsections (B), (E), and (F). They require the BZA to find the following: (B) The use will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so as to be harmonious and appropriate with the existing or intended character of the general vicinity and that such use will not change the essential character of the same area.