Opinion ID: 2514603
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Did the Department have Discretionary Authority To Deny the OSS Permit?

Text: ¶ 30 The parties disagree about whether the Department has overarching discretionary authority to deny Griffin's OSS permit. The County points out that TCSC article IV, section 21.4.5 provides that the health officer may approve an OSS permit if the three enumerated conditions are met. Accordingly, the County argues, the Department could have denied the permit on a discretionary basis, regardless of whether Griffin met the requirements. Griffin argues that the County's policy is to approve all permits that meet the requirements because TCSC article IV, section 9.3.1 provides that the health officer shall issue a permit when the application meets the requirements of the TCSC. ¶ 31 We need not reach this issue because Griffin is not entitled to a permit under section 21.4.5, as outlined above. Even if we were to reach the issue of department discretion, the issue is not ripe for review at this time because the Board explicitly based its decision on the fact that Griffin had not met all requirements of the Code and not on the hearing officer's discretion to deny the permit.