Opinion ID: 2505480
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: relevant undisputed facts

Text: 1) In 2001, the City of Hurricane (City) approved the appellee's (the developer's) subdivision plat. After approval, the plat was recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Putnam County Commission. The approval of the City and the recordation with the Clerk complied with W.Va.Code, 39-1-13 (1923) and W.Va.Code, 39-1-16 (1923), which concern the approval and recordation of subdivision plats. 2) The developer then spent substantial sums of money developing the subdivision's lots, roads and infrastructure which totaled more than $150,000.00. After obtaining building permits from the City, the developer built 41 houses in the subdivision. 3) Four years later, on June 6, 2005, the City enacted a stormwater management ordinance. 4) After the storm water management ordinance was enacted, the City refused to issue any more building permits to the developer, even though the developer has 30 remaining vacant lots in the previously approved subdivision plat. The City refused to issue building permits unless the developer agreed to build a $25,000.00 stormwater retention pond on three of the subdivision's vacant lots. The developer's pro-rata vacant lot cost was approximately $22,000.00, or a cost of $66,000.00 for the three lots that would be taken for the pond. 5) The developer refused to build the stormwater retention pond because the subdivision plan was approved before the new stormwater ordinance was adopted. More than 50% of the subdivision development was completed at substantial cost when the stormwater ordinance was adopted. 6) The City's refusal to issue the building permits on any of the developer's 30 remaining vacant lots has prevented the developer from completing the subdivision.