Opinion ID: 72625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Soil Analysis

Text: 24. In July, 1993, during the pendency of Plaintiff's appeal to the BCC, one of the Perdido Key residents leading the public opposition to Plaintiff's development approached and asked an official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service to conduct a soil analysis of the Property. Such resident was told that only a County Commissioner or landowner is authorized to order a soil analysis. Thereafter, the Perdido Key resident contacted Defendant Lee's office and requested that Defendant Lee's aide, Defendant Kenney, ask Defendant Lee to order a soil analysis. Defendant Kenney, aware that such resident actively opposed Plaintiff's development, agreed to use her public office to assist the Perdido Key resident in obtaining a soil analysis of the Property. 25. On July 12, 1993, Defendant Kenney sent a memo from Defendant Lee to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service requesting a soil analysis on the Property. On the following day, Defendant Lee received the original soil analysis on the Property. In addition, a copy of the soil analysis was furnished to each of the other Escambia County Commissioners. By July 29, 1993, the date the appeal on the Petitioner's second application for development was heard, each member of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners had in their possession the soil test obtained by Defendant Lee and Defendant Kenney in violation of Plaintiff's rights. Such test was not part of the official record and could not lawfully have been considered by the BCC. 26. On July 19, 1993, the Escambia County Administrator, Robert Koncar, sent a memo with letters from Perdido Key residents to Defendant Page, urging Defendant Page to use the letters to oppose Plaintiff's development during the July 29, 1993, BCC meeting. Koncar intended that the letters should be considered by the BCC as part of the record, even though such letters were received after the June 9, 1993, ZBA meeting and after the close of the record before the ZBA. Despite receiving copies of such memo, neither Defendant Minshew nor Escambia County Attorney, David Tucker, advised the BCC not to consider the letters. Defendant Page subsequently furnished the letters to the BCC as part of the record. On July 27, 1993, two days before the BCC hearing, Defendant Page sent a memo to the members of the BCC inviting them to contact him to find out what residents of Perdido Key were saying about Plaintiff's development project. 27. In accordance with the Escambia County Ordinance Code 89-6, Article VIII, Section 2, Paragraph 6, the ZBA was required to issue Findings of Fact (Findings) and Conclusions of Law (Conclusions) within 15 days after the June 9, 1993, ZBA hearing. On July 14, 1993, the ZBA held a meeting. One purpose of the meeting was to adopt and ratify the Findings and Conclusions on Plaintiff's second development application. At such meeting the ZBA voted to delay ratification of the Findings and Conclusions. As a result, Plaintiff was forced to prosecute and appeal to the Escambia BCC without ever having seen a final order from the ZBA.