Opinion ID: 2450547
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: This Case: Amber Ridge Rezoning

Text: The effort to seek the County's approval began upon the County's receipt of the City's record. In the first step of the County's consideration, the County Commissioners conducted a public hearing. The County Commissioners then referred the application to the Johnson County Airport Commission (Airport Commission). The Airport Commission reviewed the proposed Amber Ridge development and considered presentations by representatives of the landowners, the County Planning Department, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Support Network. Based on this information, the Airport Commission unanimously voted to recommend the denial of the rezoning for two reasons: (1) The proposed density is not compatible with the Airport Compatibility Plan, and (2) The proposed open space is not sufficient in amount or location. After receiving the Airport Commission's recommendation, the County Commissioners denied the landowners' rezoning application. In doing so, the County Commissioners echoed the Airport Commission's concerns about insufficient open space and the negative impact upon, and incompatibility with the Airport Compatibility Plan. The County Commissioners felt the proposed population density of 2.4 dwellings per acre caused concerns about airport noise, public safety, emergency landings, and airport crashes. (Two crashes had occurred on the property within the last 15 years, according to testimony during the county approval process.) Challenging the County's denial of the rezoning application, the landowners filed a petition for judicial review in Johnson County District Court. The district court held, in part, that the City was the zoning authority and the County took a quasi-judicial role in reviewing the City's rezoning decision. Observing that under the holding in Board of Johnson County Comm'rs, 263 Kan. 667, 952 P.2d 1302, the City is presumed to be imminently familiar with its real estate, and its boundaries and to have acted reasonably to promote the welfare of the City, the district court concluded the County must overcome the presumption that the City's decision was reasonable. In considering whether the County had met this burden, the district court recognized the County Commissioners' main objection was that airplanes can crash on take off and landing, and the plaintiffs' land is within the boundaries of where planes tend to crash. But the district court questioned the reasonableness of concluding that the proposed development caused a greater safety concern than other surrounding developments that had been approved by the County Commissioners. For example, a residential development to the west of the subject property, also within 1 mile of the Airport, had been approved even though it had a higher proposed population density than the proposed Amber Ridge development. The district court also found it significant that the Airport Compatibility Plan approved residential use of the subject property, albeit at the lower density level of one dwelling per acre, and, in light of that, questioned whether the difference in density between the Airport Compatibility Plan and the proposed development was significant, noting: The dispute between the parties comes [down] to the density of development on this real estate. Apparently, the Board of County Commissioners assume[s] that if there were 2.4 dwellings per acre, and if a plane crashed, it would hit both houses or 2.4 houses, whereas if it would crash under the [Airport Compatibility] Plan, it would only hit one house. There is no study in the record to establish the degree of risk of 2.4 houses per acre versus one house per acre. There is no showing that if 2.4 dwellings were constructed on the real estate in question that there would be an increase[d] risk of loss of life or showing that the crash of the airplane would hit both houses. Further, the district court concluded that the County Commissioners' objections to the rezoning were not based on a concern that the density of the Amber Ridge development would obstruct landings or take-offs because the subject property is off to the side. The County Commissioners' concern that the presence of the Amber Ridge development would require pilots to take a steeper approach to the Airport was not a legitimate concern, according to the district court, because above-ground power lines currently cross the property and force a steep approach. Based on these conclusions, the district court rejected the idea that the development would create an airport hazard, defined by K.S.A. 3-701(2), or an airport hazard area, defined by K.S.A. 3-701(3). Additionally, the district court rejected the landowners' argument that the County had no authority to deny the rezoning if an airport hazard or airport hazard area was not created, stating: The Court finds that under Chapter 3, Article 3, the Board of County Commissioners would not be limited in its review authority to just airport hazards. The Court finds that in Chapter 3, Article 7, [adoption of airport zoning regulations] the County's authority is limited to `airport hazards' or `airport hazard areas,' however in Chapter 3, Article 3, the County may consider reasonable factors in addition to an airport hazard, including density. However, in reviewing the actions of the County Commissioners, they have not made a finding of airport hazard or the existence of an airport hazard area. There has been no finding plaintiff's property constitutes an obstruction, an airport hazard or airport hazard area. (Emphasis added.) Ultimately, the district court found that the County failed to meet its burden of proof in order to overcome the presumption of reasonableness that applied to the City's decision. Consequently, the district court deemed the City's decision to rezone the property lawful and ordered the publication of the City's rezoning ordinance. Further, an inverse condemnation claim brought by the landowners was deemed moot. Subsequently, the County filed a motion to stay enforcement, which the district court heard after the ordinance had been published. Because the City's ordinance had been published, the district court declared the motion moot. The County now appeals, raising several issues. We have taken the liberty to reorganize the various arguments of the parties into the following issues: (1) Did the district court err in concluding that K.S.A. 3-307e does not authorize the County to make an independent, discretionary rezoning determination? (2) What standard should the district court have used to review the County's decision to disapprove the rezoning? (3) Was the County's decision to disapprove the proposed rezoning entitled to a presumption of reasonableness that the landowners were required to overcome by proving that the County's action was unreasonable? (4) Was the County's decision to disapprove the proposed rezoning lawful and reasonable? and (5) Did the district court err in denying the County's motion to stay the district court's rezoning ruling pending this appeal? Our jurisdiction arises from K.S.A. 20-3018(c) (a transfer from the Court of Appeals on this court's own motion).