Opinion ID: 1383576
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Circuit Court's Writ of Mandamus

Text: Mandamus will lie to compel performance of a nondiscretionary duty of an administrative officer though another remedy exists, where it appears that the official, under misapprehension of law, refuses to recognize the nature and scope of his duty and proceeds on the belief that he has discretion to do or not to do the thing demanded of him. Syllabus Point 4, Walter v. Ritchie, 156 W.Va. 98, 191 S.E.2d 275 (1972). Before the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) will issue an NPDES permit to regulate storm water discharged from construction sites, the DEP requires the developer of the land to supply proof of compliance with applicable local zoning and planning requirements. The NPDES permit application instructions themselves state that the failure to supply such proof may delay the permit or cause it to be denied. [5] In this case Potomac Edison is seeking to compel the Planning Commission to issue a statement to the effect that Potomac Edison is in compliance with local zoning ordinances, so that Potomac Edison may receive an NPDES permit for the development of the 10.05 acre plot of land and the construction of a power substation. The appellee argues that the Planning Commission has no authority to usurp or contradict, through the application of zoning regulations, a valid condemnation order issued by a circuit court pursuant to W.Va. Code, 54-1-1 to -12. Potomac Edison contends that the Planning Commission has a nondiscretionary duty to comply with a valid condemnation orderand in this case, that duty includes a duty to issue all necessary permits showing Potomac Edison is in compliance with Jefferson County zoning ordinances, so that Potomac Edison may receive an NPDES permit and develop the property taken by eminent domain. Potomac Edison therefore argues that the Planning Commission acted under a misapprehension of the law of eminent domain, and mandamus is warranted to compel the Planning Commission to issue the permits necessary to the construction of a power substation. After reviewing the record in this case, we are unable to agree that the Planning Commission had a duty to issue a notice that Potomac Edison is in compliance with the Jefferson County land use regulations, because Potomac Edison entirely failed to submit to the zoning process. The record in this case reveals that in the years preceding and subsequent to the condemnation of the disputed 10.05 acres, appellee Potomac Edison was aware that the construction of a power substation was not within the Planning Commission's zoning and planning regulations and guidelines. The appellee was advised of the procedure for seeking a variance or conditional use. However, Potomac Edison circumvented that process by filing a petition in the circuit court for a writ of mandamus. We see nothing in the record before us that indicates that the Planning Commission has attempted to absolutely and finally prevent Potomac Edison from constructing its power substation. Because Potomac Edison refused to act in accordance with the land use regulations and procedures, or seek a variance or conditional use permit under the regulations, and has not shown why it is with all diligence unable to comply with the current restrictions, it cannot be said that Potomac Edison is unfairly impacted by the Jefferson County land use regulations. We note Potomac Edison's concerns that the zealous application of zoning and planning regulations could, theoretically, unreasonably interfere with a public utility's operations. Because electric power is necessary for the public health, safety and welfare, and because electricity is often distributed by an electric utility to a large region crossing many local government jurisdictions, it seems clear that local planning and zoning agencies should apply land use restrictions with great restraint. We are in agreement with those legal commentators who suggest that public utilities should enjoy a favored status. While a public utility must submit to local land use regulations, local zoning and planning agencies must take a balanced approach to the regulation of utilities. Local governments may, in the public interest, provide reasonable parameters for land use; but local governments cannot effectively prohibit a utility from conducting its necessary activities, and thereby dump the construction of utility facilities on other jurisdictions. See, S. Williams, Limiting Local Zoning Regulation of Electric Utilities: A Balanced Approach in the Public Interest, 23 U.Balt.L.Rev. 565 (1995), and cases and treatises cited therein. After carefully reviewing the record, we cannot say that the Planning Commission had a nondiscretionary duty to find that Potomac Edison was in compliance with Jefferson County planning and zoning ordinances. Accordingly, the circuit court erred in issuing the writ of mandamus, and the order must be reversed.