Opinion ID: 2402880
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the attack in the law division on the determination of blight by the planning board and the city commission

Text: Section 6 of the act, which outlines the nature of the hearing before the board, says: A determination that the area    is a blighted area, if supported by substantial evidence, shall be binding and conclusive upon all persons affected by the determination. N.J.S.A. 40:55-21.6. In the Law Division plaintiffs charged that the declaration of blight was not supported by substantial evidence. At the trial they appeared to be seeking a trial de novo of the issue of blight and offered evidence pursuant to that objective. However, the trial court refused to treat the action as an original one and so ruled. The suit then proceeded on the thesis that the substantial evidence test was to be applied to the municipal determination. Ordinarily, judicial review in a case of this kind would not proceed beyond the ascertainment of whether the local governmental action was arbitrary or capricious, Schenck v. City of Pittsburgh, supra ; State on Information of Dalton v. Land Clearance For Redevelopment Auth., supra ; David Jeffrey Co. v. City of Milwaukee, supra, at 66 N.W. 2 d 374; or corrupt, irrational or baseless, Kaskel v. Impellitteri, supra . It is not necessary to explore the possible nuance of whether, if the evidence shows that the municipal determination was not arbitrary or capricious, it follows, as of course, that the evidence in support is substantial. In any event, we agree with the trial court that the statutory criterion was satisfied. In the Law Division the testimony and the exhibits presented to the planning board and by it to the city commission were admitted in evidence by consent. That evidence, coupled with additional proofs which were introduced largely upon the claims that certain members of the board and city commission were disqualified to act, that the matter had been prejudged by both bodies prior to the public hearings and that the various resolutions were invalid, constituted the record upon which the issue was resolved. In addition, the trial court made a personal inspection of the area. From that record the following factual outline is drawn: The gross area involved is 100.8 acres. As of May 1955, 7.6 acres were in public rights of way, leaving a total net land area of 93.2 acres. Of this property, 55.1 acres were used for residential purposes and 9.7 acres were devoted to commercial use. The remaining 28.4 acres were vacant and unimproved. In September 1954 the city had liens upon or title to 34.2 acres by reason of tax delinquency. Proof was submitted to show the project area to be blighted within the meaning of three of the five criteria set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:55-21.1. As has been said, this statute contains five definitive subdivisions; if the prevalent conditions of a municipal area conform to any one of the enumerated standards, that area is a proper subject for a determination of blight. Inspection revealed that 41 of the 71 buildings used as dwellings in the area were so deficient in proper construction or maintenance as to render the area prone to a declaration of blight. A residence was rated as substandard when it showed serious conditions of disrepair, either of the outside walls, roof, foundation, inside walls, floors or ceilings; when it was of inadequate original construction that did not come up to standards for legal permanent construction; or when it lacked such major facilities as running hot water, a private bath or a private interior flush toilet for each dwelling unit. Specifically, it was determined that many of the structures were in need of extensive repairs, and that over 30 of them were severely deteriorated because of obsolescence (one was built in 1866) or poor construction. Included in the latter category was a group of 23 temporary residences which had been erected pursuant to a veterans' project on land owned by the city, and whose rapid deterioration had previously impelled the housing authority to desire their removal. (They were removed after the determination of blight and before the trial in the Law Division.) In addition, four of the residential properties contained dwellings which were found to be inadequate or lacking in heating and plumbing facilities, and several houses were adjudged to be fit only for summer habitation. Other homes were determined to be substandard in original construction, and some were seen as being unsuitable or dangerous for residential use. The 41 dwellings found deficient comprised 58% of all of the residential structures in the project area; thus the city housing authority and the expert concluded that a generality of the residences in the area conformed to the conditions enunciated by subsection (a) of the statute. Another portion of the project area was said to be blighted according to N.J.S.A. 40:55-21.1(c). It was found that five parcels of unimproved property totaling 28.4 acres, or 21.8% of the gross acreage of the project area, came within this category. This property had not been improved in the past ten years and, in the judgment of the housing authority, it was likely to remain in that state. Future development by private capital was not feasible because of several factors. Three of the parcels were low and swampy in character, and development was contingent upon extensive filling operations. Because of a diversity of ownership of these properties, it was deemed unlikely that the owners would cooperate to effect rehabilitation projects. And it was said of one of them that development scarcely seems possible. Another parcel, which was owned by the city by virtue of a tax foreclosure, was fairly isolated from good development. And the fifth property was so poorly subdivided as to make development impractical. Finally, blight was found in the area under subsection (e) of the statute. It was determined that 42 acres, or 41.7% of the total project area, conformed to that definition. This land included the 28.4 acres of unimproved property, together with five other properties. Of the ten parcels, six were wholly or partly in tax delinquency, and the city had taken foreclosure title to two entire parcels and to part of another. Seven of the properties were vacant, another was only partially developed, and the remaining two were not being used according to their highest potential. Thus, the expert and the housing authority asserted that in all, 69.7 acres of the project area were blighted under one or more of the statutory definitions. The blighted territory comprised 74.8% of the net project area of 93.2 acres. In this connection, one of the property owners, who testified before the planning board as an objector and consented to answer some questions on cross-examination, indicated that he was afraid of this plan because [he did not] feel that the people who are going to be displaced by it will receive sufficient recompense to put them back on the same status they are, in the same type location, without a cost economically to them more than they can afford. Then he was asked: Q.    What do you think of the area as a whole? Right from Branchport down to the other end? A. Right from one end to the other? Q. Yes. A. The unfortunate part of it is, gentlemen, you asked me sort of a loaded question. I might as well come out and tell the truth now. The area as a whole in its entirety is blighted, in my personal opinion. Of course, the Judge may not see eye to eye with me  much to my joy. However, I think you bit off a little more than you could chew when you included all the property to the west of the Baruch estate [a small portion at the westerly end of the project area]. (Addition ours) Many of the pictures introduced portrayed dilapidated homes and other buildings, which were obviously beyond restoration. Some produced by individual property owners showed their homes. The great majority of these were advanced in years and of summer residence type construction; some obviously needed painting; others appeared to be in good condition. With few exceptions, the objectors spoke in terms of the condition of their own properties rather than of the overall state of the area. One such person referred to an isolated portion where his and several other properties were kept up and he saw no reason why that section had to be included in the general plan. Another witness, a member of the bar who had lived in the locality for many years, said he was shocked to see the condition of the waterfront area. He felt that it had reached a very low ebb. And he said: We feel that as far as Long Branch is concerned that the waterfront is the bright spot for the city, which could be the greatest asset your city could have.    It is obvious from the record that the members of the planning board were very familiar with the section involved and that they had made specific inspections in connection with this matter. One of them had lived in the neighborhood for 30 to 35 years. At the request of counsel, the trial judge made a tour of the area. After doing so and studying the record made before the planning board, he came to the conclusion that there was both abundant and substantial evidence to support the findings that the area in question is blighted within the meaning of the statute. Our own study has revealed no justifiable ground for interference with that result. It is understandable that individual property owners, who believe their homes to be in good condition and fully adapted to purposes of residence, find it difficult to accept a determination of blight. Obviously, the prospect of dislocation adds to that difficulty. However, the process contemplated by the law cannot be accomplished by means of individual selection of property. It must proceed in terms of redevelopment of areas. Such improvements will inevitably envelop some property or properties which, standing alone, cannot be so described. When this occurs, the individual must bow to the public welfare and accept just compensation for his deprivation.