Opinion ID: 1172452
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Due Process and Zoning by Initiative

Text: Contrary to the majority's position herein, a number of cases have suggested that since the initiative process fails to afford adequate notice and hearing for affected property owners, it may not be constitutionally employed to adopt zoning measures which substantially affect the use of their land. ( People's Lobby, Inc. v. Board of Supervisors, supra, 30 Cal. App.3d 869, 873-874; Taschner v. City Council, supra, 31 Cal. App.3d 48, 65-69; see Hurst v. City of Burlingame, supra, 207 Cal. 134, 141; Johnston v. City of Claremont, supra, 49 Cal.2d 826, 836-837; Chase v. Kalber, 28 Cal. App. 561, 573-574 [153 P. 397]; McQuillin, supra, § 25.246, p. 168; City of Scottsdale v. Superior Court, 103 Ariz. 204 [439 P.2d 290, 293-294]; Elliott v. City of Clawson, 21 Mich. App. 363 [175 N.W.2d 821, 828]; Smith v. Township of Livingston, 106 N.J. Super. 444 [256 A.2d 85], affd. 54 N.J. 525 [257 A.2d 698]; but see Bayless v. Limber, supra, 26 Cal. App.3d 463, 469-470; Duran v. Cassidy, supra, 28 Cal. App.3d 574, 585-586.) As indicated above, the Court of Appeal in Bayless v. Limber, supra, 26 Cal. App.3d 463, 469-470, concluded that no denial of constitutional due process occurs when a charter city enacts a zoning ordinance by the initiative process. The court reasoned that Due process in law-making is not the same as due process in the adjudication of controversies. [Citations.] Generally speaking, a hearing on a legislative matter is held for the purpose of informing the law makers regarding relevant facts and policy considerations; it is not held for the protection of individual rights, property or otherwise. [Citation.] ... The electoral process itself normally provides both notice and an opportunity to be heard to all electors, by written arguments (see Elec. Code, § 4017) and otherwise. In our view neither the United States Constitution nor the California Constitution requires more. [Citations.] The Duran case adopted Bayless' reasoning in this regard. Yet as we have seen, prior cases of this court and the Courts of Appeal have established beyond reasonable dispute that the area of zoning is in a class by itself and presents real and tangible risks of deprivation of private property far beyond those involved in ordinary legislative measures. To protect the constitutional rights of the property owner the courts heretofore have insisted upon traditional due process safeguards of notice and hearing, safeguards which perform a function far beyond the simple one of informing the lawmakers regarding relevant facts. [4] Thus, we necessarily must reach the ultimate question whether in fact the initiative process does provide constitutionally adequate notice and hearing, as was assumed in Bayless and Duran. In my view the Court of Appeal in Taschner v. City Council, supra, 31 Cal. App.3d 48, correctly set forth the flaws in the Bayless/Duran analysis. In Taschner, the court explained at length the deficiencies of the initiative process when compared with the procedural safeguards specified in the state zoning laws (Gov. Code, § 65800 et seq.). As stated in Taschner (p. 64), It is urged that interested persons can suffer no substantial injury because the election process itself provides the equivalent safeguards afforded by state zoning law procedures. We are unpersuaded. The kind of public debate on the merits of a proposed zoning measure afforded by the election process, including the limited opportunity for the submission of written arguments to the voters, cannot be equated with a dispassionate study, evaluation and report upon the proposal by a staff of planning experts (§ 65804), notice and hearing before the planning commission (§ 65854), written recommendation by the planning commission with reasons for its recommendation (§ 65855), and notice and hearing before the legislative body (§ 65856). Furthermore, it is common knowledge that election campaigns cost money and that the extent to which one may be heard in an election too often depends on the size of one's pocketbook whereas planning commissions and legislative bodies are required by law to afford all interested persons a full and fair hearing on the merits of their respective claims. Moreover, the election offers the voters but a single choice, to accept or reject the proposal in its entirety. The legislative body, however, is empowered to modify (as well as approve or reject) a recommendation of the planning commission thereby enabling it to consider and take into account in its actions the legitimate claims and suggestions of those who would be affected by the proposal even though they may represent but a small segment of the electorate. The court concluded, consistent with the views I have expressed above, that some provision for notice and hearing comparable with the provisions of the state zoning laws is required as a matter of constitutional due process, at least whenever the zoning measure substantially affects land use. [5] Thus, contrary to the statement in Bayless that the initiative election process affords adequate opportunity for notice and hearing, it is evident that in its present operation the initiative process fails to afford that degree of protection necessary to satisfy due process requirements under the state and federal Constitutions. [6] I do not, of course, suggest that it would be impossible to modify the initiative process in such a manner as to provide adequate due process safeguards. The Legislature or the governing boards of local public entities might well develop an approach which strikes a proper balance between the rights of the affected property owners and the interests of the public in reserving the power to initiate legislation. [7] In the instant case, however, it is apparent that the coastal zone initiative was adopted without providing plaintiffs and others similarly affected an adequate opportunity to be heard. San Diego's new building height restriction is undoubtedly a zoning measure [8] which could substantially affect plaintiffs' use of their land, and substantially decrease its value. (See Taschner v. City Council, supra, 31 Cal. App.3d 48, 60, involving a similar building height restriction.) I would affirm the judgment.