Opinion ID: 72625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The ZBA Meeting

Text: 20. On June 9, 1993, the ZBA met to consider, among other items, Plaintiff's second development application. On that date, but prior to the meeting, Robert Koncar, the Escambia County Administrator, learned of Staff's approval of Plaintiff's application and criticized Defendant Page for allowing the Staff to make such recommendation which is considered to be politically incorrect. 21. During the June 9, 1993, ZBA hearing, Defendants consistently violated Plaintiff's due process and property rights. For example: a. the ZBA improperly considered evidence which was comprised of petitions signed by Escambia County residents who opposed Plaintiff's development. These petitions were irrelevant and highly prejudicial because they did not address the factors needed to satisfy PUD criteria. Such petitions became part of the record transmitted on appeal of Plaintiff's second development application to the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners; b. Plaintiff was required to make a presentation to the ZBA to prove that its project met all applicable criteria. No other applicant, before or since, had been required to do so. After opening remarks, Plaintiff offered to address each of the eleven criteria items to the ZBA, at which time the ZBA assured Plaintiff that such would not be necessary; c. After Plaintiff's presentation, Staff made a presentation to the ZBA and recommended contingent approval of Plaintiff's second development application. During Staff's presentation, Defendant Minshew repeatedly advised the Staff member making the presentation to the ZBA that such Staff member failed to mention that Plaintiff's development had been evaluated as a PUD in a Coastal High Hazard Area. The Staff member, at the insistence of Defendant Minshew and fearful of making a mistake, stated to the ZBA that the project was evaluated as a PUD in a Coastal High Hazard Area. Defendant Minshew directed the Staff member to make such statement despite the fact that Defendant Minshew knew such statement was false and that no requirements existed for a PUD in a Coastal High Hazard Area; d. After the Staff presentation, Defendant Lee, an Escambia County Commissioner, spoke against Plaintiff's project. Defendant Kenney worked for Defendant Lee. Defendant Lee did not reside or own property on Perdido Key, and Perdido Key was not within Defendant Lee's electoral district. Defendant Lee spoke against Plaintiff's development despite the fact that Defendant Lee in his quasi-judicial authority as a member of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) would hear Plaintiff's appeal from the ZBA; e. Numerous speakers offered personal opinions at the ZBA hearing and successfully offered into the record irrelevant, unreliable documents and photographs to confuse and prejudice the members of the ZBA. These documents and photographs became part of the record and were transferred to the BCC for appellate review; and f. Following the presentations and comments, the ZBA proceeded to make its decision. Instead of lawfully conducting their business in public, members of the ZBA and Defendant Minshew left the hearing room and engaged in ex parte communications. Following the ex parte meeting with Defendant Minshew, the ZBA summarily denied Plaintiff's second application for development. 22. Following the June 9, 1993, ZBA hearing, Defendant Minshew continued to instruct the Staff that since the Property is situated in a Coastal High Hazard Area, Plaintiff could only develop its Property by complying with the requirements for a PUD. Defendant Minshew's efforts to supplement the record of the June 9, 1993, ZBA hearing persisted despite the fact that the official record was closed at the conclusion of the June 9, 1993, ZBA meeting. 23. Plaintiff timely appealed to the BCC from the ZBA's June 9, 1993, decision denying Plaintiff's second development application on the Property. In July, 1993, Plaintiff met with Staff and inquired about the appeal process and alternative resolutions of the dispute over Plaintiff's second development application. Defendant Minshew attended the meeting and although the Staff sought to be conciliatory, Defendant Minshew told Plaintiff to hire an attorney since Defendant Escambia County did not mind, and was not afraid of, a lawsuit with Plaintiff over its appeal.