Opinion ID: 1990819
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of the Board of Appeals Decision

Text: [¶ 25] The Rockport Land Use Ordinance authorizes the Board of Appeals to consider requests to waive specific requirements of land use laws or ordinances in proceedings to approve a special exception (Rockport Land Use Ordinance § 703.3) or a variance (Rockport Land Use Ordinance § 703.4). The Rockport Subdivision Ordinance authorizes the Planning Board to waive specific requirements of that ordinance after making certain findings. Rockport Subdivision Ordinance § IX. It is unclear from the record which of these provisions the Board of Appeals applied in its consideration of the Limogeses' request to waive the road length limitation. The special exception, variance, and waiver provisions each require an applicant to meet certain listed criteria to qualify for a special exception, a variance, or a waiver. The burden is on the applicant to establish that the criteria for a special exception, variance, or waiver are met. Rockport Subdivision Ordinance § V, Rockport Land Use Ordinance §§ 703.3, 703.4. See also Lewis v. Town of Rockport, 1998 ME 144, ¶ 15, 712 A.2d 1047, 1050 (burden of proving compliance with an ordinance is on the applicant). [¶ 26] In decisions resulting from any of these proceedings, specific findings are required. Thus, 30-A M.R.S.A. § 2691(3)(E) (1996) specifies that decisions by local boards of appeal must include a statement of findings and conclusions, as well as the reasons or basis for the findings and conclusions, upon all the material issues of fact, law or discretion presented. . . . Separately, Maine's Freedom of Access law specifies that, when any local agency conditionally approves or denies any permit, the agency shall make a written record of the decision and shall set forth in the record the reason or reasons for its decision and make finding of the fact [ sic ], in writing, sufficient to apprise the applicant and any interested member of the public of the basis for the decision. 1 M.R.S.A. § 407(1) (1989). Because the Limogeses' application was approved with conditions, specific findings were required by both statutes. [¶ 27] When administrative agencies are required to make findings of fact to support a decision, the findings must be adequate to indicate the basis for the decision and to allow meaningful judicial review. In Chapel Road Associates v. Town of Wells, 2001 ME 178, ¶ 10, 787 A.2d 137, 140, we observed: Meaningful judicial review of an agency decision is not possible without findings of fact sufficient to apprise the court of the decision's basis. Christian Fellowship & Renewal Ctr. v. Town of Limington, 2001 ME 16, ¶¶ 10-15, 769 A.2d 834, 837-39. In the absence of such findings, a reviewing court cannot effectively determine if an agency's decision is supported by the evidence, and there is a danger of judicial usurpation of administrative functions. Id. ¶ 15, 769 A.2d at 839 (quoting Gashgai v. Bd. of Registration in Med., 390 A.2d 1080, 1085 (Me.1978)). Adequate findings also assure more careful administrative considerations, help parties plan cases for rehearing or judicial review and . . . keep agencies within their jurisdiction. Id. (quoting Maine AFL-CIO v. Superintendent of Ins., 595 A.2d 424, 428 (Me. 1991)); see also Harrington v. Inhabitants of Town of Kennebunk, 459 A.2d 557, 561-62 (Me.1983) (remanding matter to agency in zoning context where findings were insufficient to allow judicial review). [¶ 28] The requisite findings of fact may be stated in a written order or stated orally and then transcribed in a written order. However, an oral statement purporting to be findings of fact to support a decision must be sufficiently clear to be reviewable. Further, the findings, whether in writing or stated orally, must be a statement of the decision-maker's findings, not the views of individual members of the decision-making agency. [¶ 29] In Widewaters Stillwater Co. v. Bangor Area Citizens Organized for Responsible Development, 2002 ME 27, ¶¶ 9-12, 790 A.2d 597, 600-01, we reviewed rejection of an application for development of a shopping center. The available written record included no specific written findings, only statements in the record by individual board members reflecting their individual opinions as to why they were voting as they did on the particular question or questions presented. The individual statements did not represent any collective judgment of the fact-finding agency regarding the application. Accordingly, we vacated and remanded the agency decision for development of proper fact-findings upon which review could be based. Id. [¶ 30] As we stated in Christian Fellowship and Renewal Center v. Town of Limington, 2001 ME 16, ¶¶ 14-18, 769 A.2d 834, 838-40, and as we repeated in Widewaters, 2002 ME 27, ¶ 12, 790 A.2d at 601, when an administrative board or agency fails to make sufficient and clear findings of fact and such findings are necessary for judicial review, we will remand the matter to the agency or board to make the findings. [¶ 31] The Board of Appeals secretary's paraphrasing of the reasons given by some, but not all, of the Board members for their votes on various issues, including those relating to waiver of the 1000-foot dead-end road limitation, are not findings. These individual comments do not inform us of the findings which the Board of Appeals was required to make as part of its decision, nor do they inform us as to whether the review of the waiver of the 1000-foot limit was conducted according to standards of review for a special exception, for a variance, or for a waiver. Further, the document purporting to be findings does not appear to address the issue of compliance with the maximum grade requirements specified in the Land Use Ordinance and the Subdivision Ordinance. Accordingly, we vacate the decision of the Superior Court and remand for determination of whether the application is being considered as a special exception, a variance, or a waiver. Once the status of that review is determined, the Board of Appeals should proceed to make findings that represent its collective judgment, addressing each factor that must be considered under the law that the Board is applying in reviewing the application. [4] The entry is: Judgment vacated. Remanded to the Superior Court for remand to the Board of Appeals of the Town of Rockport for further consideration in accordance with this opinion.