Opinion ID: 1992744
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: proceedings before the mayor's agent

Text: In 1961, District Intown purchased Cathedral Mansion South (CMS), a part of the three-building Cathedral Mansions (CM) apartment complex. CM occupies approximately eight acres on the northwest corner of Connecticut and Cathedral Avenues, across from the National Zoo. CM's developer maintained open space in excess of that required by the zoning regulations, in order to create the illusion of a resort-like building in a park-like setting. The Mayor's Agent found that the lawn is an integral feature of CM's design and concept, and that it was a factor in the decision to grant the site historic landmark status. Because CM is located so near the Zoo, any construction on the property is subject to the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) pursuant to the Shipstead-Luce Act, D.C.Code § 5-410 (1994). When District Intown purchased CMS in 1961, the property consisted of one large lot comprising three buildings and a large lawn facing Connecticut Avenue. In 1988, District Intown subdivided CMS into nine distinct lots  lot 106, on which the apartment building is now located, and lots 107-114, which now comprise the lawn. On December 30, 1988, District Intown applied for permits to construct eight new town houses on lots 107-114. On March 2, 1989, two community organizations which were opposed to the proposed construction applied to HPRB for designation of CMS as part of a historic landmark. [1] HPRB granted the applications on May 17, 1989. In the meantime, District Intown had obtained zoning approval for the proposed construction of the town houses, and its applications for new building permits were referred to the CFA and HPRB for review under the Shipstead-Luce Act. [2] The two agencies voted to disapprove the project; the CFA found it to be contrary to orderly development, and HPRB determined that the construction would be incompatible with the historic landmark. In late January 1992, District Intown, which had dismissed its 1989 permit applications without prejudice following their rejection by the CFA and HPRB, filed new applications, identical to those which it had previously dismissed, and again sought to erect eight new town houses on the CMS lawn. On March 10, 1992, District Intown obtained zoning approval. As in 1989, the new applications were referred to HPRB for review pursuant to D.C.Code § 5-1007. On March 18, 1992, HPRB denied the applications, reaffirming its 1989 determination that the proposed new construction would be incompatible with the historic landmark. On May 11, 1992, HPRB mailed District Intown a written notice of its recommendation. HPRB notified District Intown that if it wished to request a public hearing before the Mayor's Agent, it should advise HPRB, within ten days, whether it intended to make any of the following claims: (A) that the proposed alteration is necessary to construct a project of special merit; (B) that failure to issue a permit will result in unreasonable economic hardship to [District Intown]; or (C) that the proposed alteration is consistent with the purposes of the HLHDPA as set forth in D.C.Code § 5-1001(b). District Intown responded by requesting a hearing, and indicated that it would rely on all three of the grounds enumerated by HPRB. The District of Columbia Preservation League, Cathedral Mansions South Tenants Association, and Woodley Park Community Association were granted permission to appear as parties in opposition to District Intown's application; these three organizations are now intervenors in this court. On July 22 and 24, 1992, the Mayor's Agent held the requested hearing. At the beginning of that hearing, District Intown withdrew its claim that the new construction qualified as a project of special merit and proceeded on the issues of compatibility and economic hardship. After the hearing, District Intown submitted proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. It then argued for the first time that in passing upon applications for new construction, the Mayor's Agent was not authorized to consider unreasonable economic hardship, but was required to grant the permits unless the proposed construction was incompatible with the historic landmark. On March 8, 1992, the Mayor's Agent entered a Decision and Order which included findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect to both compatibility and economic hardship. The Mayor's Agent concluded that the proposed construction would be incompatible with the landmark because the design of the new buildings would result in the destruction of the lawn, which is an integral part of the landmark. Indeed, he was of the opinion that any construction on the lawn would be incompatible with its landmark designation. The Mayor's Agent also concluded that District Intown had failed to demonstrate that denial of the construction permits would create unreasonable economic hardship, [3] or would constitute a taking of District Intown's property without just compensation. [4] On April 21, 1993, District Intown filed a petition for review contending that the Mayor's Agent committed error by making findings of fact and entering conclusions of law with respect to economic hardship, because the Mayor's Agent lacked jurisdiction to consider these questions. On the basis of this asserted jurisdictional defect, District Intown asked this court to vacate paragraphs 36-43 of the Mayor's Agent's decision (which consisted of findings of fact as to economic hardship) and paragraphs 64-76 (which represented the Mayor's Agent's conclusions of law as to that issue). In the alternative, District Intown requested this court to set aside, on the merits, paragraphs 74-76 of the Decision, in which the Mayor's Agent concluded that the landmark status of the site precluded any construction on the lots in question. District Intown made no demand in its petition that this court vacate, strike, or otherwise disapprove that portion of the Mayor's Agent's decision which is denominated Order. In the Order, the Mayor's Agent denied the applications for permits to construct town houses on lots 107 through 114.