Opinion ID: 2339696
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the trial court's affirmance of the bristol planning board's and the bristol platting board of review's approval of the ten-lot subdivision of portside's land parcel was proper.

Text: Portside Associates presented to the Bristol Planning Board its plan to subdivide its land parcel into ten lots upon which single-family dwellings would be constructed. The property in question is subject to a minimum-lot-size requirement of 40,000 square feet. On April 29, 1982, the board approved the plan. On June 22 and June 29, 1982, the platting board of review conducted extensive hearings during which testimony was presented by and on behalf of opponents of the subdivision. Testimony was also presented concerning the possible effect of the subdivision on the value of area property. In its July 15, 1982 decision, the board of review affirmed the planning board's decision. The plaintiffs appealed to the Superior Court, alleging that the use and value of their property was and would continue to be adversely affected by the recording of the subdivision. The trial justice held that the parcel division plan conformed with chapter 22 of the Bristol Town Code and that there was no evidence in the record to indicate nonconformity with the rules and regulations governing the planning board or platting board of review. G.L. 1956 (1980 Reenactment) chapter 23 of title 45. The trial justice stated that since the subdivision proposal conforms with Bristol zoning regulations, Portside is properly exercising its rights under the law. He further explained that the effect of the subdivision recording on the value of plaintiffs' property is not a proper concern of the court. The proper opportunity for debate on that issue, when the property was being zoned, had passed. It is well settled under our law that the findings of a trial justice are entitled to substantial weight and will not be disturbed by this court on review unless shown to be clearly wrong. Santilli v. Morelli, 102 R.I. 333, 336-37, 230 A.2d 860, 862 (1967). This court has interpreted chapter 23 of title 45 [2] as limiting judicial scrutiny of an administrative agency's factfinding in the absence of a clear legislative directive to the contrary, to a search of the record for any competent evidence upon which the agency rests its decision. E. Grossman & Sons, Inc. v. Rocha, 118 R.I. 276, 285-86, 373 A.2d 496, 501 (1977). If such evidence exists, the decision will stand. Id. The trial justice lacks authority to weigh the evidence, to pass upon the credibility of witnesses, or to substitute his or her findings of fact for those made at the administrative level. Id. The trial justice pointed out that the record contains substantial evidence to indicate the platting board of review's decision comports with the requirements of chapter 23 of title 45. As there is no showing that the trial justice misconceived the evidence on the law in this matter, we affirm the trial court's decision to allow the ten-lot subdivision to stand.