Court Opinion

ID: 9730306
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 15:07:57.441794+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:05.696129
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Justice Cohen:
I would agree with the conclusion of the majority if O’Hara and Di Santo sustained the majority’s determination that the court below could properly consider the constitutionality of the zoning ordinance where the question was not raised before the board and where no additional evidence was presented in the court. But they do not so hold; nor is Wynnewood Civic Association distinguishable from the instant appeal. In *9O’Hara, additional testimony was taken before the court and the question of constitutionality was raised and properly considered by the court. Hence, since additional testimony was taken in O’Hara, we reviewed the action of the court because the issue of constitutionality was raised. We did not review the action of the board where constitutionality was not raised. In Di Santo the question of the constitutionality of the ordinance was raised in the proceedings before the board. No additional testimony was taken by the court. . We reviewed the action of the board where the question of constitutionality was raised.
Wynnewood cannot be distinguished from the situation which is present here. The ordinance was not challenged as to its constitutionality before the board. No testimony was taken in the court below, hence we reviewed the action of the board and did not permit the appeal to proceed on the question of constitutionality and quashed the appeal. It is true that in the instant case constitutionality was argued before the court but no testimony was taken before it. Thus we only review the action of the board where no question of constitutionality was raised. To be consistent, our procedure should require that we remand this action to the board of adjustment so that the parties may have an opportunity to fully present before the board the testimony necessary to enable the lower court and our Court to pass upon the constitutional issue.
I dissent.
Mr. Justice Jones joins in this dissenting opinion.