Court Opinion

ID: 9640855
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:17:08.253953+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:33.379311
License: Public Domain

LAMPRON, C.J.,
dissenting.
Plaintiffs contend and the majority opinion holds that the proposed sale is not a subdivision because the land in question is already divided into two separate parcels. Therefore it is argued that the planning board has no jurisdiction over the proposed sale. RSA ch. 36, which regulates planning boards, defines a subdivision in pertinent part as follows: “ ‘Subdivision’ means the division of the lot, tract or parcel of land into 2 or more lots, plats, sites, or other divisions of land for the purpose ... of sale . . . . ” RSA 36:1 VIII (Supp. 1977). Section 3:13 of the Meredith Land Subdivision Regulations has essentially the same definition.
Plaintiffs purchased the land in question as one unit. They dealt with it as one unit with regard to their source of water and for sewage disposal. Indeed, when they applied for a permit to build a house on the “front lot” they represented that their unit of land contained both lots. “My deed shows a 100' x 100' lot (Lot #30) whereas my back lot (lot #7) 104' x 208' with buildings, brings the total square footage to 31,630.” Thus the combined footage of both lots was shown on the application. Plaintiffs maintain, however, that their land was in essence divided by Pinnacle Park Road, which separates the lots. “[A] parcel of land does not lose its unitary character simply by the happenstance of any intersecting boundary line, street or dedicated road.” State v. Emmich, 34 Ore. App. 945, 580 P.2d 570, 571 (1978). Nor does the property lose its unitary character simply because it is treated differently for tax purposes. See 4 R. ANDERSON, AMERICAN LAW OF ZONING, § 23.02, at 44 (2d ed. 1977). Therefore, plaintiffs by the proposed sale will divide the land into two parts and a subdivision, as defined by the enabling legislation, will be created.
If plaintiffs’ proposed sale were to go through, there will be two lots of approximately 10,000 square feet and 20,000 square feet. The town zoning ordinance, however, requires a minimum lot size of 30,000 square feet. This court has recently held in Beck v. Town of Raymond, 118 N.H. 793, 796, 394 A.2d 847, 849 (1978), that: “Regulating and restricting the density of population are standard objectives of the Standard State Zoning Enabling Act, 1 R. Anderson, American Law of Zoning § 7.06 (2d ed. 1976), and are expressly delegated to a town in New Hampshire pursuant to the power to zone, RSA 31:60.”
The legal device most widely used to implement community planning in the United States is the comprehensive zoning ordinance. A zoning ordinance which is tailored to the needs of a community and administered in the letter and spirit *382of the comprehensive plan can be an effective tool for the control of land use. It can accomplish a separation of incompatible uses and avert the extremes of overcrowding and irregularity.
4 R. Anderson, American Law of Zoning § 23.03 (2d ed. 1977); Isabelle v. Town of Newbury, 114 N.H. 399, 321 A.2d 570 (1974).
The town of Meredith has a comprehensive zoning ordinance. There was evidence presented by the town that the purpose for the 30,000 square foot lot requirement was to control the density of occupancy in the district in question. A town selectman and former member of the planning board testified as follows: “The density was not arbitrarily chosen [sic] it was adopted from the guidelines of the Town’s comprehensive plan, the Zoning Ordinance was written from that, adopted by the Town and it’s the Planning Board’s function ... to carry out the requirement of zoning ordinance.”
Enactments in the field of zoning and subdivision control are necessarily related to each other and they should be read and considered together .... A subdivider, seeking approval of a subdivision plat, must first meet applicable zoning regulations and they must comply with state and county subdivision regulations. Thus, where a preliminary plat indicates on its face that it is violative of zoning ordinances, the denial of approval of the plat will be sustained.
3 E. Yokley, Zoning Law and Practice § 17.10, at 86-87 (4th ed. 1979). See also Nat.Capital Corp. v. Village of In ver Grove Heights, 301 Minn. 335, 222 N.W.2d 550 (1974); Loveless v. Yantis, 82 Wash. 2d 754, 513 P.2d 1023 (1973).
In sum, the Meredith Planning Board had jurisdiction over the proposed subdivision, and was correct in denying subdivision approval for the substandard lots. Therefore, based on the record, the decision of the planning board can not be ruled “illegal in whole or in part,” as required by RSA 36:34 I (Supp. 1977). Accordingly, I would set aside the decree in favor of the plaintiffs.