Court Opinion

ID: 9558455
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:10:00.298948+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:09:18.876390
License: Public Domain

SHEPARD, Justice,
specially concurring.
I concur in the result obtained by the majority opinion and also concur with much that is stated therein. I deem it necessary, however, to state certain caveats.
I disagree that the result here is or should be in any way influenced by the length of time that the appellant has owned the property. First, I see no point in penalizing a person seeking to make a business investment as contrasted with a landowner of 10, 20, 30 or 40 years who seeks to take economic advantage of an increase in value of his land. Secondly, in today’s commercial world artfully drawn real estate transactions blur the difference and make impossible of administration any distinction regarding land ownership.
I am also concerned with the limits, if any, which do or should circumscribe the authority of local zoning to restrict development of a person’s real property because of aesthetic considerations or purposes such as “maintaining the rural character of the county and the Wood River Valley.” The majority tells us that the county contains the world famous ski resort of Sun Valley and that the ordinance seeks to preserve the quality of what is perhaps the county’s greatest resource. I think judicial notice may be taken of the existence of the resort and its mushrooming growth in the past several years with attendant commercial and high density multi-residential development. I am somewhat at a loss in rationalizing that massive development in terms of maintaining the “open and rural character of the valley.” Perhaps if nothing else, it indicates that commercial development does not per se conflict with aesthetic considerations. Aesthetic considerations are highly subjective and dependent largely on the eye of the beholder. What may be aesthetically pleasing as green and verdant fields in the spring, may be highly offensive in the fall if the farming practice of burning those fields is permitted. A commercial structure with a tastefully constructed rustic exterior may remain offensive to the eye of a Sierra Club member but be highly acceptable to a county official or taxpayer who sees a highly desirable addition to the county’s tax base. A commercial property need not necessarily be aesthetically offensive albeit it is difficult for anyone except the owner to truly love an automobile junk yard or asphalt plant.
Lastly, I am in agreement with the theory expressed by the majority that the zoning scheme need not contemplate the zoning of each piece of property as compatible with its highest and best use. I would, however, point out that in this case the property constitutes land of 12 acres bounded on one side by a railroad track and on the other by a major arterial highway constituting a substantial traffic hazard. Under the present zone classification the property at most would yield some 12 residential lots, and I find it hard to conceive that there could be a desirability or value except for the most minimum type of residence. From the size and condition of the property, it seems clear that it would support no agricultural usage, not even pasturage. If such be the case, the zoning has in effect barred any utilization whatsoever of the property.