Court Opinion

ID: 9674878
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:36:51.306498+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:30.055643
License: Public Domain

ECKERT, District Judge,
dissenting.
I agree with Justice Pederson’s statement that the question before the trial court required a determination of whether or not the proven facts established a right in Wet-zel to rescind under the laws of this state. The facts as I understand them to exist are that Wetzel agreed to purchase the Eszlinger property at an auction sale because of statements made by the auctioneer that the property was usable for a feedlot operation for up to 80 -head of cattle. It was also stated that such use had been made of the property recently. Unknown to Wetzel, and probably unappreciated by Eszlinger, the City Council of the City of Ashley had earlier passed an ordinance zoning not only the city but also property within one-half mile of its boundaries. Under the zoning ordinances of the City of Ashley it was the duty of an administrative official designated by the City Council to administer and enforce the ordinance. Appeals from any decision of the administrative officer could be made to a five member board appointed by the City Council, called the Board of Adjustment. Determinations of the Board of Adjustment were reviewable by the District Court through an application for a writ of certiorari. Section 40-47-11, NDCC.
*219Although the zoning ordinance was passed in 1977, the City Council had failed to appoint an administrative officer, nor had it appointed any of the members of the Board of Adjustment. Neither the administrative officer nor the Board of Adjustment, then, has been presented with the question of whether using the Eszlinger property for a feedlot for up to 80 head of cattle would constitute a violation of Ashley’s zoning ordinance. There is no evidence that Wetzel requested the City of Ashley to appoint the administrative officer required by the zoning ordinances nor a Board of Adjustment. As a result there has been no determination made by appropriate officials that the statements made by Eszlinger through the auctioneer were false.
What did Wetzel do to sustain his burden of proof? He apparently listened to a local implement dealer. He secured an interpretation from the mayor and he met with the City Council. It is true that the City Council of Ashley, in a 3-3 tie vote broken by the vote of the mayor, held that the proposed use of the property violated the zoning ordinances of the City of Ashley. The mayor and the implement dealer also stated that they felt that the proposed use violated the zoning ordinances. Under the ordinances of the City of Ashley, however, none of these people had any authority to give a binding opinion or decision on such a matter. The power to resolve such an issue was vested in the administrative official and the Board of Adjustment. Although it is true that the City Council had not appointed these officers, there is no evidence to indicate that if the necessity of doing so were pointed out to the Council that the positions would not be filled. Certainly nothing in the ordinances of the City of Ashley or the statutes of the State of North Dakota provided that in the event of a vacancy in these offices that their functions would be assumed by the mayor or City Council.
I would reverse the trial court’s decision in this case.