Court Opinion

ID: 9848107
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:12:52.685195+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:18:01.541633
License: Public Domain

SIMONETT, Justice
(concurring specialty)-
I join in the court’s opinion but cannot subscribe to the rule that zoning ordinances are to be strictly construed against the municipality, as stated in the majority opinion and in Frank’s Nursery Sales, Inc. v. City of Roseville, 295 N.W.2d 604, 608 (Minn.1980). “Not so very long ago,” wrote Justice Holt in 1920, “there would have been a revolt against restricting a property owner in the full use of his lot to the street line.” State ex rel. Twin City Building & Investment Co. v. Houghton, 144 Minn. 1, 17, 176 N.W. 159, 161 (1920) (opinion on rehearing). This was because there was, in the early part of this century, a strong belief, as Justice Dibell stated in his dissent in Houghton, in “the fundamental principle that one may use and enjoy his property as best suits his convenience, so long as no unnecessary injury is done to his neighbor.” Id., 144 Minn. at 23, 176 N.W. at 164. It was in this milieu, it seems to me, that the rule, “a zoning ordinance is in derogation of the common law and should be construed strictly against the city and in favor of the property owner,” emerged. Surely the underpinning for this rule of strict construction no longer exists. If the common law is an evolving concept, today it is better illustrated by, to give just one example, the legislative statement of policy in Minn.Stat. § 462.351 (1982) which seeks to promote comprehensive municipal planning for land development.
I would abandon the rule of strict construction for zoning ordinances. In this appeal, however, abandonment of the rule does not, in my opinion, require a different result and so I join the court’s opinion.