Court Opinion

ID: 9597165
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:56:08.844914+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:00:11.578273
License: Public Domain

Hill, Justice,
concurring specially.
In Barrett v. Hamby, 235 Ga. 262 (219 SE2d 399) (1976), we held that the judiciary had the power to declare void on constitutional grounds, a decision of a governing authority refusing a rezoning application where the unsuccessful rezoning applicant proved in court that the existing zoning significantly damaged his property, and the governing authority failed to justify his decision refusing to rezone the property.
Although we did not expressly deal in Hamby with such questions as who has the initial burden of presenting, evidence, who has the burden of persuasion, and whether evidence not introduced at the hearing before the *17governing authority is admissible in court, the answer to at least the first of these questions was implicit in Hamby- and is explicit in this case.
However, ! feel that Hamby is being interpreted too broadly. As heretofore noted, Hamby involved the denial of an application to rezone. It was a suit by the owner of the property in question contending that he was being deprived of his property.
The present case involves a decision to rezone. It is a suit by owners of property in the vicinity of the rezoned property who oppose the rezoning. In my view, the property rights of opponents of rezoning are different from the property rights of the rezoning applicant.
Thus, in my view, Barrett v. Hamby, does not require the governing authority to take the initiative in justifying its decision to grant an application to rezone. (Whether such justification will even be required will have to wait until that issue is raised.)
Because Barrett v. Hamby did not involve a decision granting rezoning, and clearly does not require the governing authority to take the initiative in justifying its decision to rezone, it follows that Barrett v. Hamby does not require the governing authority to enter findings and conclusions, to justify its decision to rezone. I therefore concur in the judgment of the court.