Court Opinion

ID: 9702563
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 23:16:57.948963+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:38.869599
License: Public Domain

Barnes, J.,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I concur in the majority opinion in so far as it points out that assuming, arguendo, that even if there had been significant evidence of a mistake in the original comprehensive zoning or that there had been a change of conditions resulting in a change in the character of the neighborhood in which the subject site is located, the existence of such evidence—while permitting the legislative body to grant the requested R-10 rezoning—does not compel that body to grant the requested rezoning, in the absence of probative evidence that no reasonable use can be made of the property in the existing zoning classification or that the legislative body otherwise acted arbitrarily or capriciously, neither of which factors exist in the present *232case. See Wright v. McCubbin, 260 Md. 11, 271 A. 2d 365 (1970) and cases therein cited. The fundamental difference in this regard between the present case and MacDonald v. Board of County Commissioners, 238 Md. 549, 210 A. 2d 325 (1965) is that in the instant case the legislative body did not grant the requested rezoning while in MacDonald it did. This is a great difference, indeed.
In my opinion, however, it is not clear from the record in the present case that the R-10 zone is not a floating zone and I would remand the case without affirmance or reversal under Maryland Rule 871 a to explore further this aspect of the case. The District Council proceeded upon the theory that the R-10 zone was not a floating zone and did not consider the issues which would arise under the floating zone concept. The lower court was of the opinion that the R-10 zone was not a floating zone and stated that the R-10 zones are delineated on the zoning maps, thus indicating, if this observation be correct, that it is a Euclidian rather than a floating zone. It was represented to this Court by counsel for Prestwick, Inc. in argument, however, that the R-10 zone is not delineated on the zoning maps until after application has been made for granting this type of zoning and the application granted by the District Council. The record in the case is silent on this and I think this aspect of the matter should receive further consideration. I do not interpret the provisions of the ordinance creating the R-10 zone as requiring pre-filing and pre-approved structures in that zone only in the event the multi-family structure exceeds 110 feet in height. Such pre-filing and pre-approval is undoubtedly required in that situation under § 18.6, but the last paragraph in § 18.6 provides:
“A plan of development issued in accordance with the regulations contained in section 18.0 shall remain valid for a period of one year following the date of its approval. If at the end of that time, construction of the proposed dwellings shall not have begun, then said plan of de*233velopment shall be considered as having lapsed and shall be of no effect unless resubmitted to the planning board, and reapproved by the planning board, or the district council. All construction and development under any building permit shall be in accordance with the approved site development plan. Any departure from such plan shall be cause for revocation of a building permit or denial of an occupancy permit. Any changes in an approved plan shall be resubmitted for approval in accordance with this subsection. Construction will be deemed to have begun when all necessary excavation and piers or footings of one or more principal buildings included in the development plan shall have been completed.”
Section 18.0 provides for the function and purposes of the R-10 zone, one alternative of which is to provide suitable sites for high density residential locations indicated on the General Plan. In short, the requirement of a plan of development appears to be required under the ordinance for any application for R-10 zoning and is not restricted to applications for buildings with a height in excess of 110 feet. This too could be considered on the remand inasmuch as, at least, the ordinance is ambiguous in this regard.
The restricted uses in § 18.1, the net minimum lot area requirements in § 18.2, the substantial requirements in § 18.3 for minimum lot frontage and in § 18.4 for front yards, as well as the required distances between multiple-family dwellings strongly suggest to me that the R-10 zone might well be a floating zone as we have defined these zones. Obviously, the provisions in regard to the R-10 zone are not as sophisticated as those used for the R-H zone; but they are in my opinion sufficiently similar to justify further proceedings to consider further this aspect of the case on a remand.
*234Counsel for the appellants pointed out in their brief— that “Significantly, the Prince George’s County Charter, Section 708(e) provides: ‘No zoning classification shall be a floating zone.’ ” There was no further elaboration on this statement. The Charter referred to was approved at the General Election held on November 3, 1970, and generally effective by its terms on December 3, 1970, except where noted. Section 708(e) became effective by virtue of Section 1207 on February 8, 1971. The language of Section 708 does not indicate that any of its provisions apply retroactively and in view of the presumption against retroactive application of statutes, it may well be that this curious provision of the Charter would not apply to the R-10 zone, assuming for the argument that it is a floating zone. This matter could well be further considered upon the remand.
It might be that upon such a remand further evidence might indicate that the R-10 zone was not a floating zone or, if so, the District Council might find that the necessary criteria to justify a granting of the R-10 rezoning even as a floating zone did not exist; but Prestwick should, in my opinion, have the opportunity to explore further this aspect of the case. I would remand without affirmance or reversal for this purpose, and dissent from the failure of the majority to do this.