Court Opinion

ID: 9728844
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 14:17:40.738172+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:52.514098
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Judge Mencer:
I respectfully dissent. In Unger v. Hampton Township, 437 Pa. 399, 263 A.2d 385 (1970), it was held that mandamus was inappropriate to compel issuance of a building permit where an appeal to a zoning board of adjustment was available. In Unger, our Supreme Court said:
We do not rest our decision on this ground [no clear right to relief existed] alone. More importantly, the court below was also correct in holding that appellants had another adequate, statutory remedy available and that mandamus, therefore, would not lie. This remedy was that provided in Section 2007 of the Second Class Township Code, Act of May 1, 1933, P.L. 103, as amended, 53 P.S. §67007. That statute provided, inter alia, that any person aggrieved by a zoning officer’s decision could appeal to the Board of Adjustment, and, thereafter take a further appeal to the Court of Common Pleas if not satisfied by the Board’s action. (Emphasis added.)
*514437 Pa. at 404, 263 A.2d at 388.
In Fassman v. Skrocki, 37 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 302, 390 A.2d 336 (1978), it was held that where a builder, as here, filed an action in mandamus to compel reissuance of building permits revoked without first appealing the revocation, the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County lacked jurisdiction of the action in mandamus.
In Lindy Homes, Inc. v. Sabatini, 42 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 600, 401 A.2d 589 (1979), we held that it was improper to issue a writ of mandamus because the developer had another adequate remedy through an appeal to the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment.
I am of the view that Unger, Fassman, and Lindy Homes, Inc., control the instant case and that the order of the court below should be reversed.
Judge MacPhail joins in this dissent.