Court Opinion

ID: 9752195
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 17:43:07.035982+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:27:08.249558
License: Public Domain

Prescott, C. J.,
delivered the majority opinion of the Court. Barnes, J., dissents. Dissenting opinion reported at page 275, infra.
The question involved in this appeal is a narrow one, and few of the facts are disputed. The question is whether the County Council of Baltimore County committed a basic mistake when it adopted, on November 15, 1962, the comprehensive Western Area Zoning Map for the 3rd District of Baltimore County, on which the subject property was classified as R-6 (residential, 1 and2family).
Some two months after the adoption of the map, appellee petitioned the Zoning Commissioner for a reclassification of the 5.2 acre parcel, the subject property, to B-L (business-local). This request was denied. An appeal was taken to the Board of Appeals (Board), and, after a hearing on April 8, 1964, with two of its three members sitting, the Board reversed the action of the Commissioner. An appeal was taken to the Circuit Court, which affirmed the Board’s ruling, and the appeal to this Court followed.
The appellee argues that he has presented a classic example of original mistake. In his attempt to sustain this argument and meet the heavy burden placed upon him, the record before us, summarized, shows the following. The Commissioner denied the request because “from the facts presented * * *, the only real point the petitioner has was that there was a possibility of error [italics ours]” in the map, and this possibility of error was that the Council might have been under the impression that the Planning Board had recommended R-6 zoning, when the map submitted by the Planning Board to the Council showed a recommendation of B-L zoning.
*266The Board, on the other hand, felt that petitioner had shown “a clear case of a mistake.” The board laid great stress upon Item 21 of the Council’s agenda at its meeting on October 16, 1961, which we will now consider as appellee apparently deems it his “ace in the hole.” This Item 21 of the Council’s agenda of that day, after a description of the subject property, reads: “Mrs. Boone [a member of the Council], seconded by Mr. Dignan, moved to accept the Planning Board’s recommendation of R-6 zoning. Carried unanimously.” It is undisputed that the original preliminary proposed map submitted to the Council by the Planning Board showed applicant’s property as recommended for B-L zoning. Appellee argues that this establishes an obvious mistake on the part of the Council when it zoned the subject property R-6, and very substantial weight was given the above Item, both by the Board of Appeals and the trial court.
The argument is not sustainable for, at least, two reasons. First, we are not dealing with a matter of correcting a possible clerical error, or establishing the motivating cause for the Council’s action, but with a matter of whether or not the Council made a basic and actual “mistake,” as that term is used in zoning law, at the time when it classified the property as R-6. Therefore, no matter what reason prompted the Council’s action, it was still incumbent upon the petitioner, if he were to be successful, to meet the heavy burden of establishing such a mistake in the classification of his property.
Secondly, the argument takes Item 21 alone from the agenda, and ignores other and very important portions of the Council’s minutes, and then attempts to construe the Item out of context. The minutes show the meeting was a special one to consider the “Western Planning Area Map,” and no one was permitted in attendance, except the members of the Council and its advisers. Under the heading “Amendments [italics added] to the Western Planning Aera Zoning Map,” we find the following :
“The Chairman recognized Mrs. Boone, who presented to the Council a proposed schedule of changes in the Second District of the Western Planning Area *267Map. Mrs. Boone explained these changes item by item with comments by Mr. Malcolm Dill, Director of Planning and Zoning; Mr. Leslie H. Graef, assistant to Mr. Dill; and Mr. Robert Gould, also assistant to Mr. Dill. After further discussion, each individual change was voted on with the following results:”
There then followed 22 separate motions by Mrs. Boone, which were the only motions made, relative to 22 properties on the map, and all motions carried; some granted requested changes from the map, and others denied such changes. There is nothing in the record to show what authority, if any, Mr. Dill, Director of Planning and Zoning, and his two assistants had from the Planning Board to make suggested changes from the map in its behalf (we do not intimate that any such authority was necessary in order to validate the Council’s action). But, with the minutes showing that the purpose of the meeting was to make possible “amendments” to the Area Map, that “Mrs. Boone explained these changes item by item with comments by Mr. Malcolm Dill,” and two xof his assistants, and “after further discussion, each individual change was voted on” (without further explanation), we think, the likelihood that the Council was acting under the misapprehension that it was adopting the Planning Board’s recommendation on the preliminary map relative to the subject property is quite remote. And, as we indicated above, even if the Council did act under such a misapprehension, this, alone, would be insufficient to establish a basic mistake in the classification.
After reciting Item 21 from the Council’s minutes, the Board assigned (in substance) as its reasons for believing that a mistake had been made the following: “The original plat of the property prepared for sales purposes indicates this tract of land as ‘proposed shopping center,’ ” and these “plats were used in the sale of lots to prospective purchasers”; “there is in evidence newspaper advertising presented by the [former owners of the property] which clearly states ‘proposed shopping center on site’ ”; Mr. Gavrelis, Acting Planning Director, indicated that his department and the Planning Board were aware of this planned use and he had recommended to the Council that the *268property be zoned B-L; there was testimony before the Board that Old Court Road will be relocated “so as to eliminate a sharp right angle turn near this property,” and another road will be extended. “There was testimony to the effect” that there is a definite need for a small shopping center in this area; a witness from the County Roads Department testified “that the builder will be required to dedicate the land and pave [Old Court Road] referred to above * * “there was testimony” that the rezoning of the subject property would not adversely affect the surrounding residential property; and the protestants’ testimony consisted mostly of expressed fears as to what might happen in the future in the operation of the shopping center. (All italics ours.)
We deem it desirable to analyze this “opinion” of the Board before proceeding further with the summary of the testimony. It must be remembered that we are considering an alleged original mistake in zoning, not an alleged change in the neighborhood. Hence, any changes in the neighborhood and the existing situation surrounding the subject property are significant only to the extent that they were reasonably foreseeable and tend toward establishing original error. The opinion has little in it to disclose the situation as it existed when the Council acted—either in November of 1962, when it formally adopted the map, or on October 16, 1961, when it approved a resolution that the property be zoned R-6. (A delay in the formal adoption was occasioned by litigation and/or a referendum neither of which has any relevance to the case at bar.) Certainly no great weight can rightfully be afforded to a sales-promotion advertisement by an owner designating the property as a “proposed shopping center.” The recommendation of the Planning Board of B-L zoning was a proper factor to be considered on the question of mistake, but it, alone, unless supported by clear and sufficient reasons, was not controlling. The minutes of the Planning Board assign as that Board’s reason for recommending B-L zoning the following: “The B-L commercial zoning was reaffirmed by the Board because the proposed neighborhood center can be accommodated in the subdivision plans for the immediate vicinity without interfering with residential properties or detracting from their values.” The record *269discloses that the Council did not accept the recommendation of the Planning Board relative to applicant’s property, and it acted in a similar manner on other recommendations, at times changing the locations of recommended commercial and residential zonings. The above reason given by the Planning Board, without more, can scarcely be seriously urged as a clear and sufficient showing of a mistake by the Council.
In regard to the roads, the undisputed testimony (most of which was given by applicant’s witnesses) shows that, if the subject property be developed as a shopping center, the roads thereon will be required to be constructed and mostly at the developer’s expense, but the construction and widening of the roads leading up to the property will depend, in large measure, upon when the owners of abutting properties along the roads develop their properties. The probative value of proposed roads, which are still in the “proposed” stage some V/2 to 2y2 years after the Council’s action (depending upon whether the time be calculated from the time of the adoption of its resolution or the map) is not very weighty in establishing original error. It will be noted that the Board made no actual findings in regard to a need for a shopping center at the location of the subject property, or, if erected, how it will affect adjoining and nearby properties. There was conflicting testimony on both issues. The opinion merely states “there was testimony” to a certain effect, without making findings one way or the other; however, we do not consider this of major importance, for neither issue (although both are factors to be considered if they were reasonably foreseeable) bears very heavily in this case upon a mistake at the time of the zoning. The uncontroverted testimony shows several shopping centers located in the area, some as close as 1.3 miles from the applicant’s parcel.
We continue with the testimony. Witnesses testified as to the former owners’ advertisement showing the subject property as a location for a “proposed” shopping center, which they realized was contingent upon proper zoning. Mr. Gavrelis, Acting Director of Planning and Zoning, was called by the applicant. Gavrelis has been associated with the Office of Planning in Baltimore County for years, and has, more or less, grown up with planning and zoning in that county. He had *270been familiar with the subject property and the surrounding area for years. He helped prepare the map, which was submitted to the Council recommending that applicant’s property be zoned B-L. This recommendation, as well as others, was rejected by the Council, and when the map was finally adopted, the Council had “rejected certain residential classifications, and placed within the area zoned * * * additional B-L classification, over and above that which had been recommended * * When asked point blank if he had “an opinion as to the correctness of the zoning applied to this property, since the adoption of the map,” he replied, “No.” He also stated that commercial development had occurred since the adoption of the map, and said, “what this means in terms of at least consumers’ satisfaction, with the shopping opportunity available in the area, I don’t know.”
Gilbert Benson of the Bureau of Engineering testified that the existing right of way on that portion of Old Court Road in front of the property is 20', but the proposed road anticipates a 42' paving on a 60' right of way. The time of the widening of the approaching roads would depend upon when the abutting property owners develop their respective properties.
There was testimony that adequate water and sewer facilities are available to serve the site. The time when they became available is not stated.
Mr. Bernard Willemain was called by the applicant. Willemain is a man of long experience in the planning and zoning field, and is familiar with planning and zoning in Baltimore County. He stated that the recommended zoning of the subject property as B-L was “certainly controversial and unpopular at the time of the public hearing” held by the Planning Board, and “admittedly it is always difficult to locate these small shopping areas * * * because of the possible ramifications of the commercial zoning itself.” He further stated that he attended the one (public) hearing the Council held upon the map, and the Council was “given full information on the property * * * and the recommendations * * * by the Planning office * * (It will be noted that this testimony tends to weaken applicant’s claim that the Council was acting under a misapprehension when it adopted the map.) At one point in his testimony, *271Willemain said, “the case before the Board is one of possible error on the part of the County Council.” At another point, he stated that, in his opinion, “the present R-6 zoning of the property is in error and the proper zoning for the property is the B-L classification requested by the petitioner today.” He then gave his reasons: he had researched the zoning and planning files and had visited, after his employment by the petitioner, the property five or six times; he felt the subject property held a “strategic” position for a shopping center due to its location on Old Court Road and the property’s relation to “proposed” new roads and “proposed” extensions and widenings of old ones; he felt the distances to existing shopping centers, the nearest being 1.3 miles away, inconvenienced the public; and he thought enough was known of the proposed shopping center to show that its construction would not affect adversely the nearby properties. Willemain was impressed by Item 21 of the minutes of the Council at the time it classified the property, which we considered above, as showing a “mistake” had been made.
Mr. Frederick P. Klaus, a real estate consultant and appraiser, was also called by the applicant, but few of the questions propounded to him bore upon the question of original mistake. The substance of his testimony was that he agreed with Mr. Willemain.
The protestants consisted of nearby property owners, the president of a citizens’ association, and the pastor of a local church. They saw no need for the proposed change, as present shopping facilities were adequate; there was only one subdivision that would not be just as close to other shopping centers as the subject property; the value of adjacent and nearby residential properties would be depreciated, and the residents annoyed by the lights, trash, debris, etc. caused by the erection of a shopping center; it would be opposite the Junior High School and close to a church (costing $150,000) which conducts a Sunday school, and there would be a resultant danger to the children crossing Old Court Road; the nearby roads were still old and narrow; and, essentially, the neighborhood was still a rural and residential one. And one property owner testified that he, too, attended the (public) hearing held by the Coun*272cil, and at this meeting, attending persons by statements and maps and overlays, fully informed the Council of the recommendation of the Planning Board relative to the classification of applicant’s property.
There is no doubt, and it seems to be conceded, that the County Council is the public authority in Baltimore County empowered to zone and rezone. Sec. 34-1, Baltimore County Code (1958). And it is also true that the Planning Board’s adoption of a master plan for an area constitutes a recommendation to the Council as to what that Board considers proper zoning classifications for the properties on the map, but the Council may or may not adopt the recommendations so made. Sec. 23-8, Baltimore County Code (1963 Supp.); cf. Reese v. Mandel, 224 Md. 121. This Court has repeatedly stated that classifications contained in a comprehensive zoning map adopted by the proper authority carry a strong presumption of validity. MacDonald v. Board of County Comm’rs, 238 Md. 549; Greenblatt v. Toney Schloss, 235 Md. 9; Shadynook Imp. Assn. v. Molloy, 232 Md. 265; Trustees v. Baltimore County, 221 Md. 550. And the burden of overcoming this presumption of validity is a heavy one. Hewitt v. County Comm’rs, 220 Md. 48; Reese v. Mandel, supra. Cf. Pahl v. County Bd. of Appeals, 237 Md. 294.
Having in mind these principles of law, we proceed to examine the evidence to see if the applicant has met the heavy burden of establishing original error. We pointed out above that Item 21 does not render great assistance to the applicant in overcoming this burden, for the evidence taken as a whole, including the testimony of Willemain and the protesting witness to the effect that the Council was fully apprised of the Planning Board’s recommendation, fails to show, clearly and satisfactorily, that the Council was, in fact, laboring under a misunderstanding; and, even if it were, the applicant, in order to prevail must show the adopted classification was a mistake, as that term is used in zoning law. We shall not repeat all that we said above in regard to the Board’s opinion, or the reason assigned by the Planning Board for its action, but we do restate that there is nothing in either of controlling significance.
This brings us to a consideration of the testimony of Messrs. *273Gavrelis and Willemain. These gentlemen are well-recognized experts in the field of planning and zoning. However, the prevailing general rule, almost universally followed, is that an expert’s opinion is of no greater probative value than the soundness of his reasons given therefor will warrant. Cf. State, etc. v. Critzer, 230 Md. 286. We must, therefore, examine the reasons given by the above experts.
Gavrelis, when asked if he had an opinion as to whether or not error had been committed in the classification of the subject property by the adoption of the map, replied, “No.” Surely, if reasons given by an expert are insufficient grounds for the expert to formulate an opinion, they can scarcely be soundly held to be clear and satisfactory evidence to overcome the heavy burden created by the presumptive validity, mentioned above; so we proceed to Willemain’s reasons. When carefully scrutinized, the crux of his grounds for believing that a mistake had been made was the “strategic” location of the property in relation to “proposed” new roads and “proposed” improvements to old ones, supplemented by the weight he placed upon Item 21, and his belief of no adverse effect upon other properties and that the location of existing shopping centers inconvenienced the public in going to and from them; although, at the same time, stating that it is always difficult to locate these small shopping areas because of the possible ramifications of the commercial zoning itself. We do not think, that the reasons given by these experts were sufficient to make the issue of mistake (and bear in mind that we are only dealing with that question in this case) fairly debatable.
We are cited the case of Jobar Corp. v. Rodgers Forge, 236 Md. 106, in support of applicant’s position. That case involved questions of both mistake and change in neighborhood. We limit our present discussion to the issue of mistake. The same two experts testified in that case as in the instant one, and its citation here affords an opportunity to point up the holding of the majority in Rodgers Forge, where the Court was divided 4 to 3.
The majority in that case took considerable trouble to set forth in quite some detail the reasons assigned by Willemain to support his opinion that an error had been committed (these *274reasons are stated in 236 Md. pp. 116-118 and consume about 2 pages of the printed report). These reasons set forth, at some length, the situation and condition of the subject property in that case and the surrounding properties at the time of the adoption of the map involved therein. They then went on to state the needs and potentials of the area and the projects that were “reasonably probable of fruition in the foreseeable future” (Trustees v. Baltimore County, supra) which, in Willemain’s opinion, the County Commissioners (now the County Council) failed to take into account, when the map was adopted. The reasons were supported, in the reasoning of a majority of the Court, by exhibits and other evidence. The Board of Appeals, after a consideration of all of the evidence, accepted the expert’s opinion and stated that- a mistake had been made, and this Court upheld the action of the Board of Appeals, on the ground that the issue was, at least, fairly debatable. But in upholding the said Board’s right to accept Willemain’s opinion, we were careful to point out that if “it [the Board] decided to accept his opinion for the reasons given by him, we cannot, under our previous holdings, reverse the Board’s action, in the absence of a showing that the acceptance of the opinion was arbitrary and capricious in a legal sense.” In other words, the reasons presented by an expert to support his opinion cannot be immaterial or frivolous in character, but must be sound and substantial ones. In the case at bar, Willemain did not state the situation of the critical area and the conditions surrounding it at the time of the adoption of the map, including the projects, improvements and developments which were reasonably probable of fruition in the foreseeable future. Nor did he state anything of a substantial nature which should have been reasonably foreseen by the Council, but was ignored by it. From the above, it is seen that Jo-bar Corp. is easily and readily distinguished from the instant case.
We do- not deem it is necessary to discuss further the evidence relative to “proposed” plans relative to roads.
We have said several times above, in considering the testimony relative to the individual factors involved, that the evidence relative to- that individual factor, alone, was insufficient to make the issue of mistake fairly debatable. Nor are we able *275to conclude that an examination of the evidence pertaining to all of the factors considered as a whole raises the issue into the realm of fair debatability. Our conclusion is metaphorically illustrated by the simple arithmetical computation that zero plus any number of additional zeros still equals zero. As the evidence before the Board was too thin to make the issue of mistake fairly debatable, it rendered its action arbitrary and capricious in a legal sense1; consequently the court’s order affirming the Board must be reversed.

Order reversed, and case remanded for the entry of an order in accordance with this opinion; appellee to pay the costs in this Court and below.

. The gentlemen of the Board who sat in this case are both of high standing and reputation, and we make no intimation that either of them, intentionally, was arbitrary or capricious.