Petition
for Writ of Certiorari to Review Quasi-Judicial Action: Agencies, Boards,
and Commissions of Local Government: ZONING – Variances
– Petitioner is unable to demonstrate that it met all the code conditions
for granting of a variance – Certiorari relief must be denied as the Board
of County Commissioners lawfully denied variance request based on criteria
set forth in county’s code – decision denying variance is supported by competent
substantial evidence in the record – Petition denied.
D.A. Holt v.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN
AND
APPELLATE
DIVISION
D.A. HOLT and BLUE DIAMOND
DOLLS,
INC., d/b/a “DIAMOND DOLLS”,
Petitioner,
vs.
Appeal No. 03-3760CI-88B
UCN522003CA003760XXCICI
Subdivision of the State
of
Respondent.
________________________________________________/
THIS CAUSE came before the Court on the Petition for Writ of Certiorari, the Response and the Reply. Upon consideration of the same and being otherwise fully advised, the Court finds that the Petition must be denied as set forth below.
The Petitioner, D.A. Holt and Blue Diamond Dolls, Inc.,
d/b/a Diamond Dolls (Diamond Dolls), seeks review of the denial of its variance
application to allow an existing sign, 168 sq. ft., 35 ft. high, to remain
on property located in a C-2, General Retail Commercial and Limited Services
zone, wherein the maximum sign size permitted is 150 sq. ft., 25 ft. high.
[1]
The Respondent,
In reviewing the administrative action taken by the Board,
the Court must consider whether Diamond Dolls was afforded procedural due
process, whether the essential requirements of law were observed and whether
the Board’s action is supported by competent substantial evidence. See Haines City Community Development
v. Heggs, 658 So.2d 523, 530 (
Initially, the Court finds that the Board was not required
to enter written findings of fact in making its decision. See Broward County v. G.B.V. International,
LTD., 787 So.2d 838, 846 (
In support of its variance request, Diamond Dolls proffered the testimony of one witness, Bruce McLaughlin, a certified land planner. In regards to the first criteria, Mr. McLaughlin stated that the elevation of the road adjacent to the subject property is a special condition peculiar to the property. However, Section 138-1334(e)(3) of the Code grants an increase in the height of the subject sign over signs on grade roads, thus placing them in the same condition and circumstance as other property owners. Therefore, the Diamond Dolls’ sign contiguousness to an elevated road does not meet the criteria of being a special condition.
In addressing the second variance criteria, no special privilege, the Court finds that no evidence was presented that the Board’s approval of the variance application would not confer a special privilege that is denied by the Code to other similar lands, buildings, or structures within the same zoning district. There was no evidence presented that similarly situated properties had received sign height variances because of a sign’s adjacency to an elevated road or overpass. Further, the newspaper articles Mr. McLaughlin presented to the Board in relation to this criteria involved the life and placement of billboards, which have no application to a freestanding, on-premise sign such as the Diamond Dolls sign.
For the third criteria, unnecessary hardship, Mr. McLaughlin
stated that the subject sign predated the Code height limitation and construction
of the elevated road. However, Diamond
Dolls failed to show that compliance with the new Code requirements, mandating
that the sign’s height be reduced from 35 to 25 feet, would inflict practical
difficulty or unnecessary hardship on the property owner.
See Redner v. City of Tampa, 827 So.2d 1056, 1059 (
In addressing the fourth criteria, minimum variance necessary, Mr. McLaughlin presented testimony on the relationship of vehicular speed, sign placement, visibility, and road designs based on a publication by the American Planning Association. Assuming, arguendo, that Mr. McLaughlin was qualified as an expert to testify on transportation and traffic speed variables, the Board could only base its decision on those criteria set forth in the Code. See City of Naples v. Central Plaza of Naples, Inc., 303 So.2d 423, 425 (Fla. 2d DCA 1974)(finding that the only criteria upon which the Council could legally base its decision were those set forth in the ordinance). Hence, the Board properly disregarded the theories presented in support of the minimum variance necessary criteria.
Lastly, no testimony or evidence was presented in support of variance criteria five, purpose and intent compliance, and six, detriment to public welfare. Accordingly, the Court finds that certiorari relief must be denied as the Board lawfully based its decision to deny Diamond Doll’s variance request on the criteria set forth in the Code and the decision is supported by competent substantial evidence in the record.
Therefore, it is,
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Petition for Writ of Certiorari is hereby denied.
DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers, at
___________________________________
DAVID A. DEMERS
Circuit Judge, Appellate Division
Copies furnished to:
Luke Lirot, Esquire
David S. Sadowsky
315 Court Street