NOTICE: THIS OPINION
IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL
UNTIL TIME EXPIRES FOR REHEARING OR FURTHER APPELLATE
REVIEW AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED
Petition
for Writ of Certiorari to Review Quasi-Judicial Action: Agencies, Boards, and
Commissions of Local Government: ZONING
– Site Plan Application – competent substantial evidence supported City
Commission’s decision to deny site plan based on its finding that the proposed
crematoria would be incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood - Petition
denied. SCI Funeral Services of Florida, Inc. v. City of
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND
APPELLATE DIVISION
SCI FUNERAL SERVICES OF FLORIDA, INC.,
d/b/a
Petitioner,
vs. Appeal No.06-0081AP-88B
UCN522006AP000081XXXXCV
CITY OF
municipal corporation,
Respondent.
__________________________________________/
THIS CAUSE came before the Court on the Petition for Writ of Certiorari, the Response, and the Reply. The Citizens in Opposition to Crematorium was permitted to intervene and filed its Brief of Amicus Curiae in Support of Respondent. Upon consideration of all the briefs, the record and being otherwise fully advised, the Court finds that the Petition must be denied as set forth below.
The record shows that in March 2005 the Petitioner, SCI Funeral
Services of Florida, d/b/a Serenity Gardens Memorial Park (SCI), submitted a
site plan application to the City of
While
the City’s Code only requires one neighborhood compatibility meeting, SCI met
with neighboring property owners twice, on June 21, 2005, and again on July 6,
2005. Due to concerns from the property
owners, SCI was required to submit its development application to the Planning
Board and the City Commission for approval before a Development Order could be
issued.[1] As set forth in a memo to the Planning Board,
dated August 31, 2006, prepared by Jamal Block, Planner, and Robert E. Jarzen,
Planning Manager, the Community Development Director, Assistant Community
Development Director, and Planning Manager all recommended approval of the
project, finding the proposed use to be consistent with the City’s Code. The City’s staff also determined that the
project was compatible with the surrounding area. After a hearing on the matter, on September
7, 2006, the Planning Board voted, three to two, against a recommendation of
approval to the City Commission. The
Planning Board considered six Code criteria and a majority determined that the
project would be incompatible with adjacent land use and would result in
negative economic, social, and environmental impacts to the City.
In
a memo to the City Commission, dated September 29, 2006, and prepared by
Michael J. Staffopoulos, Community Development Director, and Robert E. Jarzen,
Planning Manager, it was reiterated that the proposed crematory was approved by
the City’s staff and was found to be compatible with the surrounding area in
compliance with the City’s Code. The
matter came before the City Commission on October 3, 2006. During the lengthy hearing, the City
Commission admitted several documents into evidence and heard the testimony of
several experts, including the City’s own staff, as well as the testimony from
several neighboring property owners. At the
conclusion of the hearing, the City Commission decided, in a five to one vote,
to deny SCI’s application finding that it did not meet Code criteria. The transcript shows that the reasons cited
for the denial were that the “development will result in an incompatible land
use with the neighborhood, will result in negative environmental impact and
will result in diminished air quality for the city.” A written order was not entered.[2]
Before this Court,
SCI argues that the decision of the City Commission to deny its site plan
application to construct a crematory is not supported by competent substantial
evidence because, primarily, the City Commission improperly relied on the lay
testimony of the surrounding property owners.
The applicable standard of review is whether the applicant was afforded
procedural due process, whether the essential requirements of law were observed
and whether the final decision is supported by competent substantial
evidence. See Haines
City Community Development v. Heggs, 658 So.2d 523, 530 (
In
determining whether the decision of the City Commission is supported by
competent substantial evidence, the Court is not entitled to reweigh the
evidence or substitute its judgment for that of the agency. See Department of Highway Safety
and Motor Vehicles v. Trimble, 821 So.2d 1084, 1087 (
In applying this standard, the Court finds that there is competent substantial evidence in the record to support the City’s finding that the proposed crematorium was incompatible with the surrounding community. Contrary to SCI’s assertion, the record does not demonstrate that the City improperly relied on lay testimony in reaching its decision. Accordingly, the Court finds that SCI’s request for certiorari relief must be denied.
Therefore, it is,
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Petition for Writ of Certiorari is denied.
DONE
AND ORDERED in Chambers, at
_________________________________
DAVID
A. DEMERS
Circuit Judge, Appellate Division
_______________________________ ______________________________
PETER RAMSBERGER AMY M. WILLIAMS
Circuit Judge, Appellate Division Circuit Judge, Appellate Division
Copies furnished to:
Darryl R. Richards, Esquire
E.D. Armstrong, III, Esquire
Post Office Box 1100
Alan S. Zimmet, Esquire
Ronal Freeman, Esquire
Post Office Box 15309
Scott A. McLaren, Esquire
Marie A. Borland, Esquire
Post Office Box 2231
[1] See Code Sec. 5002(D): “An application shall be reviewed by the Planning Board when existing evaluation criteria and development standards may cause a significant impact upon the public interest or surrounding property owners, thereby requiring discretion.”
[2] There is no
dispute that the City Commission failed to enter written findings of fact and
an order as required by its Code, Section 11100(I)(1)-(4). Section 11100(I),
titled findings and order, explicitly sets forth four written findings that the
City Commission must enter following a hearing, including: (1) A statement of the criteria and standards
used for evaluation of the proposal; (2) A statement of the findings of fact
which the hearing body found establishing compliance or noncompliance with each
applicable criteria; (3) The reasons for a conclusion to approve or deny; and
(4) The decision to deny or approve the
proposed change with or without conditions, and if appropriate, a statement of
the hearing body’s interpretation of what would be required to achieve
compliance with the criteria and standards.
The failure of the City Commission to enter a written order requires
this Court to evaluate the transcript in order to attempt to determine what standards
were used by the Commission to evaluate SCI’s application and its reasons for
finding noncompliance with the City’s code.
However, after having the parties brief this matter, the Court decided
not to remand the case to the City Commission to enter a written order,
primarily due to the lapse of time since the hearing and because both parties
requested the Court to proceed on the record without a written order. The Court reminds the City that it is of the
upmost importance that it adhere to its Code and that neither party has the
authority to simply waive Code requirements.