Court Finds Zoning Board Interpretation a Reasonable Exercise of Discretion

In a case primarily dealing with the authority of a Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to interpret a zoning provision, the Court also addressed the issue of late filing of the ZBA decision. In the Matter of Stone Industries, Inc. v. Zoning Board of appeals of the Town of Ramapo, the Appellate Division held that the ZBA properly interpreted the ordinance as prohibiting the production of asphalt from recycled material where the language of the ordinance prohibited “the primary production of asphalt from raw materials.”

The Court noted:

“As a general rule, zoning ordinances are in derogation of the common law and must be strictly construed against the municipality….This rule is subject to the limitation that where, as here, it would be difficult or impractical for a legislative body to promulgate an ordinance which is both definitive and all-encompassing, a reasonable amount of discretion in the interpretation of the ordinance may be delegated to an administrative body or official….The interpretation of the zoning board of appeals or the official governs unless such interpretation is unreasonable or irrational….”

While it appears that the argument here was that recycled material is not raw material, apparently the Court believed that the intent was to prohibit all asphalt production. “Based on the record evidence, it was neither unreasonable nor irrational for the Board to conclude that the processing of recycled asphalt was not a permitted use under the subject sections of the zoning law.”

Another aspect of the decision dealt with the provision in New York Town Law § 267-a[9] that requires the filing of a ZBA decision in the office of the Town Clerk, within five business days of being rendered. The Court found that the ZBA’s failure to comply with this rule was not fatal to the ZBA’s determination.

“Town Law § 267-a(9) does not specify a sanction for the failure to comply with the five-day filing requirement (see generally Nyack Hosp. v Village of Nyack Planning Bd., 231 AD2d 617, 618). While the Board offered no explanation for its delay, the petitioner was unable to demonstrate that it was prejudiced by the late filing.”

-Steven Silverberg
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