Laserfiche WebLink
6 <br /> <br />to ordinaPy, garden.variety las opposed to SUD/ will make a specific use of tbs property, but <br />CUDJ zoning, also for the broader principles that property <br /> may not be rezoned in reliance upon any <br /> resentations off the applicant and that rezon. <br />Facts and Proceedlngs lng must take into account all permit ted uses <br /> under the new classification. Because, in the <br />In this case the Durham City Council rezoned instant case, the City Council considered a <br />a l~.9-acre tract tram P,-20 Residential and C-1 proposeddevelopmentplanaswellascollateral <br />Commercial to Co4{D} Heavy Commercial with an representations concerning adjacent ptoperty <br /> and deed restrictions controlling fur ute use al <br />attached development plan. The appl{cation for the rezooed site, but did nat deternfine the <br />rezoning set forth that Lowe's Investment Corpora- $~tability of the land for other C-4 uses, we <br />lion would use the land for operation of a "home hold that the challenged rezonlng constitutes <br />center" consisting of four buildings, an outdoor unlawf~ cataract zoMng.. <br />lumber storage area, and a parkinglot. The develop. <br />ment plan submitted with the appliearion showed ' Both the city and the applicant for rezon~ng ap- <br />the proposed physical site layout and included a no- pealed. <br />ration that cart sin adjoinlng sczeage would be deeded <br />atthetimeofdevelopmenttotheEnoPdverAssocia- The Supreme Court's Holding <br />tiao {a conservation group}. Also in the file ,.vas a <br />proposed reverter clause to be placed in the deed Unlike the Chrismon decision, the supreme <br />from the current owner to Lowe's, stating that if court's Hall decision affirmed that of the court of <br />Lowe's ceased to use the property for a lumber yard appeals. But tho supreme court followed different <br />and home oenter, title would vest in the Eno lLiver reasoning: "Although we disagree that the rezoning <br />Association or~ if the association no longer existed, amounted to contract zoning in this instgncet we <br />in the city of Durham. nevertheless affirm the opinion of the Court of <br /> Despite the planning staff*s recommendation Appeals because of the failure of the City Council to <br />to deny the application, the planning and zoning consider whether the land was suitable for all uses <br />commission recommended 4-2 to approve the re- permitted in the C-4[D} district." <br />zoning. Its minutes noted that as a result of neigh- Th¢courtresrateditsviewsexptesscdin ChH$- <br />borhood meetings, Lowe's had added a thirty-foot mom <br />landscaped bnffer along a nearby major road that <br />,.gould render the proposed buildings barely visible [C]oarraet zoning depends upon a finding of a <br /> transaction in which both the landowner seek- <br />from the road. In addition, the company agreed to lng a rezoni~g and the zoning authority <br />rest~:ict left turns from the property onto the road, ~,nde~take reciprocal obligations.... A typical <br /> At the council's heoringon the request, Lowers czample of such reciprocal assurances occurs <br />representatives told of these attempts to acoommo~ when the applicant assares the city council <br />date community intere scs, as well as promises to the that the property will be used only for a speci- <br /> fied purpose and no other, and the city ¢oan- <br />neighboza that it would not stack lumber more than cji, in consideration of such assurance, agrees <br />ten feet high and that the neighborhood residents to rezone the property in question and not to <br />could select the color o~ the buildings. The council alter the zoning for a spool/led period of time <br />voted 7-6 to rezone, thereafter. <br /> Some neighbors sought and received a declara- <br />tory judgment by superior court that the transaction While the court found that the ownerln this case had <br />constituted invalid "contract zoning." On appeal, made all sorts of representations, it noted that the <br />the North Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed, say- council had not: "{T]he record is barren of even a <br />ing: hint that the Council made any as surances in re turn. <br /> No meeting of the minds took place here, and no <br /> In our view, Allred and Blades stand not only reciprocal assurances were made by the Coun- <br /> for the lirMted principle that tezon/~ may cji.... This is not therefore a case of illegal contract <br /> not ba based on assurances that the applicant zoning." <br /> <br /> <br />