DocketNumber: No. COA12-518
Citation Numbers: 225 N.C. App. 676
Judges: Hunter, Only, Robert, Steelman, Stroud
Filed Date: 3/5/2013
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 11/27/2022
The Town of Cary, North Carolina and the Town of Cary Zoning Board of Adjustment appeal the trial court’s 28 November 2011 order and judgment. For the following reasons, we reverse in part and remand in part.
I. Background
The trial court briefly summarized the background of this case and its decision in its memorandum of decision:
This matter involves an outdoor advertising sign (the “Sign”, its “Sign”, or “Fairway’s Sign”) located at*678 844 East Chatham Street, Cary, Wake County, North Carolina. Petitioners Fairway Outdoor Advertising, a division of MCC Outdoor, LLC and MCC Outdoor, LLC (collectively “Fairway”) own the Sign. Fairway sought review and reversal of the ZBOA’s March 26, 2008, “Resolution Deciding Appeals of Fairway Outdoor Advertising” (the “ZBOA’s Decision”) relating to the Sign. Fairway asserts the ZBOA erred in concluding that the continued existence of Fairway’s Sign is a violation of the Town of Cary Land Development Ordinance (the “LDO”), that the Sign must be removed, that Fairway must pay civil penalties for such violation, and that Fairway is not entitled to approval of its Sign as an “Unlisted Use” under the LDO. Respondent Town of Cary, North Carolina (the “Town”) asserts that the foregoing conclusions by the ZBOA were correct, but contends that the ZBOA erroneously concluded that Fairway timely appealed the Town’s determination that Fairway’s Sign is a violation of the LDO and must be removed.
As set forth below, the Court has determined that the ZBOA correctly concluded that Fairway timely appealed from the Town’s determination that Fairway’s Sign is a violation of the LDO and must be removed. Therefore, as to the ZBOA’s conclusion that Fairway’s appeal was timely, the ZBOA’s Decision is affirmed. However, the Court has determined that the ZBOA’s conclusions that Fairway’s Sign is a violation of the LDO and must be removed, that Fairway must pay civil penalties for such violation, and that Fairway is not entitled to approval of its application for an “Unlisted Use” under the LDO are erroneous. With respect to these conclusions, the ZBOA’s Decision is reversed.
The Town of Cary, North Carolina and the Town of Cary Zoning Board of Adjustment (“Cary”) appealed.
II. Timeliness of Appeal Regarding Sign Compliance
Cary first contends that Fairway’s initial appeal of the Town’s determination that its sign was not in compliance was untimely. “Generally, municipal ordinances and statutes enacted by the legislature are to be construed according to the same rules.” Clark v. City
Questions of statutory interpretation are ultimately questions of law for the courts and are reviewed de novo.
Statutory interpretation begins with the cardinal principle of statutory construction that the intent of the legislature is controlling. In ascertaining the legislative intent, courts should consider the language of the statute, the spirit of the statute, and what it seeks to accomplish. Where the statutory language is clear and unambiguous, the Court does not engage in judicial construction but must apply the statute to give effect to the plain and definite meaning of the language. If the language is ambiguous or unclear, the reviewing court must construe the statute in an attempt not to defeat or impair the object of the statute if that can reasonably be done without doing violence to the legislative language.
Dayton v. Dayton,__ N.C. App,_,_, 725 S.E.2d 439, 442 (2012) (citations, quotation marks, ellipses, and brackets omitted). Furthermore, “[o]ur courts have consistently held that statutes dealing with the same subject matter must be construed in pari materia, and harmonized, if possible, to give effect to each[.]” Dougherty Equip. v. M.C. Precast Concrete, _N.C. App._,_, 711 S.E.2d 505, 507 (2011) (citation and quotation marks omitted).
The binding, uncontested facts as found by the trial court state that “[o]n June 23, 2006, one week before expiration of the amortization period, the Town sent Fairway the first official notice that the Town considered Fairway’s Sign to be subject to . . . LDO § 10.5.2.” See Peters v. Pennington,_N.C. App._,_, 707 S.E.2d 724, 733 (2011) (“Unchallenged findings of fact are binding on appeal.”) In its recitation of the facts the court names LDO § 10.5.2 at least six times as the ordinance at issue between the parties. Despite these findings, when determining whether Fairway made a timely appeal the trial court relies on LDO Chapters 9 and 11, and does not refer to LDO Chapter 10.
Nonetheless, the dispute between Fairway and Cary arises not from Chapter 9 but from LDO § 10.5.2 entitled “Nonconforming Pole Signs[.]”
Signs or signage which meet the definition of a pole sign (including billboards) in this Ordinance are considered to be nonconforming, and shall be removed or replaced with signage which conforms to the requirements of this Ordinance no later than July 1, 2006. Existing lawfully-placed signs associated with an approved Uniform Sign Plan shall be exempt from this provision. Owners of record for such signs shall be notified of the nonconformity via mailed notice.
LDO § 10.5.2. LDO § 10.5.2 is the basis for the Town’s demand for removal of the sign. But LDO Chapter 10 has no provision regarding appeals from a decision that a pole sign is nonconforming pursuant to LDO § 10.5.2. In fact, LDO Chapter 10 does not contain any appeal provisions.
Because LDO Chapter 10 has no appeal provision, and no direction to handle appeals under LDO Chapter 11, LDO Chapter 11 does not control an issue regarding LDO § 10.5.2. LDO Chapter 9 specifi
Turning to LDO Chapter 3, entitled “REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCEDURES!:]”
3.21 APPEALS OF ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS
3.21.1 Purpose and Scope
Appeals to the Zoning Board of Adjustment from the decisions of the Town’s administrative staff are allowed under this Ordinance. It is the intention of this Section that all questions arising in connection with the interpretation and enforcement of this Ordinance shall be presented first to the appropriate administrative officer in the Engineering or Planning Department, that such questions shall be presented to the Zoning Board of Adjustment only on appeal from the decisions of that department, and that recourse from the decision of the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall be to the courts. It is further the intention of this Section that the duties of the Town Council in connection with this Ordinance shall not include the hearing or passing upon disputed questions that may arise in connection with the enforcement thereof.
*682 3.21.2 Decisions That May Be Appealed
Any order, requirement, permit, decision, determination, refusal, or inteipretation made by any administrative officer in interpreting and/or enforcing the provisions of this Ordinance may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, unless otherwise provided in this Ordinance.
3.21.3 Filing of Appeal; Effect of Filing
(A) An appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment may be brought by any person, firm, corporation, office, department, board, bureau or commission aggrieved by the order, requirement, permit, decision, or determination that is the subject of the appeal.
(B) An application for an appeal shall be filed with the Planning Department. Once the application is complete, the Planning Department shall schedule the appeal for consideration at a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Department and the administrative officer from whom the appeal is taken shall transmit to the Zoning Board of Adjustment all applications and other records pertaining to such appeal. The application shall be filed no later than 30 days after the date of the contested action.
LDO § 3.21.
LDO Chapter 3 is the general provision for appeals as it plainly states that “[a]ny order, requirement, permit, decision, determination, refusal, or interpretation made by any administrative officer in interpreting and/or enforcing the provisions of this Ordinance may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, unless otherwise provided in this Ordinance.” LDO § 3.21.2 (emphasis added). LDO Chapter 9 specifically provides otherwise as it directs that certain appeals be handled pursuant to LDO Chapter 11. See LDO § 9.13. LDO Chapter 10 does not “otherwise provide []” for an alternative route to appeal, and thus LDO Chapter 3 controls. LDO § 3.21.2.
LDO § 3.21.3 requires that “application shall be filed no later than 30 days after the date of the contested action.” LDO 3.21.3(B). The LDO does not define “contested action[,]” and thus we must consider its plain meaning. In re R.L.C., 361 N.C. 287, 292, 643 S.E.2d 920, 923 (“When the language of a statute is clear and without ambiguity, it is
III. Civil Penalties
Because the trial court found Fairway’s appeal regarding the sign’s compliance to be timely, it ultimately addressed this case on the merits and agreed with Fairway; this resulted in the conclusion that no civil penalties should be assessed against Fairway. As we have concluded that Fairway did not timely appeal the issue of the sign’s compliance, we remand for the trial court to reconsider the issue of civil penalties in light of our opinion.
IV. Unlisted Use
Lastly, the trial court determined that Fairway’s sign should be approved as an “unlisted use” pursuant to LDO § 12.2.1 which provides in pertinent part, “Where a particular use category or use type is not specifically allowed under this Ordinance, the Planning Director may permit the use category or type upon a finding that the criteria of subsection (2) below are met.” LDO § 12.3.1(C)(1). In its memorandum of decision the trial court engages in a lengthy analysis of the relevant provisions to explain why an “unlisted use” should
V. Conclusion
We reverse that portion of the order and judgment determining that Fairway’s appeal regarding compliance was timely, all provisions regarding the merits that were dependent on the timeliness of the appeal, and the determination that Fairway’s sign must be permitted as an “unlisted use.” We remand for further consideration of the issue of civil penalties in light of this opinion.
REVERSED in part and REMANDED in part.
. Hereinafter cited as “LDO” and the applicable provision.
. The trial court also found that “[t]he Town contends that Fairway’s Sign violated LDO § 9.4.1, characterizing Fairway’s sign as a pole sign, off-site sign, and billboard];] ” this statement is a recitation of the Town’s argument and not a finding by the trial court. The trial court did however find that LDO § 10.5.2 is the provision upon which the facts and the Town’s “first official notice” were based.