Court of Appeals Concludes County’s Unwillingness to Provide Zoning Requirements Documentation was Arbitrary, Capricious & Prejudicial to Waste Transfer Applicant

On July 30, 2020, the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded that a county’s refusal to issue a document indicating that no rezoning or variance would be necessary for an applicant’s operation of a proposed waste transfer station was “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.” Monster Trash, Inc. v. Owen County Council, Owen County Commissioners, and Owen County Board of Zoning Appeals. In the case, Monster Trash, Inc. applied to Indiana Department of Environmental Management for a license to operate a solid waste transfer station in Owen County. As a condition of approval, applicants are required to provide a “document from a county official confirming zoning requirements are not needed for the location of the proposed facility.” Owen County’s Board of Zoning Appeals refused to provide this document to Monster Trash, Inc., thus resulting in litigation.

Owen County had an ordinance in place that prohibited waste transfer stations, which did not allow appeals for a use variance to the Owen County Board of Zoning Appeals, however, the ordinance specifically stated that waste transfer stations are not prohibited if licensed and approved by the State of Indiana. Thus, the Court of Appeals then addressed Owen County’s refusal to provide the requested document to Monster Trash. The Court concluded “zoning requirements” were not a requirement to operate this solid waste transfer station, which resulted in its conclusion that the County’s refusal to provide the document went against its own ordinance and qualified as “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion,” pursuant to Indiana statute. Therefore, the Court determined that there was no legally justifiable reason for the County to refuse the document and its refusal prejudiced Monster Trash from obtaining a State-issued license.

James A.L. Buddenbaum is a partner of the law firm of Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP with offices in Indianapolis and Lebanon, Indiana. He advises business, utility and municipal and hospital clients in the areas of corporate compliance, corporate governance, employment, real estate, commercial transactions and regulatory law as well as representing policyholders in insurance disputes. He has 30 years of experience representing rural electric and telephone cooperatives.

The statements contained herein are matters of opinion and general information only and are not to be considered legal advice and should not be construed to form an attorney-client relationship. If you have any questions regarding this article, please contact an attorney.

 

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