321-3 W. 47th St. Assoc., LP v Environmental Control Bd. of the City of N.Y.

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321-3 W. 47th St. Assoc., LP v Environmental Control Bd. of the City of N.Y. 2013 NY Slip Op 30670(U) April 2, 2013 Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: 102493/12 Judge: Donna M. Mills Republished from New York State Unified Court System's E-Courts Service. Search E-Courts (http://www.nycourts.gov/ecourts) for any additional information on this case. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. SCANNED ON41512013 [* 1] SLIPREME COURT OP TIIE STATE OF N PKESKNT : DONNA M. MILLS PART 58 Justice In the Mutfcr oj fheAppliccrtion o f 321-3 WElPT47~r~STREETAS~SOC:IATE,I ;, LP, INDEX No. 102 MOTIONDA Petitioner, - -against- MOTION SEQ.N o . 001 THE ENVIRONMENTAL CON I ROL BOARD 0 1 ; TIHE CITY OF N E W YOKK, Respoiidciit. -_ -- .- - -_ . M o ~ ION CALNo.- ?hc f~ollowing papcrs, numbered 1 to were rcad on this motioii PAPLKS NLJMBERED Noticc of Motioii/Order to Show Cause-hllidavits- I xhibits .... Answering Aflidavits- l-:xliibils .- -_ DECIllKD IN RCC ORDANCE WITH ATl AC HED ORL)l+K. Datcd: Chcck one: < ~~ L/ FINAI, DISPOSI I 1C)N .~ NON - 1 INAL L3 I S PIIS ITION [* 2] F o r a Judgment Under Article 7 8 o f t h e C P L l i - agdinsL UNFILED JUDGMENT - This judgment has not been entered by the Qunty Cle& T H E E N V I R O N M E N T A T , CONTROL BOARD O F rmnd notree of entry cannot be served based hermm, TO C I T Y OF NLW YOKK, &hin entry, aounsei or authorizd r e p r m w e in md the Juclgmerpt e w s Desk ( 149B). R e sporlcle n t . HON. DONNA M , MILLS, J S C , : P e t i t l o n e r , 321-3 West 47 i;l.reet A s s o c i a t e s , T,P, b r i n g s I.his proceedi nq, p u r s u a n t t o CPLR arti clc 1 8 p r o c e e d i rig, t o s e t a s i d e an Order D e n y i n g t h c Requcst Lor a New I I e a r i n y A f t e r F a i l u r e i o Appear (Vdcating I ; DefauI.t), d d a t e d February 2 4 , 2012, o f respondent T h c E r i v i r o n m e n t a l C o n t r o l B o a r d o f t h e C i t y o f N e w York ( E C B ) . Respondent cross-moves t o d i s m i s s t h e p c t i l . ion. BACKGROUND P e t - i t i n n c r is a d o m e s t i c l i m i t e d p a r t r i e r s h i p w i t h i t . s p r i n c j - p a l p1.ace o f business i n N e w Y o r k . F e . t k - t i o n e r owns a b u i l d i n g l o c a t e d a t . 3 2 3 West: 4 7 S t r e e t , N e w Y o r k , \\ s u b j e c t p x - e m i s e s ). N e w York (the S t a t e m e n t s f r o m Lhe N e w York C i t y DeparI:rncnt. o f F.iriance l i s t s p e t - i t - i o n e r s address as \\c/oB i g A p p l e Management, P.O. Box 20213, G r c c l e y Sq. S t d t - i o n , N e w York, New York, 1000:l. (see Not o f P e t i t i o n , Exli 9 ) . In a d d l i t - i o n , [* 3] pel:itiorier j..s r e g i s t e r e d w i t h t h e N c w York Cit.y Department o f Housing P r e s e r v a t i o n a n d Development. ( HPD ) u s i n g t-the address c:/c) B i g A p p l e Management, of Petition, Exh 8 ) 3 4 7 k i f t . h Avenue, N e w York (see Not * On October 11, 2 0 1 1 , a N e w York C i t y Department of B u i l d i n g s ( DO, ) I n s p e c t o r i s s u e d Notice o f V i o l a t i o n ( NOV ) number 34924010P ( NOV l 0 P ) t o p e t i t i o n e r f o r o c c u p y i n g a p a r t m e n t s 313 arid 4 B i n 1.he subject premises c o n t r a r y t o t h e e x i s t i r - i y c e r t i f i c a t e of occupancy, i n violation o f 5 2 8 - 1 1 8 . 3 . 2 o f t h e New York C i t y B u i . I d i n g Code ( A d m i n i s t . r a t i v e Code of t h e C i t y o f N Y [ A d r n i n i ~ s t r a t i v cCode ] S28-118.3.2). Specifically, the DOB I n s p e c t o r n o t e d that: apartmer1t.s 3B arid 4 B i n t h e s u b j e c t p r e m i s e s were o c c u p i e d a,s a transient hotel.. DOB r e p o r t e d l y a l s o i s s u e d e i g h t o t h e r N O V s , specifically NOVs 34924911.R ( NOV 1 1 R ) , 349240122 ( NOV 122 ) ( N O V 13K ), 34924014M ( N O V 1 4 M ) , 34924013K 34924015Y ( NOV 15Y ), 3 4 9 2 4 0 1 6 X ( N O V 16X ) , 34924017H ( NOV 17H ) I and 34924018J ( NOV 18J ), t o p c t i t . i o n e r on t h e same day. T h e A f f i . d a v i t s of S e r v i c e f o r t . h e NOV 1 O P s t . a t e t - h a t the p r o c e s s server used a l t e r n a t e mct.hod o f s c r v i c e , p u r s u a n t . t o NV C i t y C h a r t e r 51049-a ( d ) ( 2 ) , a f t e r a reasonab1.F: a t t e m p t t o e f f e c t u a i _ e s e r v i c e upon t h e p r o p e r t y owner o x r e s p o n s i b l e p a r t y proved unsuccessful. (Not. o f Cross M n t I Exh B ) . Specifically, the A f f i d a v i t s o f S e r v i c e state t h a t t h e p r o c e s s s e r v e r (1) p o s t e d a c o p y of NOV 10s o n t h e f r o n t e n t . r y d o o r of t h e s u b j e c t p r e m i s e s 2 [* 4] on O c t o b e r 11., 2 0 1 2 , a n d ( 2 ) m a i l e d c o p i e s t o p e t i t i o n e r at t h e s u b j e c t p r e m i s e s a n d a t 1 6 3 West 23:''S t r e e t , New York, N Y , ) purportedly p e t . i t i . o n e r ' s I . a s t known address (.id. . However, p e t i t i o n e r d e n i e s r e c e i v i n g NOV I.OP, a n d asserts In that the a d d r e s s t o w h i c h NOV I O P was m a i l e d i s i n c o r r e c t . . f a c t , By D e c i s i o n a n d O r d e r , d a t . e d k c e m b c r 8 , 2011, a f t e r a h c a r i n g , E C B dismissed f o r i m p r o p e r s e r v i c e seven other v i , n l a t i o n s t h a t had b e e n mailed t o p c t i . i : i o n e r a t 1 6 3 West 23"' S t r e e t , N e w York, N Y (Dcc 6 O r d e r , Not of Cross Mot, E x h 3 ) . P e t i t i o n e r f - u r t h e r s t a t . e s t.hat. on November 1 4 , 2 0 1 1 , I it r e l ; . r i c v e d t - h e o t . h e r e i g h t v i o l a t i o n s .tihat had been al.l c g e d l y a f f i x e d t.o , t h e s u b j e c t p r e m i s e s , but t h a t it never r e c e i v e d a n y o f t h e v i olati.ons b y mail.. 'The e i g h t NOVs, a s w e l l a s NOV lOP, d i r e c t e d p e t i L i . o n e r t o appear a t a h e a r i n g a'(: ECB on December 1, 201I, a t 8:30 A . M . , answer and defend t h e a l l c y a t . i o n s therciin. to P e t i t i o n c r appeared f o r Lhe s c h e d u l e d h e a r i n g on e i g h t 01 t h e v i o l a t - i o n s , buh f a i l e d t o a p p e a r for NOV 1OP. On December 6 , 2011, ECB i s s u e d a d e f - a u l t o r d c r a g a i n s t p e t : i t i o n c r for NOV 10P arid i m p o s e d a default p e n a l t y of $ 1 2 , 0 0 0 . On February 22, 2012, p e t i t i o n e r r e q u e s t e d a new h e a r i n g , e s s e n t i a l .ly asserting t h a t . i t d i d not r e c e i v e t h e p o s t - i n c j or r r i a i l i n g for- N O V 1 O P (see Not. o f C r o s s Mot., Exh D ) d e t c r r r i i n a t i o r , dated Fel2ruau.y 2 4 , . By f i n a l 20.12, E C B d e n i e d p e tr:i t i o n e r ' s r e q u e s t f o r a new h e a r i n g after a default o n the g r o u n d t h a t "[a] 3 [* 5] r e q u e s t for- a hearing a f t e r a f a i l u r e t o a p p e a r w i l l only be . g r a n t e d i..f t h e f a i l u r e t o a p p e a r w a s for a r e a s o n l i s t e d i n ECB s rulcs ... [ a n d p e t i t i o n e r s ] r e a s o n f o r not, appearing i s not l i s t e d i n ECR s r u l e s (Nat. o f C:ross Mot., E x h E ) a l s o d i . r e c t e d p e t i t i o n e r t.o p a y t h e $ 1 2 , 0 0 0 p e n a l t y P e t i t i o n e r p a i d t h e p e n a l t y by Check No. The l e t t e r (id.). 1 2 9 7 , d a t e d March 23, 2 0 1 2 (Not of Cross Mot, Exh F ) , and commenced t h i s C P L R a r t i c l e 78 proceeding. The p e t i t . i o n seek:; a n o r d e r vacating a n d a n n u l l i n g , a s a r b i t r a r y a n d c a p r i c i o u s , ECB s d e t e r m i n a t i o n , dated February 24, 2 0 1 2 , w h i c h denied p e t i t i o n e r s request. f o r a new h e a r i n g a f t e r a d e f a u l t o n NOV 1.OP. P e t i t i o n e r also c h a l l e n g c d s e r v i c e of t h e o t h e r e i g h t NOVs, b u t h a v e s i n c e w i t h d r a w n t h o s e c h a l l e n g e s a s t - h v s e N O V s a r e p e n d i n g b e f o r e ECB s Appeals Board and a r e n o t y e t r i p e f o r j u d i c j a l r e v i e w . ECB s c c k s t o d i s m i s s t h e pe-ti.ti.on f o r f a i l u r e Lo s t a t e a cause of a c t . i o n , on t h e g r o u n d t h a t p e t - i t i o n e r waj-ved a n y r i g h t t o c h a l 1.enye the F e b r u a r y 2 4 , 2 0 1 2 d e t e r m i n a t i o n b y p a y i n g t h e $12,000 penalty. DISCUSSION The o n l y question k h a t may be r a i s e d i n a p r o c e e d i n g under- CPLK 7808(3) i s w h e t h e r a d e t e r m i n a t i o n was made i n v i o l . a t i o n of l a w f u l p r o c e d u r e , was a f f e c t e d b y a n error of law o r was a r b i t r a r y a n d c a p r i c i o u s or a n a b u s e o f d i s c r e t i o n ... . the a r b i t r a r y a n d capricious test chief 1 y relates t o whet.helr a p a r t i c u l . a r a c t i o n s h o u l d h a v e b e e n t a k e n o r js j u s L i f i e d , a n d 4 [* 6] w h e t h e r t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a c t i . o n i s wi t h o i i t f o u n d a t i o n i n f - a c t (MatLer o f P d 1 v Bioaru of E d i i c . of Union Free School D i s t . Nu. 1 of T o w n s of S c a . r - - s d a l e & Mdmarorieck, Westchester C o u n t y , 34 N Y 2 d 222, 231 [1974]). A r b i t r a r y a c t i o n i s w i t h o u t s o u n d basis in r e a s o n a n d i s genera.1J.y t a k e n w i t h o u t r e g a r d t o t,he f a c t s ( i d . 1 . The p r o p e r test. i s whether- there i s a r a t i o n a l . b a s i s f o r t h e ) a t l r n i n i s t r - a L i v e o r d e r (id. . P e t j , t i o n e r e s s e n t i . a l . 3y a r - y u e s k h a t the d e t e r m i n a t i o n d e n y i n g i t s r e q u e s t f o r a new h e a r i n g was a r b i t r a r y a n d c a p r i c i o u s s i n c e p e t i t i o n e r w a s n o t p r o p e r l y s e r v e d wilrh NOV 10P. S e c t i o n 1049-3 o f t h e N e w York C i t y C h a r t e r p e r m i t s a l t e r n a t i v e s e r v i c e 01 N O V s of m a t t e r s o v e r s e e n b y ECB b y (1) a f f i x i n g NOVs i n a c o n s p i c u o u s p l a c e t.o the p r e m i s e s w h e r e the v i . o l a t i o n o c c u r r e d ( s e e N Y C i t y C h a r t e r 51049-a[d] [ 2 ] [a] [ i i ] ,a n d (2) rriailiny a c o p y of t h e NOV to the s u b j e c t premises a n d to t h e a d d r e s s f i . l e d w i t h H P D ( N Y C i t y C h a r t e r 51.049-a [ d ] [ 2 ] [b]) e H e r e , the subrriissioris s u p p o r t a f i n d i n g t h a t the N Y C h a r t e r p r o v i s i o n s f o r a l t e r n a t i v e s e r v i c e of t . h e NOV -1 OP on p e t i t i o n e r w e r e n o t met since t h e NOV was r n a i l e d t o a n a d d r e s s other t h a n t h e on(3 f i l e d wit,h H P D . A s s u c h , NOV 10P :1;hould h a v e granted p e t i t i o r i e r s request f o r a new h e a r i r i g . i he a s s e r t i o n I - h a t p e t - i t i o n e r s payment o f t . h e d e f a u l t p e n a l t y b a r s [:his p r o c e e d i n g l a c k s m e r i t . Pctit,ioner- notes that. i I.: p a i d t h e default p e n a l t y t o c o r n p l y with t h e r e q u i r e m e n t.s l o r 5 [* 7] appeal in Title 48, 5 3 - 7 3 , of the Kulcs of t.he City of New York That. p r o v i s i o r i s t a L e s , in part: No appeal by a respondent shall be permitted unless within 20 days of -the mailing of the hearing officer' s recommended decision and order the civil penalty imposed by said o r d e r is pah.d or the respondent shall have posted a c a s h or recognized surety bond in the f u l l amount imposed by t.he deci si on arid order appealed from (48 RCNY 3-73) . Furthermore, contrary to respondent,' assertion, s 48 RCNY ?-82(f) expressly permits rcview (11a denial of d request for a new hearing, pursuant to Article 78 of t h e New Y o r k Civil PracLice Laws arid Rules. Accordingly it is A D J U D G E D t h a t the petition is g r a n t e d zis follows: The determination of r e s p o n d e n t Enviroiimcnta.1.C o n t r o l B o a r d o f t h e C i t y o f New Y o r k , d a t e d Febw'uary 24, 2012, is vacated arid annulled and pet.itioner is grant-ed a new hearing after. iailure to r/.//3 appear on Violation Number 34924010P. Dated: ENTER : J , S . C.

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