Wal-mart Stores & Clc Associates, Respondent V. Clark County Et Al, Appellant - includes an Order
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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
DIVISION II
WAL-MART STORES, INC., and CLC
ASSOCIATES,
Respondent,
No. 38241-5-II
v.
ORDER CORRECTING CAPTION
CLARK COUNTY,
Appellant,
RP NORTHWEST PROPERTIES and
FAIRGROUNDS NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION,
Additional Parties.
The unpublished opinion for this appeal was filed on January 26, 2010. Due to an
inadvertent error, the parties were incorrectly designated in the caption of the opinion. The
caption of this court’s opinion is corrected in this case to reflect that the respondent is WALMART STORES, INC., and CLC ASSOCIATES, and the appellant is CLARK COUNTY.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED this _________ day of April, 2010.
Van Deren, C.J.
No. 38241-5-II
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
DIVISION II
WAL-MART STORES, INC., and CLC
ASSOCIATES,
Appellants,
No. 38241-5-II
v.
UNPUBLISHED OPINION
CLARK COUNTY,
Respondent,
RP NORTHWEST PROPERTIES and
FAIRGROUNDS NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION,
Additional Parties.
Van Deren, C.J. — Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and CLC Associates (collectively, Wal-Mart)
argue that the Clark County Board of Commissioners (Board) violated the land use petition act
(LUPA)1 in reversing the hearings examiner’s decision conditionally approving a preliminary site
plan. Clark County (County) seeks to uphold the Board’s decision.2 We hold that the Board
1
Chapter 36.70C RCW.
2
Initially, the County appealed the superior court’s order reversing the Board’s determination that
the hearings examiner’s decision was erroneous. Because LUPA places the burden of proof on
the land use petitioner, we ordered the parties to submit briefs in accord with the statutory
allocation of burdens on appeal. See former RCW 36.70C.130 (1995); Pinecrest Homeowners
Ass’n v. Glen A. Cloninger & Assocs., 151 Wn.2d 279, 288, 87 P.3d 1176 (2004). Although the
County appealed this case, we stand in the shoes of the superior court and Wal-Mart, as the
2
No. 38241-5-II
erred by failing to follow the County’s prescribed processes for reversing the hearings examiner.
Therefore, we remand with instructions to reinstate the hearings examiner’s decision, which
specifies the issues that Wal-Mart must address before receiving final site plan approval.
FACTS
In August 2005, Wal-Mart sought approval from the County for the development of a WalMart retail store at the 12.2 acre Salmon Creek Commercial Center site in unincorporated Clark
County. The project site “is located south of NE 134th Street, north of NE 129th Street, and
west of NE 27th Avenue.” Admin. Record (AR) at 2432. The Water’s Edge Condominium
(Condominium) property is located near the northeast corner of the site. Wal-Mart accompanied
its application for preliminary site plan approval with various supporting materials, including a
preliminary stormwater design report and plan, a traffic study, and a request to modify the road.
The County approved Wal-Mart’s preliminary site plan.
The Fairgrounds Neighborhood Association (FNA) appealed the County’s decision.
FNA’s appeal raised issues regarding the project’s potential stormwater and traffic impacts.3 The
hearings examiner issued a 48 page decision, or final order, conditionally approving Wal-Mart’s
preliminary site plan.
FNA appealed the hearings examiner’s final order to the Board, raising issues of
stormwater adequacy and traffic safety. The Board remanded the matter back to the hearings
examiner to apply the proper evidentiary standard and for additional, specific factual findings.
LUPA petitioner, has the burden of proof before our court. See Pinecrest Homeowners Ass’n,
151 Wn.2d at 288. Therefore, after ordering supplemental briefing, we received Wal-Mart’s
opening brief of respondents, the County’s responsive brief of appellant, and Wal-Mart’s reply
brief of respondents. The LUPA statute creates this confusing alignment of the parties.
3
The appeal also addressed additional issues not before us.
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No. 38241-5-II
After considering additional briefing on remand, the hearings examiner issued a second
final order conditionally approving the preliminary site plan. The decision provided extensive
findings, decision, and conditions on all issues and approval criteria raised in the course of the
application.
FNA appealed this final order to the Board. The three member Board adopted Resolution
No. 2007-10-14, reversing the hearings examiner’s final order, based on the stormwater and road
modification issues:
Stormwater: The Examiner erred in approving a preliminary stormwater
plan which proposed use of an existing stormwater line to which the Applicant
failed to establish right of use. Although located within a public stormwater
easement the Examiner found that such line was privately owned. Such finding is
amply supported by substantial evidence in the record; the Examiner’s conflicting
finding that the Applicant has a right to use such line is not supported by
substantial evidence in the record. Nor can this issue be remedied by an alternative
conveyance system being substituted in a final stormwater plan given code
limitations prohibiting substantial changes to a stormwater plan. See [former Clark
County Code (CCC)] 40.380.060(C)(2)(h)(2) [(2004)];[4] [former CCC]
40.380.060(F)(2) [(2004)].[5] (Commissioners Morris and Stuart concur.)
4
For simplicity, we refer to the Clark County Code as “CCC” throughout this opinion, adopting
the same characterization given by the parties, hearings examiner, and Board. Former CCC
40.380.060(C)(2)(h)(2) provides, in part: “To insure [sic] adequate public review and avoid
multiple reviews of preliminary plans by county staff, the preliminary stormwater plan shall not be
significantly modified after public notice of the final SEPA determination without issuance of a
new SEPA determination.”
5
Former CCC 40.380.060(F)(2) provides:
Final development plans shall be consistent with the preliminary stormwater plan.
Final development plans may be combined with the final engineering plans. In
addition to the information required of preliminary development plans, the
following information is required:
a.
Delineate sub-basins and show sub-basin acreage used in
hydraulic/hydrologic calculations both on-site and off-site that contribute surface
runoff;
b.
Show directions and lengths of overland, pipe and channel flow;
c.
Indicated outfall points and overflow routes for the one hundred
(100) year storm;
d.
Show storage volumes, pipe and weir invert elevations, and lengths
4
No. 38241-5-II
Road Modification: Given his findings regarding the unsafe traffic
conditions along Rockwell Road, which findings are amply supported by
substantial evidence in the record, the Examiner committed clear error in
approving a road modification allowing placement of a nonconforming deliveryonly driveway on such street which will exasperate [sic] already unsafe conditions.
Such error is not cured by the condition imposed by the examiner requiring
potential relocation of the driveway when traffic levels on Rockwell Road increase.
(Commissioners Boldt, Morris and Stuart concur.) [6]
Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 51-53 (formatting omitted) (footnote added). The Board members
unanimously agreed on the second ground only.
Wal-Mart filed its LUPA petition for review in the Cowlitz County7 superior court,
seeking reversal of the Board’s decision and reinstatement of the hearings examiner’s final order.
The trial court agreed, concluding that the Board’s “land use decision is based on erroneous
interpretations of law, clearly erroneous applications of the law to the facts, and is not supported
by substantial evidence.” CP at 239.
The County appeals.
of weir for stormwater control facilities; and
e.
The director may require additional site or vicinity information if
needed to determine the feasibility of the stormwater proposal.
6
The Board also stated a third ground for reversal: “Submittal requirements: The Examiner
committed error of law in waiving a code requirement that certain engineering submittals be
stamped by an engineer. (Commissioners Boldt and Stuart concur.)” Clerk’s Papers at 53
(emphasis omitted). But Wal-Mart cured this problem before the hearings examiner’s final
decision, and the County cannot seriously contend that this ground constituted a sufficient
explanation for reversing the hearings examiner.
7
A party may commence any action against a county in that county or in either of the two nearest
judicial districts. RCW 36.01.050(1). Here, Cowlitz County borders Clark County to the north.
5
No. 38241-5-II
ANALYSIS
I.
Standard of Review
LUPA governs judicial review of Washington land use decisions. HJS Dev., Inc. v. Pierce
County, 148 Wn.2d 451, 467, 61 P.3d 1141 (2003). We review the factual record before the
Board and its decision, as it is the local jurisdiction’s body with the highest level of authority to
make a land use determination. See former RCW 36.70C.020(1) (1995); Pinecrest Homeowners
Ass’n v. Glen A. Cloninger & Assocs., 151 Wn.2d 279, 288, 87 P.3d 1176 (2004); HJS Dev.,
Inc., 148 Wn.2d at 468; J.L. Storedahl & Sons, Inc. v. Cowlitz County, 125 Wn. App. 1, 6, 103
P.3d 802 (2004). Because the Board did not make or reverse any of the findings of fact, the
findings were binding on the Board and are verities on appeal. See J.L. Storedahl & Sons, Inc. v.
Clark County, 143 Wn. App. 920, 933, 180 P.3d 848, review denied, 164 Wn.2d 1031 (2008).
Wal-Mart, as the LUPA petitioner, continues to carry the burden of establishing that the
Board erred under at least one of LUPA’s six standards of review. See Pinecrest Homeowners
Ass’n., 151 Wn.2d at 288. These standards are:
(a) The body or officer that made the land use decision engaged in unlawful
procedure or failed to follow a prescribed process, unless the error was harmless;
(b) The land use decision is an erroneous interpretation of the law, after
allowing for such deference as is due the construction of a law by a local
jurisdiction with expertise;
(c) The land use decision is not supported by evidence that is substantial
when viewed in light of the whole record before the court;
(d) The land use decision is a clearly erroneous application of the law to
the facts;
(e) The land use decision is outside the authority or jurisdiction of the body
or officer making the decision; or
(f) The land use decision violates the constitutional rights of the party
seeking relief.
Former RCW 36.70C.130(1) (1995). Standard (a) presents a legal question that we review de
novo. Cingular Wireless, L.L.C. v. Thurston
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No. 38241-5-II
County, 131 Wn. App. 756, 768, 129 P.3d 300 (2006).
II.
Failure to Follow Prescribed Processes
Wal-Mart argues that the Board failed to comply with the county code requirement that
the Board issue adequate findings of fact when reversing or modifying a hearings examiner’s
decision. The County concedes that the Board issued no findings but claims that its conclusions
nevertheless satisfied LUPA, which does not require findings. We agree with Wal-Mart.
Except for harmless error, we grant relief if the Board “engaged in unlawful procedure or
failed to follow a prescribed process.” Former RCW 36.70C.130(1)(a). Under former CCC
2.51.170 (1997), “[a] decision by the board to modify, reject or remand [the hearings examiner’s
decision] shall be supported by findings and conclusions.” Furthermore, for Type III appellate
decisions, as we have here:
If the board reverses or modifies an appealed decision, then the board shall adopt a
final order that contains:
(a) A statement of the applicable criteria and standards in this code and
other applicable law relevant to the appeal;
(b) A statement of the facts that the board finds show the appealed decision
does not comply with applicable approval criteria or development standards;
(c) The reasons for a conclusion to modify or reverse the decision; and
(d) The decision to modify or reverse the decision and, if approved, any
conditions of approval necessary to ensure the proposed development will comply
with applicable criteria and standards.
Former CCC 40.510.030(H)(3)(b)(3) (2004).8
In reversing the hearings examiner on the stormwater and road provisions in the
preliminary site plan, the Board did not state the relevant criteria, standards, or otherwise
applicable law, as required under former CCC 40.510.030(H)(3)(b)(3)(a). While the Board cited
8
We note that this language is virtually identical to the later version of the code that Wal-Mart
cited and provided to this court—CCC 40.510.030(I)(3)(b)(3).
7
No. 38241-5-II
to two ordinances, it did so without explaining how they applied here. Nor did the Board specify
facts that explained its decision, as it must under former CCC 2.51.170 and former CCC
40.510.030(H)(3)(b)(3)(b).9
In sum, the Board’s resolution reversing the hearings examiner consisted of bare
conclusions about the evidence and assertions that the hearings examiner repeatedly erred. The
Board’s failure to properly explain its decision was not harmless because it significantly hampered
our review. Therefore, we hold that the Board failed to follow its prescribed processes under
former CCC 2.51.170 and former CCC 40.510.030(H)(3)(b)(3).
In J.L. Storedahl & Sons, Inc., the same Board failed to follow the same prescribed
processes for reversing a hearings examiner’s decision. See 143 Wn. App. at 933. We reversed
and remanded with instructions to reinstate the hearings examiner’s decision and grant a rezone.
J.L. Storedahl & Sons, Inc., 143 Wn. App. at 933; see also Maranatha Mining, Inc. v. Pierce
County, 59 Wn. App. 795, 804-05, 801 P.2d 985 (1990). In doing so, we did not address the
remaining issues on appeal. J.L. Storedahl & Sons, Inc., 143 Wn. App. at 933 n.6. We do the
same here.10
9
The County also contends that any findings entered by an administrative body sitting in an
appellate capacity are surplusage and thus unnecessary. State ex rel. Lige & Wm. B. Dickson Co.
v. County of Pierce, 65 Wn. App. 614, 618, 829 P.2d 217 (1992). Here, though, the Board’s
own rules specifically required that it carefully explain its decision by specifying the findings with
which it disagreed. Former CCC 40.510.030(H)(3)(b)(3).
10
Both Wal-Mart and the County ask the panel to make legal determinations about Wal-Mart’s
ability to use the Condominium’s stormwater line and its ability to build a driveway under the
proposed plan. But this is an appeal from a preliminary stage of the approval process, so the
factual record is not fully developed. Even if we were to address Wal-Mart’s legal access to the
stormwater line, the parties provided inadequate legal authority to support their arguments, in
violation of RAP 10.3(a)(6). See Saviano v. Westport Amusements, Inc., 144 Wn. App. 72, 84,
180 P.3d 874 (2008).
8
No. 38241-5-II
The County argues that even if findings were necessary, we should remand for the Board
to enter additional findings. But here, the hearings examiner’s decision already addressed the
facts underlying Wal-Mart’s application, and the Board chose not to disagree with their facts but
merely reversed the hearings examiner’s decision. It is not clear on the record before us whether
Wal-Mart will be able to satisfactorily meet the hearings examiner’s and the County’s conditions
to achieve final approval. Thus, the hearings examiner’s decision provides the County with
significant input and control over proper development within its jurisdiction.
We affirm the trial court and remand with instructions to reinstate the hearings examiner’s
decision and for further proceedings.
A majority of the panel having determined that this opinion will not be printed in the
Washington Appellate Reports but will be filed for public record pursuant to RCW 2.06.040, it is
so ordered.
Van Deren, C. J.
We concur:
Houghton, J.
Quinn-Brintnall, J.
9
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