Massian v. Bd. of Zoning Appeals of the Town of Brookhaven

210 A.D.3d 984

179 N.Y.S.3d 142

In the Matter of William MASSIAN, et al., appellants,

v.BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS OF the TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, respondent.

2020–03985

Index No. 617730/19

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.

Argued—October 13, 2022

November 23, 2022

Sahn Ward Coshignano PLLC, Uniondale, NY (Christian Browne of counsel), for appellants.

Annette Eaderesto, Town Attorney, Farmingville, NY (John W. Doyle of counsel), for respondent.

COLLEEN D. DUFFY, J.P., JOSEPH J. MALTESE, PAUL WOOTEN, LILLIAN WAN, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

In a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 to review a determination of the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Town of Brookhaven, dated November 20, 2019, which, after a hearing, denied the petitioners’ application for certain variances, the petitioners appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Roy S. Mahon, J.), entered May 18, 2020. The judgment denied the petition and, in effect, dismissed the proceeding.

ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.

In August 2019, the petitioners applied to the respondent, Board of Zoning Appeals of the Town of Brookhaven (hereinafter the BZA), for certain variances that would permit them to build a single-family dwelling on a substandard lot in the Town of Brookhaven. After a public hearing, the BZA denied the petitioners’ application.

The petitioners thereafter commenced this proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 to review the BZA's determination. The Supreme Court denied the petition and, in effect, dismissed the proceeding. The petitioners appeal.

"Local zoning boards have broad discretion in considering applications for variances, and judicial review is limited to determining whether the action taken by the board was illegal, arbitrary or an abuse of discretion" ( Matter of Ifrah v. Utschig, 98 N.Y.2d 304, 308, 746 N.Y.S.2d 667, 774 N.E.2d 732 ; see Matter of Zapson v Zoning Bd. of Appeals of the City of Long Beach, 193 A.D.3d 948, 948, 142 N.Y.S.3d 844 ). " ‘The determination of a local zoning board is entitled to great deference, and will be set aside only if it is illegal, arbitrary and capricious, or irrational’ " ( Matter of Grosso v. DeChance, 205 A.D.3d 1026, 1027, 166 N.Y.S.3d 888, quoting Matter of Affordable Homes of Long Is., LLC v Monteverde, 128 A.D.3d 1060, 1061, 10 N.Y.S.3d 283 [internal quotation marks omitted]). "Thus, a zoning board's determination should be sustained on judicial review if it has a rational basis and is supported by evidence in the record" ( Matter of Nataro v. DeChance, 149 A.D.3d 1081, 1082, 53 N.Y.S.3d 156 ).

"When a zoning board of appeals makes a determination of whether to grant an area variance to an applicant, the zoning board is required to engage in a balancing test, weighing the benefit of the grant to the applicant against the detriment to the health, safety, and welfare of the neighborhood or community if the variance is granted" ( Matter of Morris Motel, LLC v. DeChance, 199 A.D.3d 687, 688, 153 N.Y.S.3d 897 ; see Matter of Sasso v. Osgood, 86 N.Y.2d 374, 384, 633 N.Y.S.2d 259, 657 N.E.2d 254 ). " ‘The Board must consider whether (1) an undesirable change will be produced in the character of the neighborhood or a detriment to nearby properties will result by the granting of the area variance, (2) the benefit sought by the applicant can be achieved by some feasible method other than an area variance, (3) the requested area variance is substantial, (4) the proposed variance will adversely impact the physical or environmental conditions in the neighborhood if it is granted, and (5) the alleged difficulty was self-created’ " ( Matter of Grosso v. DeChance, 205 A.D.3d at 1027–1028, 166 N.Y.S.3d 888, quoting Matter of Blandeburgo v Zoning Bd. of Appeals of Town of Islip, 110 A.D.3d 876, 877–878, 972 N.Y.S.2d 693 ; see Town Law § 267–b[3][b] ). In applying the balancing test, the zoning board is " ‘not required to justify its determination with supporting evidence with respect to each of the five factors, so long as its ultimate determination balancing the relevant considerations was rational’ " ( Matter of Genser v Board of Zoning & Appeals of Town of N. Hempstead, 65 A.D.3d 1144, 1147, 885 N.Y.S.2d 327, quoting Matter of Merlotto v Town of Patterson Zoning Bd. of Appeals, 43 A.D.3d 926, 929, 841 N.Y.S.2d 650 ).

Here, the BZA engaged in the required balancing test, and its conclusion that the detriment to the surrounding neighborhood posed by granting the...