home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
Text File | 1991-01-13 | 32.9 KB | 1,165 lines |
-
- Info-Hams Digest Fri, 11 Jan 91 Volume 91 : Issue 54
-
- Today's Topics:
- PRBWON
-
- Send Replies or notes for publication to: <Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu>
- Send subscription requests to: <Info-Hams-REQUEST@UCSD.Edu>
- Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu.
-
- Archives of past issues of the Info-Hams Digest are available
- (by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/info-hams".
-
- We trust that readers are intelligent enough to realize that all text
- herein consists of personal comments and does not represent the official
- policies or positions of any party. Your mileage may vary. So there.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Date: (null)
- From: (null)
- Subject: PRBWON
- This file was created by W A 8 Z H N, J.D. (Jim) MacMILLAN
- 2760 Gibson Dr. Rocky River, OH 44116
-
- NOTE: the symbol for section is not compatable in plain ascii and
- will be shown as (sect.) in 19 places
-
- NOTE: underlining is a function of hardware or software and is omitted
-
- A great effort was made to properly format and correct the
- errors made when this document after the printed copy was
- scanned into this ASCII format.
- ^L
-
-
-
- filed 90 sept 21 am11:26
- clerk U.S. court
- northern ohio district
- cleveland
-
- UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
-
- NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
-
- EASTERN DIVISION
-
- JAMES D. MacMILLAN, ) 1:87,CV 2820
- )
- Plaintiff, )
- )
- - vs - ) ORDER
- )
- CITY OF ROCKY RIVER, et al., )
- )
- Defendants. )
-
-
- Battisti, J.
-
-
- Before the court is Defendants' Motion to Dismiss and/
-
- or for Summary Judgment. Also before the court is Plaintiff's
-
- Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Counts I and III of his
-
- Complaint.
-
- Plaintiff James D. MacMillan ("MacMillan"), an amateur
-
- radio operator, licensed by the Federal Communication
-
- Commission, brings this action against the City of Rocky
-
- River, the Building Commissioner for the City of Rocky River
-
- ("Commissioner"), in his individual and official capacities,
-
- and the members of the Board or Zoning and Building Appeals
-
- of the City of Rocky River ("Board"), individually and in
-
- their official capacities, for denying, pursuant to certain
-
- City ordinances, his application to construct a thirty foot
-
- radio antenna system at his Rocky River residence. MacMillan
-
- seeks a declaratory judgment, injunctive relief and damages,
-
- based upon alleged violations of his rights under the United
-
- 1
- ^L
-
-
-
-
- States Constitution and relevant federal statutory law (1)
-
- Jurisdiction in the federal district court is predicated
-
- upon these alleged violations of the United States
-
- Constitution and federal statutory law. 28 U.S.C. (sect.)(sect.) 1331,
-
- 1337 and 1343 (1982).
-
-
-
-
- I. FACTS
-
- On or about January 20, 1987, Plaintiff applied to the
-
- City of Rocky River for a building permit to construct a
-
- thirty (30) foot antenna system at his residence on Gibson
-
- Drive in Rocky River. On June 5, 1987, the Commissioner
-
- notified the Plaintiff in writing that his application for a
-
- building permit was denied based upon three grounds. First,
-
- the Plaintiff's proposed radio tower would exceed the maximum
-
- height allowance under section 1143.10(b) of the Codified
-
- Ordinances of the City of Rocky River. Section 1143.10(b)
-
- states in relevant part that:
-
-
- "broadcasting towers, radio... antennae... may
- be erected above the height limit for the district,
- subject to the following constraints:
-
- (1) The height from the base of such
- structure, or the uppermost point at which such
- structure is attached to a building, to the top
- of such structure shall not be greater than the
- horizontal distance from the base of the
- structure to the nearest adjoining property
-
- --------------
- (1)Specifically, as an amateur radio operator, Plaintiff
- claims violations of his rights under the Communications Act
- of 1934, 47 U.S.C. (sect.) 151, et seq., and the rules and
- regulations of the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC")
- promulgated thereunder, 47 C.F.R. , Part 97.
-
- 2
- ^L
-
-
-
-
- line.
-
- Codified Ordinances of the City of Rocky River (sect.)
- 1143.10 (Ord. 59-73, Passed July 23, 1973) (1985).
-
- In addition, the Commissioner stated that Plaintiff failed to
-
- provide certain technical information necessary to reviewing
-
- the permit application. Finally, the Commissioner stated that
-
- the proposed radio tower was not necessary for the development
-
- of Plaintiff's property and would result in a substantial
-
- impairment of neighboring real estate values, thus justifying
-
- denial of the permit pursuant to section 1333.02 of the
-
- Codified Ordinance of the City of Rocky River. Section
-
- 1333.02 states that:
-
- Whenever application is made for a permit to
- construct or alter a building or structure within
- this City, and the Building Commissioner finds that
- the proposed building or structure is of such value,
- design, material or location that it will result in
- a substantial impairment or destruction of value in
- neighboring real estate, and if he further finds
- that the use of the particular design, material or
- location proposed, or substantially similar ones,
- is not reasonably essential to the development of
- the property proposed to be built or altered, the
- Building Commissioner shall refuse to issue the
- permit. He shall within five days notify the
- applicant of such refusal and the reason thereof.
-
- Codified Ordinances of the City of Rocky River
- (sect.)1333.02 (Ord. 3077, passed November 14,
- 1955) (1985).
-
- Plaintiff appealed this determination to the Board. On
-
- or about August 13, 1987, the Board approved the
-
- Commissioner's decision to refuse Plaintiff's application for
-
- a building permit.
-
-
- 3
- ^L
-
-
- On or about August 27, 1987 Plaintiff appealed the
-
- Board's decision to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas,
-
- pursuant to Ohio Rev. Code Ann. (sect.) 2506.01 (Anderson 1981 &
-
- Supp. 1989).(2) See James D. Macmillan, et al. v. the City of
-
- Rocky River, Ohio, et al. , Case No. 135089. On or about
-
- October 6, 1987, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Enlargement of
-
- Time with the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas,
-
- requesting an extension until October 27, 1987, to file a Brief
-
- in Support of his Appeal. On or about October 27, 1987,
-
- Plaintiff filed a Motion to Stay Proceedings in that Appeal.
-
- On November 9, 1987, Defendants filed a Brief in Opposition
-
- to Plaintiff's Motion to Stay Proceedings in the Court of
-
- Common Pleas. Apparently, Plaintiff has, to date, filed no
-
- brief in support of his appeal in the court of common pleas.
-
- On October 27, 1987, the same day Plaintiff filed his
-
- motion to stay proceedings in the court of common pleas,
-
- Plaintiff also filed the complaint in the instant case in
-
- federal court.
-
- The complaint alleges six claims against the City, the
-
- Commissioner and the Board:
-
-
- -----------------
- (2) (sect.) 2506.01 states that:
-
- Every... decision of any... board... or any
- political subdivision of the state may be reviewed by the
- common pleas court of the county in which the principal
- office of the political subdivision is located...
-
-
-
-
-
-
- 4
- ^L
-
-
-
-
- Count I --- Sections 1331.01, 1333.02, and 1143.11(b) of
-
- the City Ordinances contravene federal law on their face and
-
- as applied to Plaintiff, thereby violating Art. VI (sect.) 2 of the
-
- United States Constitution.
-
- Count II --- Sections 1331.01, 1333.02, and 1143.11(b)
-
- are unconstitutional on their face and as applied, in that
-
- they unreasonably burden radio communications and interstate
-
- commerce, thereby violating Art. I (sect.) 8.
-
- Count III --- sections 1331.01, 1333.02, and 1143.11(b)
-
- are impermissibly vague and overbroad, thereby violating the
-
- First and Fourteenth Amendments. In addition, Defendants
-
- failure to promulgate reasonable rules relating to the grant
-
- of permits deprives Plaintiff of equal protection and due
-
- process, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
-
- Count IV --- Sections 1331.01, 1333.02, and 1143.11(b)
-
- are void and unconstitutional on their face and as applied
-
- insofar as they constitute an invalid exercise of state police
-
- power.
-
- Count V --- sections 1331.01, 1333.02, and 1143.11(b) are
-
- void and unconstitutional on their face and as applied in that
-
- they deprive Plaintiff of equal protection in the exercise of
-
- his constitutional rights, guaranteed by the Fourteenth
-
- Amendment.
-
- Count VI --- Defendant commissioner and Board members
-
- conspired to and did, under color of State law, deny plaintiff
-
- his constitutional right to a fair hearing and of his rights
-
-
- 5
- ^L
-
-
-
-
- and privileges under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and
-
- by statute.
-
- Plaintiff seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, as
-
- well as damages. The suit names as defendants the City of
-
- Rocky River, the Commissioner in his official and individual
-
- capacity, and the Board members in their official and
-
- individual capacities.
-
- Defendants argue that the court should invoke the
-
- doctrine of abstention and decline to exercise jurisdiction.
-
- Alternatively, Defendants argue that Plaintiff's complaint
-
- should be dismissed in its entirety for failure to state a
-
- claim upon which relief can be granted, and/ or Defendants
-
- should be awarded summary judgement as a matter of law.
-
- Defendants also argue that the Commissioner and the Board
-
- members are protected from civil liability by qualified
-
- immunity, and therefore, the complaint against them in their
-
- individual capacity should be dismissed. Finally, Defendants
-
- argue that the Board members are not proper parties to the
-
- lawsuit, and thus, the court should dismiss all claims alleged
-
- against the members of the Board in their official capacity.
-
- Plaintiff has moved for partial summary judgement on
-
- counts I and III.
-
-
- II. ABSTENTION
-
- The court finds no reason to abstain in the instant case.
-
- Noting that "[a]bstention from the exercise of federal
-
- 6
- ^L
-
-
- jurisdiction is the exception, not the rule," Colorado River
-
- Water Conservation Dist. v. United States, 424 U.S. 800, 813
-
- (1976) and that absent "exceptional circumstances," County of
-
- Alleqheny v. Frank Mashuda Co. , 360 U.S. 185, 189 (1959),
-
- federal courts have "the virtually unflagging obligation..
-
- . to exercise the jurisdiction given them, " Colorado River,
-
- 424 U.S. at 817, the Supreme Court has confined the
-
- circumstances appropriate for abstention to three general
-
- categories: (1) those that present "a federal constitutional
-
- issue which might be mooted or presented in a different
-
- posture by a state court determination of pertinent state law"
-
- ("Pullman" abstention) ; (2) those that present "difficult
-
- questions of state law bearing on policy problems of
-
- substantial public import whose importance transcends the
-
- result in the case then at bar" ("Burford" abstention) ; and,
-
- (3) those in which "absent bad faith, harassment, or patently
-
- invalid state statute, federal jurisdiction has been invoked
-
- for the purpose of restraining state criminal proceedings"
-
- ("Younqer" abstention). Colorado River, 424 U.S. at 815-816.
-
- Defendants' brief argues that this court should abstain
-
- from ruling on Plaintiff's constitutional allegations under
-
- the Pullman line of cases. This argument, however,
-
- demonstrates a misunderstanding of the nature of that
-
- doctrine. Defendants claim that this court should withhold
-
- judgement until the Ohio courts have an opportunity to rule
-
- on the preemptive effect of the Federal Communications
-
- 7
- ^L
-
-
- Commission's Memorandum Opinion and Order In the Matter of
-
- Federal Preemption of State and Local Regulations Pertaining
-
- to Amateur Radio Facilities, 50 Fed. Reg. 38813 (adopted
-
- September 16, 1985) (hereinafter referred to as "PRB-l").
-
- While the preemptive effect of PRB-l will be discussed
-
- herein, it is enough to note at this time that preemption is
-
- not an unresolved question of state law of the type envisioned
-
- in the Pullman line of cases. Preemptive effect is, instead,
-
- a question of federal law, and thus, not a proper ground for
-
- Pullman abstention.
-
- In addition, a federal court should only abstain under
-
- the Pullman doctrine where the state statute in question is
-
- uncertain. Babbitt v. United Farm Workers National Union, 442
-
- U.S. 289, 306 (1979). In this instance, defendant has failed
-
- to indicate any way in which the relevant ordinances could be
-
- interpreted by Ohio state courts to avoid the constitutional
-
- questions raised in this action.
-
- Burford abstention is also inappropriate in this case,
-
- as the state interest in local land use policy is insufficient
-
- to overcome the strong federal interest in promoting amateur
-
- radio operations. The Supreme Court stated in the Colorado
-
- river case that "the presence of a federal basis for
-
- jurisdiction may raise the level of justification needed for
-
- abstention." 424 U.S. at 815 n.2l. In issuing PRB-l, the
-
- FCC created "a limited preemption of state and local
-
- regulations which preclude amateur communications." 50
-
- 8
- ^L
-
-
- F.Reg. 38813. PRB-l states that:
-
- The ruling is necessary so that amateurs and local
- governing bodies alike will be aware of the strong
- federal interest in promoting amateur communication.
- The effect of the ruling is to give local
- communities and amateur operators a clear statement
- of the federal interest in amateur communications.
-
- Id. (emphasis added).
-
- In addition, the ruling states that local ordinances "must be
-
- crafted to accommodate reasonably amateur communications" and
-
- to "represent the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish
-
- the local authority's legitimate purpose. " Id. at 38816.
-
- In light of this clear federal interest and the presence of
-
- at least partial preemption of local ordinances, it would be
-
- inappropriate for this court to abstain.
-
- Several other federal courts have refused to abstain
-
- in cases similar to the one at hand. In Izzo v. Borough of
-
- River Edge, 843 F.2d 765 (3rd Cir. 1988), the plaintiff, an
-
- amateur radio operator licensed by the FCC, applied to the
-
- borough planning board for a variance to construct a forty
-
- foot transmission tower at his residence. After a hearing,
-
- the board denied the variance, and the applicant filed a
-
- complaint in district court alleging constitutional violations
-
- and an invalid exercise of the borough's police power. The
-
- court stated that while " [f]ederal courts have expressly
-
- disavowed any desire to sit as a statewide board of zoning
-
- appeals hearing challenges to actions of municipalities..
-
- ., [t]he special circumstances here require that the district
-
- 9
- ^L
-
-
-
- court retain jurisdiction and adjudicate its dispute." Id.
-
- at 769. Among those "special circumstances" was that "an
-
- express, narrow, and quite specific federal provision
-
- threatens, at most, only a minimal disruption of a broad state
-
- policy." Id. See also Bodony v. Incorporated Village of
-
- Sands Point, 681 F.Supp. 1009, 1014 (E.D.N.Y. 1987) (finding
-
- abstention in such cases "inappropriate").
-
- Accordingly, abstention is not warranted in the instant
-
- case.
-
-
-
- III. STANDARD OF REVIEW
-
- Defendants argue that this action should be dismissed
-
- pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. Proc. l2(b) (6) for failure to state
-
- a claim upon which relief can be granted or alternatively that
-
- summary judgment should be granted. The court will treat
-
- Defendant's motion as one for summary judgment, as matters
-
- outside the pleadings are presented to and not excluded by
-
- the court. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12 (b). The granting of summary
-
- judgment is proper "if the pleadings, depositions, answers to
-
- interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the
-
- affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as
-
- to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a
-
- judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c) ; see
-
- Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317 (1986). In considering
-
- the propriety of a motion for summary judgment, the court must
-
- view all facts and inferences in a light most favorable to the
-
- 10
- ^L
-
-
- nonmoving party. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Blavin,
-
- 760 F.2d 706, 710 (6th Cir. 1985).
-
- "The moving party has the burden of showing the absence
-
- of genuine disputes over facts which, under the substantive
-
- law governing the issue, might affect the outcome of the
-
- action." Harris v. Adams, 873 F.2d 929, 931 (6th Cir. 1989)
-
- (citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. ., 477 U.S. 242
-
- (1986)). The nonmoving party, on the other hand, "is required
-
- to present some significant probative evidence which makes it
-
- necessary to resolve the parties' differing versions of the
-
- dispute at trial." 60 Ivy Street Corp. v. Alexander, 822 F.2d
-
- 1432, 1435 (6th Cir. 1987) (citing First Nat'l Bank of Arizona
-
- v. Cities Serv. Co., 391 U.S. 253, 288-89 (1968)). The
-
- nonmoving party must go beyond the pleadings "and by her own
-
- affidavits, or by the depositions, answers to
-
- interrogatories, and admissions on file, ' designate specific
-
- fact showing that there is a genuine issue for trial."
-
- Celotex Corp. , 477 U.S. at 324.
-
-
- III. PRECLUSION
-
- Plaintiff seeks summary judgement in this case on the
-
- ground that the local ordinances in question, both as written
-
- and applied, are preempted by PRB-l, and thus, may not be
-
- enforced without violating the Supremacy Clause of Article IV,
-
- section 2 of the United States Constitution. "Federal
-
- preemption is premised on the Supremacy Clause and
-
- 11
- ^L
-
-
- manifestation of Congressional intent to exclude state law."
-
- Bulchis v. City of Edmonds, 671 F. Supp. 1270, 1273 (W.D. Wash
-
- 1987) (citing Chicago & North Western Transportation Co. v.
-
- Kalo Brick & Tile Co., 450 U.S. 311, 317 (1981)). As
-
- "[f]ederal regulations have no less preemptive effect than
-
- federal statutes, " Fidelity Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. De La
-
- Cuesta, 458 U.S. 141, 153 (1982), the FCC has the power to
-
- preempt local ordinances which conflict with federal policies.
-
- The FCC issued PRB-l pursuant to its power to "make such rules
-
- and regulations, and issue such orders, not inconsistent with
-
- this chapter, as may be necessary in the execution of its
-
- functions. " 47 U.S.C. (sect.) 154(i).
-
- It must be noted initially that this court need not even
-
- consider the possible preemption of (sect.) 1143.11(b), as it is the
-
- court's opinion that there is no violation of that ordinance
-
- as drafted. Where a "state's highest court has not spoken to
-
- the question in controversy, the federal court must discern
-
- how the state courts would respond if confronted with the
-
- question. " Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. Lawrence, Dykes,
-
- Goodenberger, Bower & Clancy, 740 F.2d 1362, 1365 (6th Cir.
-
- 1984). Neither party has identified any instance in which the
-
- Supreme Court of Ohio has had the opportunity to interpret
-
- (sect.) 1143.11(b). Certainly, defendant has shown no state court
-
- support for the Commissioner's interpretation of the
-
- ordinance. See Deposition of Kevin Beirne, at 78-83. "Under
-
- Ohio law, " [i]t is a cardinal rule that a court must first
-
- 12
- ^L
-
-
- look to the language of the statute itself to determine the
-
- legislative intent. ... If that inquiry reveals that the
-
- statute conveys a meaning which is clear, unequivocal and
-
- definite, at that point the interpretive effort is at an end
-
- and the statute must be applied accordingly. ' " Id. at 1365
-
- (citing Provident Bank v. Wood, 36 Ohio St.2d 101, 105-06, 304
-
- N.E.2d 378 (1973)).
-
- The Sixth Circuit has also stated that in the absence of
-
- state authority, federal courts must be "guided by applicable
-
- principles of state law and by relevant decisions of other
-
- jurisdictions." Aims v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. , 731
-
- F.2d 1245 (1984). The Supreme Court of Ohio has stated:
-
- This court has long held that statutes imposing
- restrictions on the use of private property must be
- strictly construed. ... All doubts should be
- resolved in favor of the free use of private
- property rather than in favor of restrictions on
- such use.
-
- Gennari v. Andres-Tucker Funeral Home, Inc. , 21 Ohio St.
- 3d 102, 488 N.E.2d 174, 177 (1986).
-
-
- See also Pinnacle Woods Survival Game, Inc. v. Hambden
-
- Township Zoning Inspector, 33 Ohio App. 3d 139, 514 N.E.2d
-
- 906, 908 (1986) (stating that "[s]tatutes or ordinances which
-
- impose restrictions upon the use of private property will be
-
- strictly construed and their scope cannot be extended to
-
- include limitations not therein clearly proscribed") ; and
-
- Cicerella, Inc. v. Jerusalem Township Bd. of Zoning Appeals,
-
- 59 Ohio App. 2d 31, 392 N.E.2d 574, 577 (1978) (stating that
-
- "[i]n determining the permitted use of property under a zoning
-
-
- 13
- ^L
-
-
-
-
- Classification in which terms and language therein are not
-
- otherwise defined, the common and ordinary meaning of these
-
- terms and language must be considered, liberally construing
-
- the terms and language in favor of the permitted use so as not
-
- to extend the restrictions to any limitation of use not
-
- therein clearly prescribed").
-
- The plain language of the (sect.) 1143.11(b) allows for two
-
- methods of measuring antenna height. An antenna may either
-
- be measured from its base to its top, or from the uppermost
-
- point at which it is attached to a building to its top. As
-
- long as either of these measurements is shorter than the
-
- distance from the base of the antenna to the nearest adjoining
-
- property line , there is no violation of the ordinance.
-
- Plaintiff's thirty foot antenna will be attached to the
-
- building at a height of twelve feet and will be between
-
- twenty-seven and thirty feet from the nearest adjoining
-
- property line. Since there is no violation of the ordinance
-
- as drafted this court need not examine the question of
-
- preemption.
-
- The court now turns to the possible preemption of (sect.)
-
- 1333.02.(3) In issuing PRB-l, the FCC attempted to reach an
-
- Accommodation between the federal interest in regulating
-
- amateur radio operators and the state interest in regulating
-
- --------------
-
- (3) The court will not consider plaintiff's challenge
- of (sect.)1331.01. Since plaintiff appealed the decision of the
- Commissioner, he was properly before the Board regardless of
- the filing of a protest under (sect.) 1331.01.
-
- 14
- ^L
-
-
- land use. PRB-l describes the conflict as follows:
-
- Few matters coming before us present such a clear
- dichotomy of viewpoint as does the instant issue.
- The cities, counties, local communities and housing
- associations see an obligation to all of their
- citizens and try to address their concerns. This
- is accomplished through regulations, ordinances or
- covenants oriented toward the health, safety and
- general welfare of those they regulate. At the
- opposite pole are the individual amateur operators
- and their support groups who are troubled by local
- regulations which may inhibit the use of amateur
- stations or, in some instances ,totally preclude
- amateur communications.
-
- 50 Fed.Reg. at 38815.
-
- PRB-l determines that a limited preemption policy is
-
- warranted, and states:
-
- Because amateur station communications are only as
- effective as the antennas employed, antenna height
- restrictions directly affect the effectiveness of
- amateur communications. Some amateur antenna
- configurations require more substantial
- installations than others if they are to provide the
- amateur operator with the communications that he/she
- desires to engage in. . .. We will not, however
- specify any particular height limitations below
- which a local government may not regulate, nor will
- we suggest the precise language that must be
- contained in local ordinances, such as mechanisms
- for special exceptions, variances, or conditional
- use permits. Nevertheless, local regulations which
- involve placement, screening, or height of antennas
- based on health, safety, or aesthetic considerations
- must be crafted to accommodate reasonably amateur
- communications, and to represent the minimum
- practicable regulation to accomplish the local
- authority's legitimate purpose.
-
- Id. at 38816.
-
- The court concludes that (sect.) 1333.02 is not facially
-
- invalid since it provides a sufficient structure for balancing
-
- state and federal interests as required by PRB-l. By its
-
- 15
- ^L
-
-
- terms the ordinance provides for a balancing of the effect of
-
- an improvement on neighboring property values against the
-
- reasonable need for the improvement to develop the property.
-
- As interpreted by Defendant, however, reasonable need in this
-
- situation involves reasonable need for the particular antenna
-
- to carry on effective communication of the type desired. See
-
- Defendant' Brief in Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion for
-
- Partial Summary Judgement, at 16. Interpreted as such, the
-
- ordinance could be applied to give reasonable consideration
-
- to both the city's local interests and Plaintiff's federally
-
- protected interest in amateur radio operation.
-
- The court concludes, however, that the City of Rocky
-
- River did not apply the ordinance in such a way as to provide
-
- for the reasonable accommodation of amateur radio
-
- communications, and therefore, its ability to apply (sect.) 1333.02
-
- as it did in this action is preempted by PRB-l.
-
- It is only too clear from the depositions of Building
-
- commissioner Beirne and Gordon Stofer, a member of the Board
-
- of Zoning and Building Appeals, that neither the Commissioner,
-
- nor the Board had more than a cursory understanding of PRB-l
-
- and its requirements. Despite this, the City's actions might
-
- still be held legitimate if the decision making process
-
- included a reasonable accommodation of the federal
-
- government ' s interest in amateur radio communications.
-
- Evidence of such an accommodation, however, is totally
-
- lacking.
-
- 16
- ^L
-
-
- The Commissioner's letter of June 5, 1987 denying
-
- Plaintiff's application for a building permit was largely
-
- conclusory. There was no indication in the letter that the
-
- Plaintiff's needs for adequate communication had been
-
- adequately considered. This combined with the Commissioner's
-
- obvious lack of understanding of radio communications at the
-
- time of his deposition indicates that concerns over property
-
- values and neighbors protests may have predominated in the
-
- decision making process.(4) The Board ' s verbal affirmance of the
-
- Commissioner's decision, unsupported as it is by any written
-
- opinion, fails to show any attempt to accommodate federal
-
- interests. Quite simply, there is nothing in the record to
-
- indicate that federal interests in amateur radio operation
-
- were sufficiently considered, or for that matter even
-
- adequately understood, by either the Commissioner or the
-
- Board.
-
- Due to the court's holding on preemption, the plaintiff's
-
- second ground for summary judgement need not be considered.
-
- ------------------
-
- 4 The third ground for the Commissioner's denial of
- a building permit was the Plaintiff's failure to submit
- certain technical documents. While the City of Rocky River
- clearly has the right to require applicants for building
- permits to submit all necessary technical documents, the
- Plaintiff has raised the point that the Commissioner's first
- mention of some of these documents was in the letter denying
- the permit. It is somewhat unclear from the record the extent
- to which the Plaintiff met the statutory requirement for a
- permit. It is unnecessary, however, for the court to reach
- this point, since the Board's verbal affirmance of the
- Commissioner's decision was based upon the effect of the
- antenna on property values and the Plaintiff's need for the
- antenna.
-
- 17
- ^L
-
-
-
-
- The only issue remaining is that of damages.
-
-
-
-
- IV. DAMAGES
-
- Defendant claims that due to the availability of
-
- qualified immunity all claims for damages against the
-
- Commissioner and members of the Board in their individual
-
- capacities should be dismissed. The Supreme Court of the
-
- United States has recognized that "permitting damages suits
-
- against government officials can entail substantial social
-
- costs, including the risk that fear of personal monetary
-
- liability and harassing litigation will unduly inhibit
-
- officials in the discharge of their duties." Anderson v.
-
- Creighton, 483 U.S. 635, 638 (1987). In light of this danger,
-
- he Court has "generally provid[ed] government officials
-
- performing discretionary functions with a qualified immunity,
-
- shielding them from civil damages liability as long as
-
- their actions could reasonably have been thought consistent with
-
- the rights they are alleged to have violated." Id. (citing
-
- Malley v. Briggs, 475 U.S. 335, 344-45 (1986), for the
-
- proposition that "qualified immunity protects all but the
-
-
- plainly incompetent or those who knowingly violate the law ' " ).
-
- The applicability of qualified immunity turns on the
-
- "objective legal reasonableness" of the government official's
-
- action "assessed in light of the legal rules that were clearly
-
- established' at the time it was taken. " Id. (citations
-
- omitted). "On summary judgement, the judge appropriately may
-
- 18
- ^L
-
-
- determine, not only the currently applicable law, but whether
-
- that law was clearly established at the time an action
-
- occurred. If the law at that time was not clearly
-
- established, an official could not reasonably be expected to
-
- anticipate subsequent legal developments, nor could he fairly
-
- be said to know' that the law forbade conduct not previously
-
- identified as unlawful." Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800,
-
- 818 (1982) (footnote omitted).
-
- As noted previously, the case at hand turns largely on
-
- the extent to which PRB-l preempts enforcement of the local
-
- ordinances in question. While PRB-l indicated that local
-
- regulations "must be crafted to accommodate reasonably amateur
-
- communications, and to represent the minimum practicable
-
- regulation, " it also refused to "specify any particular height
-
- limitation below which a local government may not regulate"
-
- and declined to "suggest the precise language that must be
-
- contained in local ordinances." 50 Fed. Reg. at 38816.
-
- In light of this vague language, the court holds that
-
- Plaintiff's rights under PRB-l were not sufficiently clear
-
- that a reasonable government official should have known that
-
- enforcement of the ordinances in question would be violative
-
- of those rights. The conduct of the Commissioner and the
-
- members of the Board is held to be objectively reasonable,
-
- thus entitling them to qualified immunity from damages.
-
- Plaintiff is instructed to submit a brief within twenty
-
- days of the entry of this order detailing the grounds and
-
- 19
- ^L
-
-
- Basis for any further claims for monetary damages. Defendant
-
- may respond within ten days thereafter.
-
-
- IV. CONCLUSION
-
- Accordingly, Defendant's motion for summary judgement is
-
- GRANTED to the extent that (sect.) 1333. 02 and 1143. 10 (b) are held
-
- to be facially valid, and the Commissioner and members of the
-
- Board are found to have qualified immunity from damages.
-
- Plaintiff's motion for summary judgement is GRANTED to the
-
- extent that the process employed by the City in denying his
-
- application to erect his antenna is declared invalid.
-
- IT IS SO ORDERED.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Frank J. Battisti
- United States District Judge
-
- 20
-
- ------------------------------
-
- End of Info-Hams Digest
- ******************************
-