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Monterey County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

Chapter 21.80

APPEALS

21.80.010 - Purpose.

It is the purpose of this Chapter to provide a means whereby any person aggrieved by a decision of an Appropriate Authority may appeal that decision to the Appropriate Appeal Authority.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

21.80.020 - Applicability.

The provisions of this Chapter apply to discretionary decisions made pursuant to the provisions of this Title by the Director of Planning, Zoning Administrator and the Planning Commission.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

(Ord. No. 5135, § 155, 7-7-2009)

21.80.030 - Effect of filing an appeal.

A.

An appeal, in whole or in part, of a decision of the Appropriate Authority, shall set aside in its entirety the decision of the Appropriate Authority. Should the appeal subsequently be withdrawn, the decision of the Appropriate Authority shall become effective immediately.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

21.80.040 - Designation of Appeal Authority.

A.

The Planning Commission is the Appeal Authority to consider appeals from the discretionary decisions of the Director of Planning made pursuant to this Title. The decision of the Planning Commission shall be final and may not be appealed.

B.

The Planning Commission is the Appeal Authority to consider appeals from the discretionary decisions of the Zoning Administrator made pursuant to this Title. The decision of the Planning Commission shall be final and may not be appealed, except as provided for in Section 21.80.040C.

C.

In the event the decisions made pursuant to Subsections A and B are accompanied by an environmental impact report, decisions of the Planning Commission may be appealed to the Board of Supervisors if the Appropriate Authority or the Appeal Authority approves or adopts any finding of overriding consideration of immitigable impacts identified in the applicant's controlling environmental impact report.

D.

The Board of Supervisors is the Appeal Authority to consider appeals from the discretionary decisions, except decisions on appeals made pursuant to Subsections A and B of Section 21.80.040, of the Planning Commission made pursuant to this Title.

(Ord. No. 5135, § 156, 7-7-2009)

21.80.050 - Who may appeal—Time of appeal.

A.

An appeal may be made to the Appeal Authority by any person aggrieved by a decision of an Appropriate Authority other than the Board of Supervisors.

B.

Persons who receive notice of the hearing before the Appropriate Authority, or who had knowledge of the time and place of hearing before the Appropriate Authority, but who chose not to participate in the hearing, either orally or in writing, shall not have the right to appeal. However, the Appeal Authority may grant the right to appeal to those persons who, in the exercise of reasonable care, did not participate in the hearing.

C.

An appeal shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Secretary of the Planning Commission or the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors, as appropriate, and with Appropriate Authority within ten (10) days after written notice of the decision of the Appropriate Authority has been mailed to the applicant.

D.

At the time of the filing of the appeal the appellant shall pay the required filing fee as established from time to time by the Board of Supervisors, to the Secretary of the Planning Commission or the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors as appropriate.

E.

Written notice of the decision shall be given promptly to the applicant and to those who have requested notice, in writing, at the hearing on the application. No appeal shall be accepted until the notice of the decision has been given.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

21.80.060 - Requirements for contents of appeal.

The appellant shall specifically state in the notice of appeal:

A.

The identity of the appellant and its interest in the decision;

B.

The identity of the decision appealed or the conditions appealed;

C.

A clear, complete, but brief, statement of the reasons why, in the opinion of the appellant, the decision or the conditions imposed are unjustified or inappropriate because:

1.

There was a lack of a fair and impartial hearing; or

2.

The findings or decision or conditions are not supported by the evidence; or

3.

The decision was contrary to law.

D.

The specific reasons the appellant disagrees with the findings, or decision made or conditions imposed by, the Appropriate Authority, if the applicant disagrees with such findings, decision, or conditions;

E.

The notice of appeal shall set forth specific facts of the matter in sufficient detail to notify interested persons of the nature of the proceedings, and to place interested persons upon notice as to how any proposed action may affect their interest so that they may formulate their defense or opposition without being subjected to surprise. The Appeal Authority will not accept an appeal stated in generalities, legal or otherwise.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

21.80.070 - Acceptance of appeal.

An appeal shall not be accepted by the Appeal Authority unless it is complete and complies with all requirements. The Secretary of the Planning Commission or Clerk to the Board of Supervisors shall not accept a notice of appeal if it is obvious on the face of the notice that it is incomplete.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

21.80.080 - Public hearing notice.

Notice of the public hearing on the appeal shall be provided pursuant to Chapter 21.78 of this Title.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)

21.80.090 - Action by the Appeal Authority on appeal.

A.

Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, the Secretary of the Planning Commission or the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors, as appropriate, shall, within fifteen (15) days following the filing of the appeal, set a date for public hearing on the appeal, giving public hearing notice thereof pursuant to Chapter 21.78 and additionally, to those who have requested notice of appeal, in writing at the hearing on the application.

B.

The hearing before the Appeal Authority shall be "de novo". As a de novo hearing, the Appeal Authority may hear all such testimony and evidence on the entirety of the application as may be presented by any person at that appeal hearing. If relevant new evidence that was not known and could not have been known at the original hearing is presented at the appeal hearing the application may be returned to the Appropriate Authority for reconsideration.

C.

The Appeal Authority may reject an appeal for failure of the appellant to present all the evidence available to him or her at the time of the original hearing on the application if the appellant had notice of the original hearing.

D.

If a request for continuance is granted, the person who makes such request shall notify the interested public in the same manner and to the same extent that notice was given to the public for the public hearing from which consideration of the appeal was continued. The notice shall state the date to which the hearing upon the appeal is continued. Failure to give notice may be grounds for denial of an appeal.

E.

The Appeal Authority shall consider an appeal and render a decision within sixty (60) days after receipt of the appeal.

F.

The Appeal Authority may grant or deny the appeal, in whole or in part.

G.

The Appeal Authority shall made such findings as necessary to support its decision. Findings shall address, but not be limited to consistency with the General Plan and Area Plans, site suitability, environmental issues and special circumstances pertaining to variances, where applicable.

H.

The Appeal Authority may designate such conditions as it deems necessary to secure the purposes of this Title. Such conditions may include monitoring, at reasonable times and intervals, to assure compliance with the conditions set forth in the decision. Other conditions may include, but are not limited to health and safety requirements, architectural and site approval, time limitations, street dedications, and street and drainage improvements. The Appeal Authority may also require such security and guarantees as it deems appropriate to assure compliance with the conditions imposed.

I.

The decision of the Appeal Authority shall be final.

(Ord. 3798, 1994)