CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, PETITIONER,
v.
DONALD AND KAREN WOLFSON, RESPONDENTS
AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.
The City of Atlantic Beach sought second-tier certiorari review of a circuit court order that had granted the Wolfsons' certiorari petition challenging the denial of their variance request. The First District Court of Appeal reversed, holding that the circuit court applied incorrect law by conducting an independent review of the administrative record and improperly remanding for approval of the variance rather than simply quashing or denying the petition.
The circuit court applied incorrect law in two respects: (1) by conducting an independent review of the record to conclude that competent, substantial evidence supported a result opposite from the Board and Commission's decision, and (2) by remanding the case with instructions to approve the variance rather than simply denying or granting the certiorari petition and quashing the order. On second-tier certiorari review, the court may not review whether the circuit court correctly applied the law to the facts regarding procedural due process.
[1] Second-tier certiorari review is not available to review the application of the correct law to the facts.
[2] On second-tier certiorari review, a district court must determine whether the circuit court applied the correct law and afforded procedural due process.
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Instead of simply reviewing the Commission's decision to determine whether it was supported by competent substantial evidence, the court also reviewed the decision to determine whether it was opposed by competent, substantial evidence.”
Establishes the improper standard the circuit court applied; a certiorari court must only check whether the decision is supported by competent evidence, not whether it is contradicted by such evidence.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe Wolfsons requested a variance from the City of Atlantic Beach. The Community Development Board denied the variance request. The City Commission af…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Independent Review Of Record cases and more on FLexlaw
Petitioner, the City of Atlantic Beach, seeks second-tier certiorari review of the circuit court’s order granting the certiorari petition filed by Respondents, Donald and Karen Wolfson, wherein they challenged the City Commission’s order affirming the Community Development Board’s denial of their variance request. We agree with Respondents’ argument that Petitioner’s challenge to the circuit court’s determination that due process was not afforded to Respondents at the Commission hearing is not cognizable in this proceeding. See State, Dep’t of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles v. Edenfield, 58 So.3d 904, 906 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011) (explaining that district courts must determine on second-tier certiorari review whether the circuit court applied the correct law and whether it afforded procedural due process); Pharmcore, Inc. v. City of Hallandale Beach, 946 So.2d 550, 552 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006) (noting that the petitioner had not presented anything to suggest that the circuit court applied the incorrect law regarding its proce*994dural due process determination and that second-tier review is not available to review the application of the correct law to the facts); see also Stranahan House, Inc. v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 967 So.2d 1121 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007); Seminole Entm’t, Inc. v. City of Casselberry, 813 So.2d 186 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002).
We do, however, find merit in Petitioner’s argument that the circuit court applied the incorrect law in conducting an independent review of the record before the Commission and in concluding that competent, substantial evidence supported a determination opposite from that of the Board and the Commission. See Clay County v. Kendale Land Dev., Inc., 969 So.2d 1177, 1181 (Fla. 1st DCA 2007) (concluding that the circuit court on first-tier certiorari review violated a clearly established principle of law resulting in a miscarriage of justice when it conducted an independent review of the record and concluded that competent, substantial evidence supported a conclusion opposite from that of the hearing officer); see also Dusseau v. Metro. Dade County Bd. of County Comm’rs, 794 So.2d 1270, 1275 (Fla.2001) (“Instead of simply reviewing the Commission’s decision to determine whether it was suppoHed by competent substantial evidence, the court also reviewed the decision to determine whether it was opposed by competent, substantial evidence.”). We also conclude that the circuit court applied the incorrect law when it remanded the case to Petitioner for the entry of an order approving the subject variance in compliance with the recommendations of the city staff. See Clay County, 969 So.2d at 1181 (holding that the circuit court violated a clearly established principle of law when it entered a judgment on the merits in the first-tier certiorari proceeding and explaining that when considering a certiorari petition, a court has only two options — it may either deny the petition or grant it and quash the order at which the petition is directed).
Accordingly, we GRANT Petitioner’s certiorari petition, QUASH the circuit court’s order, and REMAND the matter to the circuit court for further proceedings applying the correct law.
MAKAR and OSTERHAUS JJ., concur.
WOLF, J. concurs with opinion.
Concurring.
I would also conclude that the circuit court applied the incorrect law in determining that the City failed to provide respondent due process. The circuit court’s determination that the City Commission, at a public hearing, could not consider any further statements or consider any new evidence which was not already part of the record sent from the Community Development Board is not supported by any existing law and is in direct contravention of Jennings v. Dade County, 589 So.2d 1337 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991).
WOLF, J.,
Concurring.
I would also conclude that the circuit court applied the incorrect law in determining that the City failed to provide respondent due process. The circuit court’s determination that the City Commission, at a public hearing, could not consider any further statements or consider any new evidence which was not already part of the record sent from the Community Development Board is not supported by any existing law and is in direct contravention of Jennings v. Dade County, 589 So. 2d 1337 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991).
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
-
Deluce v. Fla. Dep't of Hwy. Safety & Motor Vehicles (15th Cir. Ct. App. Div. 2014)…ic directive to the DHSMV. The only two options available to the circuit court on first-tier certiorari review are to either deny the petition, or grant it and quash the order at which the petition is directed. See City of Atlantic Beach v. Wolfson, 118 So. 3d 993 (Fla. 1st DCA 2013) (concluding that the circuit court applied the incorrect law when it remanded the case for the entry of an order approving the subject variance). Conclusion Hearing Officer George's finding that Petitioner was placed under lawf…
Authorities Cited
- Dusseau v. Metro. Dade Cnty. Bd. OF Cnty. Comm'rs, 794 So. 2d 1270 (Fla. 2001)
- Henn v. Sandler, 589 So. 2d 1337 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991)
- State v. Edenfield, 58 So. 3d 904 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011)
- Clay Cnty. v. Kendale Land Dev., Inc., 969 So. 2d 1177 (Fla. 1st DCA 2007)
- Stranahan House, Inc. v. City OF Fort Lauderdale, 967 So. 2d 1121 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007)
- Seminole Ent., Inc. v. City OF Casselberry, 813 So. 2d 186 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002)
- Pharmcore, Inc. v. City OF Hallandale Beach, 946 So. 2d 550 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006)