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11 Zoning Dig. 1 (1959)

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ZONING DIGEST

                     Published by

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANNING OFFICIALS

1313   EAST  60TH  STREET,  CHICAGO 37, ILLINOIS

Volume  11          JANUARY   1959          Pages 1-24


Counsel's Advice Did Not Justify Violation of Zoning Order.
     Salt Lake County v. Uutchinson, Supreme Court, Utah, Sept.
i6, z958, 329 P.2d 657.
   Salt Lake County sought a mandatory injunction to cause
the removal of about eight feet of a structure erected in
violation of an order of the zoning authorities.
   In April 1955, through counsel, defendant applied for
authority to extend and enlarge his building. A variance
was granted on condition that the structure be built no closer
than ten feet from defendant's property line. A letter to
that effect was addressed to the building inspector with a
carbon copy going to defendant's attorney. Before seeing
the letter, the attorney had called the county surveyor and
later testified that he was told by that official that the ap-
plication for a variance had been granted. The attorney
advised defendant of this fact and then left town. On his
return, he saw the letter and notified the defendant of the
ten-foot restriction, but apparently stated that he felt that
something might be worked out. The building was com-
pleted in violation of the variance order.
   Defendant asserted that he would sustain considerable
damage  if required to cut off eight feet of his building and
that no one would be injured by the unauthorized extension.
   The lower court refused to grant the injunction. This
was reversed by the Supreme Court, which said that defend-
ant's assertions of damage to himself and none to others
would not justify an eyes-open violation of a clear and un-
equivocal mandate of the zoning authorities. To permit
one to do so on the basis of reliance on the advice of counsel,
followed by a defense that hardship would ensue if compliance
with the order be required, or on the basis that it was not
shown that anyone else would suffer in perpetuating the

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