Brown v. Carson

Summary

The court held that Carson did not acquire a vested right to develop his property with 9,000-square-foot residential lots. A vested right based on official assurances requires a representation that a building permit will probably issue, and the planning director merely confirmed the zoning ordinance then in effect without promising future approval or protection from zoning changes. The court reversed the Court of Appeals and remanded with directions to reconsider two related appeals that had been dismissed as moot.