Supreme Court of New Jersey
Charles J. Riggs, Virginia Riggs, His Wife; and Island Homes, Inc., a Corporation of the State of New Jersey…
March 23, 1988109 N.J. 601
Summary
The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the Long Beach Township zoning ordinances 81-1C and 83-9C were invalid because they lacked a legitimate zoning purpose and were enacted solely to depress the value of the Riggs property for acquisition below fair market value. The Court reversed the Appellate Division’s judgment and remanded for a law‑division order declaring the ordinances void and valuing the property under its prior R‑50 zoning. Justice Handler concurred, agreeing on the result but emphasizing that the ordinance failed the statutory planning conformity requirements without needing to analyze legislative motive.