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Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Town of Rhine v. Bizzell Case Brief

Wisconsin Supreme Court2008Docket #1855520
2008 WI 76 751 N.W.2d 780 311 Wis. 2d 1 2008 Wisc. LEXIS 328 Property Law Constitutional Law Local Government Law Administrative Law

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: A town’s zoning ordinance that allowed no uses as of right and required a discretionary permit for any use was facially unconstitutional. The court found this total restriction on land use violated substantive due process as it was arbitrary and bore no substantial relation to public welfare.

Legal Significance: Establishes that a zoning ordinance with no permitted uses as of right is presumptively unconstitutional under substantive due process, unless the complete restriction bears a substantial relationship to public health, safety, or welfare (e.g., in a floodplain).

Town of Rhine v. Bizzell Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

A recreational vehicle club purchased a 77-acre parcel of land in the Town of Rhine. The property was zoned “B-2 Commercial Manufacturing or Processing.” The town’s zoning ordinance for the B-2 district was unique in that it specified, “There are no permitted uses in the B-2 District.” All uses, including several heavy industrial ones like salvage yards and stockyards, were designated as “conditional uses,” requiring a discretionary conditional use permit (CUP) from the town. The Club used the property for recreational ATV riding and hunting without obtaining a CUP. The Town informed the Club that a CUP was required “for any use of the land.” The Club’s application for a CUP for recreational use was denied. The Town subsequently issued citations to Club members for violating a public nuisance ordinance and filed a complaint seeking to enjoin the Club’s activities as a zoning violation. The Club challenged the B-2 zoning ordinance as facially unconstitutional.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Is a municipal zoning ordinance that prohibits all uses of land as of right and allows property to be used only upon the issuance of a discretionary conditional use permit facially unconstitutional as a violation of substantive due process?

Yes. The zoning ordinance is facially unconstitutional because precluding all uses as Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Is a municipal zoning ordinance that prohibits all uses of land as of right and allows property to be used only upon the issuance of a discretionary conditional use permit facially unconstitutional as a violation of substantive due process?

Conclusion

This case serves as a key precedent limiting municipal police power, establishing Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo cons

Legal Rule

A zoning ordinance violates substantive due process and is facially unconstitutional if Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non pr

Legal Analysis

The Wisconsin Supreme Court applied the substantive due process standard articulated in Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint

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Flash Summary

  • A zoning ordinance that allows no permitted uses as of right
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsu

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