Thomas v. City of South Portland
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MAINE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT					Reporter of Decisions
Decision:	2001 ME 50
Docket:	Cum-00-534
Argued:March 8, 2001
Decided:	March 26, 2001

Panel:	WATHEN, C.J., and CLIFFORD, RUDMAN, DANA, ALEXANDER and CALKINS,
JJ.

LESLIE E. THOMAS

v.

CITY OF SOUTH PORTLAND
and
CITY OF SOUTH PORTLAND PLANNING BOARD

RUDMAN, J.

	[¶1]	The City of South Portland, and its Planning Board, appeal from a
judgment entered in the Superior Court (Cumberland County, Mills J.)
concluding that Leslie E. Thomas had standing to appeal from the South
Portland Planning Board's approval of the Stop 'n Shoppe Fuel Mart, Inc.'s
site plan.  We remand to the Superior Court with instructions to dismiss
Thomas's appeal. 
	[¶2]	"Direct appeals from a decision of a planning board to the
Superior Court on issues of zoning are allowed only if the municipal
ordinance so provides."  Hodsdon v. Town of Hermon, 2000 ME 181, ¶ 3,
760 A.2d 221, 222 (citing 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4353(1) (1996)).{1}  The South
Portland zoning ordinance makes no provision for a direct appeal to the
Superior Court.  Thomas failed to exhaust his administrative remedies before
appealing directly to the Superior Court from the Planning Board's decision. 
We, therefore, vacate the judgment below.{2}
	The entry is:
Judgment vacated.  Remand to the
Superior Court with instructions to
dismiss Thomas's appeal for failure to
exhaust his administrative remedies.
                                                                                  

Attorney for plaintiff:

Joseph R. Mazziotti, Esq., (orally)
P O Box 3589
Portland, ME 04104

Attorney for defendant:

Mary K. Kahl, Esq., (orally)
Corporation Counsel
P O Box 9422
South Portland, ME 04106