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Amherst Growth Study Comm. v. Bd. of Appeals

Appeals Court of Massachusetts
May 24, 1973
296 N.E.2d 717 (Mass. App. Ct. 1973)

Opinion

May 24, 1973.

Thomas B. Arnold for the plaintiff.

James B. Krumsiek ( Douglas R. Peterson with him) for Otto J. Paparazzo Associates, Inc.

Stephen B. Monsein, for the Board of Appeals of Amherst, was present but did not argue.


The defendant's plea in abatement was properly sustained. The plaintiff, organized after the board's decision granting the special permit, but before the expiration of the twenty-day appeal period set out in G.L.c. 40A, § 21, purports to be the successor to a committee organized to oppose this development. The trial judge found that the plaintiff is not a property owner, and so far as appears from the evidence, the plaintiff itself has no current interests or activities of any kind other than to oppose this development. A statement of corporate purposes cannot by itself create standing. Because neither the pleadings nor the evidence discloses that the plaintiff has any legal rights that have been infringed ( Circle Lounge Grille, Inc. v. Board of Appeal of Boston, 324 Mass. 427, 430), the judge was correct in finding that the plaintiff is not a "person aggrieved" within the meaning of § 21. One "zealous in the enforcement of law but without private interest" is not an aggrieved person. Godfrey v. Building Commr. of Boston, 263 Mass. 589, 590, 593. See Sierra Club v. Morton, 405 U.S. 727, 739-740. The record before us furnishes no basis to consider the plaintiff's argument that it should have standing to represent rights of its "members."

Interlocutory decree affirmed. Final decree affirmed.


Summaries of

Amherst Growth Study Comm. v. Bd. of Appeals

Appeals Court of Massachusetts
May 24, 1973
296 N.E.2d 717 (Mass. App. Ct. 1973)
Case details for

Amherst Growth Study Comm. v. Bd. of Appeals

Case Details

Full title:AMHERST GROWTH STUDY COMMITTEE, INC. vs. BOARD OF APPEALS OF AMHERST…

Court:Appeals Court of Massachusetts

Date published: May 24, 1973

Citations

296 N.E.2d 717 (Mass. App. Ct. 1973)
296 N.E.2d 717

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