In re Langlois/Novicki Variance Denial In re Langlois/Novicki NOV Town of Swanton v. Gary Langlois (Michael Heller, Appellant)

¶ 30. I cannot agree that Langlois's monetary damages outweigh Heller's reliance on the proper administration of the Town of Swanton's zoning laws, which were enacted to prevent the harm. If the harm to Heller's property and, by extension, the Town's citizens' faith in their zoning laws does not outweigh or, at the least, equal the cost of removing a pergola, this Court should remove the fifth factor from the test for asserting equitable estoppel against the government, for that factor is all bark and no bite. I dissent.

¶ 31. To successfully assert equitable estoppel against the government,…