Richardson v. Town of Salisbury

The defendant town appeals from a Superior Court (Cann, J.) order approving a Master’s (Walter L. Murphy, Esq.) recommendation to overturn the town’s denial of the plaintiffs’ petition for a zoning variance. We reverse.

At the beginning of 1979, the plaintiffs, Philip and Brenda Richardson, purchased a parcel of land in the town of Salisbury, in an area zoned for residential and agricultural use. They intended to use the land for storing and repairing old cars, and they immediately moved several vehicles onto the property. Mr. Richardson testified that they never inquired about the applicable…