Lilly v. Caroline County

In this appeal in a land use controversy, the issue is whether the trial court correctly ruled that landowners, aggrieved by a zoning administrator’s oral decision, failed to exhaust administrative remedies by not filing a timely appeal to the board of zoning appeals, as required by statute.

The controversy involves the effort to construct a broadcast studio and office building, a 500-foot tower, and transmitting facilities for an FM radio station on a two-acre parcel in rural Caroline County. In April 1998, the County’s board of supervisors granted a special exception and a zoning ordinance…