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cases to discourage such litigation . <br /> Most of the directors described the land-use decision making <br /> process in their communities as sound , reasonable , and <br /> consistently based upon a comprehensive city development . plan , a <br /> -- -- ---- process -whic-h -has--r-epor-tedly__withs.t.o_o_d many challenges on the <br /> part of some landowners who felt the need to litigate . Two did <br /> say that there have been rare occasions when their councils <br /> acted out of "local political reasons" , contrary to professional <br /> land planning advice , and with full knowledge that their decision <br /> would probably be overturned by the court , but by taking, such <br /> action they were "off the political hook" . <br /> There is , however , a general expectation that some land owners <br /> will begin using the supreme court case with their own <br /> interpretations of its significance in their attempts to persuade <br /> planning professionals and council members to be less restrictive <br /> vis-a-vis their particular land . Indeed , several directors have <br /> already been approached by landowners with such arguments . <br /> Overall , the perception of directors is that the zoning and other <br /> land use regulatory measures in effect in their communities are <br /> fair and reasonable , have been built upon a comprehensive plan <br /> and are designed to protect the health , safety and welfare of the <br /> city . <br /> What Should A Planner Do? <br /> First , don ' t make any major substantive changes in any plan or <br /> regulation on the basis of this supreme court decision. until the <br /> case has been resolved in the California courts to whom it <br /> has been remanded . Why? Because it is unclear as to its <br /> applicable significance . <br /> 1 . The ordinance was never, throughout this process, considered on <br /> its merits , though it now will be in the California courts . Bear <br /> in mind that immediately preceding the adoption of the interim <br /> ordinance a rain storm caused a flood so severe that it not only <br /> destroyed the church ' s buildings and recreation area but it also <br /> killed ten people . That , it seems to me , is cause for action to <br /> protect the safety , health and welfare of the community . <br /> 2 . The United States Supreme Court assumed and accepted as true <br /> the church ' s claim that it had been denied all use of its <br /> property . The Court did not examine and affirm the claim of the <br /> church . This is particularly interesting . First , because the <br /> County will now have the opportunity to argue whether or not all <br /> use of the property was denied , since this point was also not <br /> examined previously by the lower courts . Second , if the <br /> California courts find that in fact all use of the property was <br /> denied , how applicable would that be to the typical municipal <br /> zoning ordinance? The essential purpose of zoning was , and -still <br /> 7 <br />