Zevon v. Rossi

A Rhode Island Superior Court declined to disqualify the Cranston City Plan Commission Chair’s vote to approve an application for a solar farm based on statements he made indicating that climate change was the “basic premise underlying” his vote to approve an application for a solar farm. The court found that evidence did not suggest that the chair disregarded other evidence at informational meetings and therefore declined to find bias that warranted disqualification. The court said, however, that the chair had “violated his role to carry out a quasi-judicial function” by conducting outside research on climate change and reading an article about the project. The court cautioned the chair to avoid ex parte contacts in the future.