Anderson v. City of Issaquah

Facts

The plan for Anderson’s (Appellant’s) building consisted of an off-white stucco face, a blue roof, a modern style, a warehouse appearance in the rear and large retail windows on the side. The Issaquah (Appellee) Municipal Code contained various “building design objectives” that would guide the town Commission’s assessment of architectural plans. The objectives included requirements for compatible styles, harmony in texture, lines and masses, appropriate proportions, harmonious additions and avoidance of monotony. The Commission denied certification finding that Anderson’s façade did not fit with the concept of the surrounding area or the image of the Appellee town, Issaquah (Appellee). Some commissioners recommended a redesign and others suggested “more depth.” Anderson tried over the course of four meetings of the Commission to make several additions that he thought would respond to the Commissioners concerns. In applying the design guidelines, the Commissioners made statements alluding to “the feeling of the street” and others offered personal opinions on the design requirements