City of Austin v. Wright

114 N.W.2d 584, 262 Minn. 301, 1962 Minn. LEXIS 710
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedApril 6, 1962
DocketNo. 38,382
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 114 N.W.2d 584 (City of Austin v. Wright) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Austin v. Wright, 114 N.W.2d 584, 262 Minn. 301, 1962 Minn. LEXIS 710 (Mich. 1962).

Opinion

Nelson, Justice.

This appeal involves proceedings by the city of Austin, Minnesota, to condemn two tracts of land for a public parking lot instituted by resolution of the common council on June 20, 1960. Two landowners, Clarence and Floyd Wright, have appealed.

Notice of a public hearing to be held July 18, 1960, was published [302]*302in an official newspaper on July 2 and July 9. After the public hearing the city council duly passed a resolution to condemn the property and appointed commissioners to ascertain damages. Notice was published in the official paper on August 4 and August 11 advising that on August 30 the commissioners would view the property and determine damages.

The commissioners submitted their report to the city council on September 28, 1960. The hearing on this report was set for October 24 but was continued to November 21, on which date the council passed Resolution 4271 confirming the award of the commissioners. That resolution was thereafter published in an official paper on November 26 and December 3, 1960. The award was $16,820 for one tract and $16,348.10 for the other.

The record indicates that the city attorney mailed appellant Clarence Wright notice of the public hearing to be held July 18, which meeting he personally attended. On August 8, the city attorney mailed him a copy of the notice of the meeting of the commissioners to be held August 30, 1960. On October 12, 1960, the city attorney mailed copies of the commissioners’ report and award to both appellants and at the same time notified them that the report would be acted upon by the council at a meeting to be held October 24. The city attorney on October 25 served notice upon both appellants that the city council had continued the matter to November 21, and that the council would act on the award at the meeting to be held November 21. Appellant Floyd Wright was present at the council meeting on November 21, 1960, when it confirmed the report and award of the commissioners. He was asked at the meeting if he had anything to say, but voiced no objection to the proceedings.

Appellants were represented by counsel throughout the proceedings after early September, and said counsel was provided with a copy of the commissioners’ report and award and was personally notified of the meeting to be held October 24 and of the continuance to November 21.

Appellants appealed to the district court from the confirmation by filing notice of appeal with the city recorder on December 5, 1960. The city of Austin promptly moved to dismiss the appeal and the dis[303]*303trict court granted the motion. The appellants appeal to this court from said order of the district court.

The condemnation proceedings in this case are governed by the provisions of the Austin City Charter and not the state condemnation laws. Chapter 8, § 9, of the Austin City Charter1 appears to be controlling on the issues, which are:

[304]*304(1) Did the failure of the appellants to serve their notice within 10 days from the date the award was confirmed by the city council prevent the district court from acquiring jurisdiction?

(2) Did the failure of the appellants to file written objections to the award with the city recorder prior to November 21, 1960, as required by c. 8, § 9, prevent the district court from acquiring jurisdiction?

The district court answered both of the foregoing questions in the affirmative, stating in the memorandum accompanying its order dismissing the appeal:

“The Common Council of the City of Austin, by resolution adopted on November 21, 1960, confirmed the award of the Commissioners. The notice of appeal was filed with the City Recorder on December 5, 1960. The appeal was not taken within ten days from the ‘making of such order’, and is therefore not timely. C. 8, Sec. 9.

“Further, the landowner failed to file his objections to the award as required by the City Charter. This appears to be a condition precedent to an effective appeal. [Citing State ex rel. City of Minneapolis v. Boucher, 171 Minn. 297, 214 N. W. 30.]”

Appellants contend that the order dismissing the appeal is contrary to law; that in construing c. 8, § 9, the court disregarded c. 5, § 2, of the charter which provides that ordinances, regulations, resolutions, and bylaws shall be published before they take effect;2 that the court erred in construing the requirement of c. 8, § 9, that landowners file objections to the award as mandatory; and that the court further erred in holding that the time of appeal commenced to run from the date of the adoption of the resolution confirming the commissioners’ report and award rather than from December 10, 1960, which they claim was [305]*305the date of completion of the published notices. Publication of the resolution was made November 26 and December 3.

Chapter 8, § 9, clearly states:

“* * * such person so objecting, shall have the right to appeal from such order of such confirmation to the district court of the County of Mower at any time within ten (10) days after the making of such order.” (Italics supplied.)

Thus, according to the charter provision the 10-day period allowed for appeal shall commence as of the day the order is made. It does not mention publication nor does it mention the words “resolution” or “ordinance” but uses the words “order of confirmation.” It is clear that the so-called “Resolution 4271” confirmed the report and award.

It was, in fact, an “order of confirmation,” and the 10-day period within which appeal could be taken began to run on the date the report and award were confirmed. It is fair to assume that the city council out of an abundance of caution decided upon publication in the official city paper after making the order, since it was made in the form of a resolution as is evidenced by its title. Such publication, however, would have no bearing whatsoever on the appeal requirements of c. 8, § 9. Chapter 5, § 2, of the charter does not refer to, nor does it require, published notice of orders or orders of confirmation.

Counsel for appellants argues that an appeal period of 10 days deprived appellants of their constitutional rights. We are all familiar with various statutes allowing a 10-day period for appeals in the courts. Some administrative boards provide for 10 days to appeal from their decision. Anyone who complains of the limitation of 10 days for appeal in the present proceedings would have to present his complaint to the proper legislative tribunal and seek an amendment to the charter provision governing appeal herein.

In statutory condemnation proceedings brought by the state under Minn. St. 1953, § 117.20, prior to amendment thereof by L. 1957, c. 728, § l,3 commissioners were then, as now, appointed to appraise, [306]*306but after examining the property pursuant to notice to its owners they filed their awards without any further notice. Those who had the right of appeal had 30 days from the date of the filing of the report to do so.

The question of public necessity in such condemnation proceedings is purely legislative and the determination thereof by the legislative tribunal is reviewed on appeal by the courts only in the manner provided by statute.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
114 N.W.2d 584, 262 Minn. 301, 1962 Minn. LEXIS 710, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-austin-v-wright-minn-1962.