City of Coleman v. Rhone

222 S.W.2d 646, 1949 Tex. App. LEXIS 2062
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 17, 1949
DocketNo. 2723
StatusPublished
Cited by60 cases

This text of 222 S.W.2d 646 (City of Coleman v. Rhone) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Coleman v. Rhone, 222 S.W.2d 646, 1949 Tex. App. LEXIS 2062 (Tex. Ct. App. 1949).

Opinions

COLLINGS, Justice.

This suit was brought by George D. ' Rhone and others, appellees, against the City of Coleman, appellant, to set aside .and cancel as unreasonable, arbitrary and void a city ordinance, the material substance of which is as follows :

“An ordinance regulating traffic upon the public streets of the City of Coleman and designating a portion of North Concho Street as a fire lane * * *
“Article 1. North'Concho Street, begin-ing 35 feet south of intersection of North Concho Street and Cottonwood, and extending to the intersection of North Con-cho Street and Live Oak Street is hereby designated as á Fire Lane and it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to stop, park, load, or unload any vehicle within said Fire Lane.
“Any person violating this ordinance shall be fined not less than $5.00 nor more than $100.00.”

The case was tried before a jury which found that the ordinance was (1) unreasonable and (2) not necessary for the prop- . er functioning of appellant’s , fire department. Based upon the findings of the jury, [648]*648the court entered judgment holding the ordinance void and perpetually enjoining appellant’s officers from' enforcing same.

The City of Coleman maintains a fire station on the west side of Concho Street within such city between Cottonwood and Live Oak Streets. Appellees are the owners or occupants under lease contract of business houses located in the same block on Contho Street but across the street from appellant’s fire station. Block 13 in which appellees’ properties are located is a narrow block from east to west and most of the business buildings thereon have openings not only on Concho Street on the west, but also on another street to the east. Appellee Rhone, among other activities, operates a public grain elevator and scales directly in front of the fire station. Many trucks, large and small, with or without trailers, come there for weighing or load-in and unloading, and frequently park in said block, either parallel to the curb or extending perpendicular out into the street. There is evidence that on- occasions the street.is almost blocked.

The City of Coleman has four fire trucks, onfe of which is a hook and ladder truck 42 féet long, and the other three are 26 feet or less. There is evidence to the effect that the 42 foot truck cannot be brought out of the -fire station without stopping and back- • ing for a new start before proceeding down the street if cars are parked at almost any place in the block across the street from the fire station. In making the turn to proceed down the street, it is necessary for the large truck to be driven within four, feet of the curb which does not leave room for a parked car. This truck is about 20 years old and cannot be turned as quickly as the smaller one and is much harder to handle. The large truck is not often taken out but in the opinion of the fire chief, it should go to all fires.

The shorter trucks are the ones principally used. They can be brought out of the fire station slow and proceed down the street without getting past the center of the street, but require more space than this if they are brought out at a greater rate of speed. There is evidence that if cars and trucks are parked properly it will not greatly interfere with the operation of a smaller truck. It was admitted by some of the firemen that there had never been much trouble in getting out on calls and that by ordinary care of the trucks could be operated all right. Sometimes, by reason of -congested parking conditions, drivers of the fire trucks are required to take different routes than are ordinarily taken in leaving the fire station and on occasion it has been necessary. for the fire chief to stop and have cars and trucks moved. It was the opinion of some of the witnesses that this could cause a delay of three to five minutes and might ⅝probably result in a fire getting out of control to the extent that a building on fire would be destroyed.

Appellant sets out five points in which it contends’ that the trial court erred. The substance ,of these points are contained in the following propositions: (1) that the validity and reasonableness of the city ordinance is not a question for jury determination, but is a matter for the court to decide, and that the trial court erred in entering its judgment based upon such verdict; (2) that the court erred in not entering judgment for appellant because the evidence showed that the ordinance was reasonable and necessary and a proper exercise of police power.

The question of the validity of the ordinance under attack involves a consideration of police power. This power is broad and comprehensive. It is founded upon public necessity which alone can justify its exercise. It hinges upon the public need for safety, health, security, and protection of the general welfare of the community. 16 C.J.S., Constitutional • Law, § 175, page 542; Spann v. City of Dallas, 111 Tex. 350, 212 S.W. 513, 19 A.L. R. 1387. These considerations define the purpose and extent of the power. The power rests in the State but by legislative grant may also be exercised by municipalities.

The general subject matter dealt with by the ordinance is fire prevention and extinguishment. There can be no question but that this comes within the scope of the city’s police power. Under -statutory and [649]*649charter provisions, cities of this State have general and exclusive power of supervision and control of their streets. Article 1016, R.C.S.1925, and 39 Tex.Jur., page S96. Cities also have the power to establish such regulations for the prevention and extin-guishment of fires as “the city council may deem expedient.” Article 1068, R..C-S.1925, and 30 Tex.Jur., page 137.

This power and the right to exercise it is limited by the Constitution and by the intent of the statute itself to measures which are reasonable. As stated in 9 Tex. Jur., page S08: “To be justified under the authority of the police power, the thing complained of, whether a legislative act, judicial decree or proceeding whatsoever, must be reasonable in the light of all the circumstances.”

The question of whether a legislative act or ordinance is void is often difficult to determine. This is true because police power is broad and indefinite. It is thought that the following considerations are material and essential to a correct determination of the question: (1) is the ordinance appropriate and reasonably necessary under all the circumstances to accomplish a purpose within the scope of the police power; (2) is the ordinance reasonable in the sense of not being arbitrary and unjust, or is the effect on individuals of the action taken so unduly harsh and hard as to be out of proportion to the end sought to be accomplished. In the case of Houston & T. C. Ry. Co. v. City of Dallas, 98 Tex. 396, 84 S.W. 648, 653, 70 L.R.A. 850, Judge Williams used the following language : “The power is not an arbitrary one, but has its limitations. It is commensurate with, but does not exceed, the duty to provide for the real needs of the people in their health, safety, comfort, and convenience as consistently as may be with private property rights. As those needs are extensive, various, and indefinite, the power to deal with them is likewise broad, indefinite, and impracticable of precise definition or limitation.

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Bluebook (online)
222 S.W.2d 646, 1949 Tex. App. LEXIS 2062, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-coleman-v-rhone-texapp-1949.