City of Dayton v. Woodgeard

187 N.E.2d 921, 116 Ohio App. 248, 22 Ohio Op. 2d 78, 1962 Ohio App. LEXIS 650
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 24, 1962
Docket2652
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 187 N.E.2d 921 (City of Dayton v. Woodgeard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Dayton v. Woodgeard, 187 N.E.2d 921, 116 Ohio App. 248, 22 Ohio Op. 2d 78, 1962 Ohio App. LEXIS 650 (Ohio Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

Sherer, J.

This is an appeal on questions of law and fact from a judgment of the Common Pleas Court of Montgomery County in a declaratory judgment action in which the city of Dayton, appellee herein, was plaintiff and Clayton Woodgeard, doing business as Woodgeard Brothers, appellant herein, was defendant. The parties hereinafter will be referred to as plaintiff and defendant.

Plaintiff’s petition alleges that it is a municipal corporation operating under the Constitution and statutes of the state of Ohio and a charter adopted by its electors for their own self-government. The petition alleges further that defendant op *250 erates a junk yard and automobile wrecking business at 360 N. Smithville Road at the point where such roadway is intersected by the northern terminus of what was heretofore known as Barksdale Avenue, on an area of land, being lot 28487 in the city of Dayton. Plaintiff alleges that it owns lots 41853 and 41854, directly opposite the premises of defendant, or on the west side of former Barksdale Avenue at Smithville Road.

Plaintiff alleges further that on August 16, 1939, by ordinance No. 15292, the City Commission of the city of Dayton vacated Barksdale Avenue, which lay between the properties of plaintiff and defendant from Smithville Road to the southern corporation line of the city. Plaintiff alleges that no portions of the vacated street had been taken from or dedicated by the defendant or his predecessors in title at the time of dedication, but that such premises was dedicated for public use by the plaintiff’s predecessor in title to lot numbered 41854.

Plaintiff alleges that, by reason of the aforesaid facts, title to the vacated street passed to plaintiff by accretion at the time of the vacation of the street; that defendant has asserted a claim of ownership to one-half of the vacated street and has been using such premises on which to store various and sundry wrecked automobiles and miscellaneous junk; and that it brings its action under the Declaratory Judgments Act of the state of] Ohio for a declaration as to the ownership of such vacated] premises. Plaintiff prays for an order permanently enjoining] the defendant from further occupancy thereof and for its costs.]

Defendant’s answer admits that plaintiff is a municipal] corporation; that he is operating an automobile wrecking business at 360 N. Smithville Road; and that he is the owner of lot] 28487 in the city of Dayton. ]

Defendant’s answer alleges that Barksdale Avenue was] dedicated as a part of the Arthur A. Schwagel plat, recorded] on February 28, 1925; that such plat was duly approved by] G-eorge F. Baker, Director of Public Service of the city of Day-] ton, and included Barksdale Avenue in the dedication of the] streets thereon; that on August 16, 1939, by ordinance No] 15292, the City Commission of Dayton attempted to vacate Barksdale Avenue; that the city of Dayton did not legally va] cate Barksdale Avenue; and that the city of Dayton has nc] right or claim of ownership to the land involved by virtue oi] the alleged vacation thereof. I

*251 Defendant, answering further, and in the alternative, says that in the event the attempted vacation of the street is determined to be a legal vacation in compliance with the charter of the city of Dayton, the right of way and easement on the vacated street by defendant shall not he impaired by such order; that, by reason of Section 723.08, Eevised Code, defendant cannot be deprived of his rights therein.

Defendant admits that he has asserted a claim of ownership to one-half of the vacated street and that he has been using the premises as alleged, and says that he is rightfully entitled to certain rights therein even if the street is declared vacated, and that he cannot be excluded therefrom or be deprived of the enjoyment of such right. Defendant denies all other allegations in plaintiff’s petition and prays that plaintiff’s petition be dismissed at plaintiff’s costs.

The record shows that those persons entitled to notice by reason of the fact that their property abutted that portion of the street affected by the proposed vacation were (1) Arthur A. Schwagel and (2) defendant’s predecessor in title, John W. Boren. The record shows further that John W. Boren was served personally with notice which complied with the provisions of Section 141 of the charter of the city of Dayton. Arthur A. Schwagel was served with notice by leaving a copy thereof at 4316 Dorset Drive, his residence. Schwagel had dedicated all the land constituting Barksdale Avenue for use as a public street. He had filed a petition for the vacation thereof, paying a fee of $25, and listed his residence on the petition as 4316 Dorset Drive, where a copy of the notice was left.

Section 141 of the city charter provides that such notice be served in the manner that service of summons is required to be made in civil actions. Section 2703.08 Eevised Code, provides, in the chapter headed, “Service of Summons,” in part:

“Service shall be made at any time before the return day, by delivering a copy of the summons, with the endorsements thereon, to the defendant personally, or by leaving a copy at his usual place of residence.”

Section 141 of the charter provides:

* ‘ The city manager shall cause notice of such resolution to be served in the manner that service of summons is required to be made in civil actions upon all persons whose property abuts upon the portion of the street affected by the proposed vaca *252 tion or narrowing, and by publication once in one daily newspaper of general circulation in the city as to all persons wbo cannot be personally served.”

Tbe intention expressed in that section is to require published notice only as to one wbo could not be served with summons either by handing a copy thereof to him personally or by leaving a copy thereof at his usual place of residence.

We hold that the notice served by the city of Dayton herein complied with the requirements of Section 141 of its charter.

Defendant contends that the description in the resolution and ordinance of the area vacated is not definite and certain.

We have examined the testimony and the exhibits bearing upon this question and hold that the description of the area sought to be vacated, contained in the resolution and ordinance, is definite and certain.

Defendant argues that Rule IX of the Rules and Regulations of the City Commission requires ordinances to be adopted be read aloud in full.

Section 3, Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, provides:

“Municipalities shall have authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt within their limits such local police, sanitary and other similar regulations, as are not in conflict with general laws.”

Section 7, Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, provides:

“Any municipality may frame and adopt a charter for its government and may, subject to the provisions of Section 3 of this article, exercise thereunder all powers of local self-government.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
187 N.E.2d 921, 116 Ohio App. 248, 22 Ohio Op. 2d 78, 1962 Ohio App. LEXIS 650, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-dayton-v-woodgeard-ohioctapp-1962.