City of Detroit v. Village of Highland Park

152 N.W. 1002, 186 Mich. 166, 1915 Mich. LEXIS 670
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 7, 1915
DocketDocket No. 169
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 152 N.W. 1002 (City of Detroit v. Village of Highland Park) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Detroit v. Village of Highland Park, 152 N.W. 1002, 186 Mich. 166, 1915 Mich. LEXIS 670 (Mich. 1915).

Opinions

Steere, J.

This is a supplemental proceeding in the above-entitled suit, which involves mutual rights and duties of the above-named municipalities in relation to their drainage and sewer systems. It was first at issue in 1898. Under the pleadings and proofs presented at that time the suit was heard, and the issues involved were tried out before the Wayne circuit court in chancery, in 1899, and decrees were thereupon rendered adjudicating the differences which had arisen under then existing conditions. From those decrees no appeal was taken by either party. They were acquiesced in, accepted, and acted upon by all parties in interest during the intervening years. Subsequent growth of population and civic development in the affected territory was such, however, that in 1913 the provisions for drainage and sewage facilities, which had been made and jointly used in harmony with the mandates of those decrees, became overtaxed and inadequate, resulting in unwholesome conditions, which were ultimately declared by the State board of health to be a public nuisance. Overtures by the defendant, village of Highland Park, proposing mutual effort to relieve the situation, not being favorably acted upon by the city of Detroit, the village filed a supplemental petition, on June 18, 1913, which was subsequently amended and, after answer, a hearing was had, resulting in a supplemental decree by the Wayne circuit court in chancery, determining and declaring that intolerable conditions had arisen, owing to inadequate drainage and sewage provisions for which the city and village were both responsible, and which amounted to a public nuisance, menacing the health and comfort of the citizens of the village and portions of the city, by reason whereof it was ordered and decreed that said nuisance be abated by an increased capacity of the jointly maintained sewer system previously provided, and that it be done ac[170]*170cording to certain designated connections, alterations, and enlargements, or their equivalent. From this decree the city of Detroit has appealed, alleging numerous errors, and claiming broadly that the court had no jurisdiction to render such decree, because, briefly and collectively stated, Detroit is a separate, independent municipal entity having no legal connection with Highland Park, owns its sewers, which are a distinct and independent system within its boundaries, its own private property built fqr and by taxation of its own citizens, and therefore no power exists in the court to compel it to permit any connection of the sewer system of Highland Park with its system; that to do so would be, in eifect, taking the city’s private property for the public use of another corporation without authority or process of law — without even condemnation proceedings for adjudication of public necessity and compensation therefor — and consequently in violation of the Constitution.-

Although it is conceded, or at least not disputed, that Woodward avenue sewer, which runs through both the city and village, is overloaded and a deplorable condition exists in that connection, menacing public health and demanding relief, it is charged by the city that the village is responsible for this, and the duty rests upon the latter to furnish relief by independent available ways and means, the village having no right to demand, and the city owing no duty to furnish, sewer facilities to meet the requirements of an increasing population of the village; while the village bases its claim for relief on mutual rights, duties, and obligations of the parties as fixed by former decrees of the court, and subsequently developed conditions for which both are responsible and which demand further joint action. The city of Detroit, as is well known, fronts upon and extends for miles along the Detroit river. The village of High[171]*171land Park lies centrally back and to the north of the city, adjoining it. Woodward avenue, the central north and south trunk thoroughfare of the city, is continued under the same name through the village, which extends north from the city limits 2 miles and spreads three-quarters of a mile on either side of the avenue, being about 1% miles wide east and west, and is a comparatively level area. Beyond the northern limits of the village, fronting Woodward avenue on the west side, lies Palmer Park, a sewered, developed, and popular public park belonging to and under control of the city of Detroit.. In 1898, though its population was then comparatively small, Highland Park had developed to a point where sewage facilities were deemed desirable and necessary. To that end a contract for a sewer was let to one Hanley, its outlet to be through the Woodward avenue sewer, which the city had extended to its north boundary line, with then ample capacity to meet the requirements of such connection. The right to so connect was asserted under a claim that the city had, by changing grades, paving, and other of its public improvements, obstructed the natural sources of drainage for Highland Park territory and, in particular, totally blocked that portion which formerly passed southwardly and eastwardly through the city. When Hanley was about to make the proposed connection with the Woodward avenue sewer at the boundary line the city began this suit and obtained a temporary injunction restraining him from proceeding until further order of the court. Pleadings were perfected, and the suit brought to a hearing upon pleadings and proofs taken in open court, followed by a decree rendered June 26, 1899, authorizing said connection to be made, with an adjustable gate near the city limits, having an opening 18 inches in diameter, subject to supervision of the city authorities, for which the vil[172]*172lage was to pay $500 annually. In this original decree rendered after a full hearing in open court, with the right of the village to such drainage facilities through city territory the paramount question, and squarely put in issue by the pleadings, the court found, and stated, amongst other things, that:

“The natural drainage of the southerly part of the territorial limits of the village of Highland Park is southeasterly through the present territorial limits, of the city of Detroit into Connor’s creek, which empties into the Detroit river above the intake pipe of the Detroit waterworks; that more than 40 years ago this natural drainage was improved by the construction of ditches on each side of Woodward avenue leading into the Detroit river, and also by the construction of county ditches in part within the present territorial limits of said city leading from Woodward avenue in said city easterly to Connor’s creek; that since the year 1890 some of these county ditches have been closed up and obstructed by the construction by the city of Detroit of a pavement on Woodward avenue to the city limits, and also by the construction of pavements on the lateral streets,- and thereby the artificial drainage of the southerly part of the village of Highland Park has been cut off; * * * that the natural drainage of the northerly part of the village of Highland Park is to the easterly and northerly to Connor’s creek; that more than 40 years ago this natural drainage was improved by the construction of a county ditch, known as the Wetmore ditch; that Connor’s, creek is a sluggish stream running through a nearly level country and the use of said creek by the village of Highland Park for sewage purposes would be highly detrimental to the public health of the city of Detroit and vicinity.”

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Bluebook (online)
152 N.W. 1002, 186 Mich. 166, 1915 Mich. LEXIS 670, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-detroit-v-village-of-highland-park-mich-1915.