City of Hutchins v. Prasifka

442 S.W.2d 879, 1969 Tex. App. LEXIS 2212
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 27, 1969
Docket4315
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 442 S.W.2d 879 (City of Hutchins v. Prasifka) 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 Hutchins v. Prasifka, 442 S.W.2d 879, 1969 Tex. App. LEXIS 2212 (Tex. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

COLLINGS, Justice.

Frank J. Prasifka, Louis J. Prasifka and • Jerry T. Prasifka brought suit to enjoin the City of Hutchins from interfering with the use of their 44 acre tract of land for manufacturing purposes. The City filed a cross action asking an injunction against the plaintiffs from using their property in violation of the comprehensive zoning ordinance of the City for any purpose other than for residential uses. The trial was before the court without a jury and judgment rendered denying injunctive relief to either party. Both the Prasifkas and the City of Hutchins have appealed.

The record shows that appellees Frank J. Prasifka and his brothers are the owners of a 44 acre tract of land in the City of Hutchins. The City of Hutchins adopted a Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance in 1958 with a zoning map showing the 44 acre tract in question as a residential district. Although it is not material to our disposition of this appeal there was oral testimony to the effect that after the 1958 Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance was passed and prior to April of 1965, the City of Hutchins adopted a Zoning Ordinance classifying such 44 acre tract as “Heavy Manufacturing.” In April, 1965, the City of Hutchins enacted a new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and the accompanying zoning map indicated a residential zoning for such 44 acre tract. Thereafter in November of 1966 the City of Hutchins, by a resolution, re-zoned certain designated land including the 44 acre tract as “Heavy Manufacturing,” by a unanimous recommendation of the City Planning Commission and unanimous vote of the City Council. No later amendment to the heavy manufacturing zoning of the tract in question has been enacted by the City of Hutch-ins.

The evidence indicates that in September of 1967, the Prasifka brothers purchased the 44 acres in question relying upon the heavy manufacturing zoning classification, provided by the 1966 resolution of the City of Hutchins and upon the official posted zoning map on display in the City Hall in the City of Hutchins during September 1967. There was evidence to the effect that the zoning resolution and map in question were the only means by which a person could determine what zoning existed upon the land at that time. Thereafter, the Prasifka brothers stored used tires on the *881 tract and constructed thereon a cement foundation for a commercial building.

On September 18, 1967, the Mayor of the City of Hutchins told the City Council and appellee Frank J. Prasifka that the 44 acres in question was zoned residential because, in his opinion, the November 7, 1966 zoning action was not legal. It is undisputed that up until the night of September 18, 1967, the purported November 7, 1966 zoning action and the accompanying posted zoning map designated the 44 acre tract as “heavy manufacturing.”

There was testimony to the effect that the 44 acre tract is best suited for manufacturing zoning. The Wilmer-Hutchins School Board with nearby property formally notified the City of Hutchins in writing that it had no objection to heavy manufacturing zoning of the tract in question. This evidence is likewise not material to our disposition of the appeal.

In reply to requests by both parties hereto, the court filed findings of fact and conclusions of law as follows:

“FINDINGS OF FACT.
1. —The City of Hutchins adopted a comprehensive zoning ordinance and map in 1958 wherein the plaintiffs tract was zoned as residential.
2. —The City of Hutchins adopted a new comprehensive zoning ordinance in April, 1965 retaining the same classification on the plaintiffs tract.
3. —On November 7, 1966 the City Council of Hutchins, upon recommendation of the City Plan Commission, passed a resolution to reclassify the plaintiffs tract from residential to manufacturing.
4. —Re-classification of the plaintiffs tract to manufacturing was erroneously made on the map maintained in the Hutch-ins City Hall.
5. —No ordinance was enacted by the City of Hutchins changing the classification of the plaintiffs tract from residential to manufacturing.
6. —The plaintiffs purchased the tract in question on or about September 18, 1967, after being advised by the City Secretary of Hutchins that the zoning classification (manufacturing) shown on the City Hall map was accurate and correct “so far as she. knew.”
7. —On or about September 18, 1967, the Mayor of Hutchins advised the City Council and the plaintiffs that he did not consider the map then on display in the city hall as accurate with respect to the plaintiffs tract and that such tract was still classified as residential.
8. —The 1965 comprehensive zoning ordinance provides as follows: ‘The governing body may from time to time enact, supplement, or change by ordinance the boundaries of the districts or the regulations herein established.’ (Emphasis added.)
9. —The plaintiffs and the Mayor of the City of Hutchins at the time of the trial were on very unfriendly terms.
10. —After September 18, 1967 plaintiffs made application to the City Council to change the classification of the plaintiffs tract to manufacturing but no further action was taken by the council.
11. —The comprehensive zoning ordinance of the City of Hutchins provides a penalty for persons or companies violating its provisions.
12. ■ — -The use of the plaintiffs tract at the time of the trial was not an immediate threat to the health, life or welfare of the citizens of Hutchins or of adjoining property owners.
13. —The plaintiffs relied solely on the map posted in the City Hall designating the plaintiffs tract as manufacturing.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
1. ■ — If there were any irregularities in the adoption of the 1965 comprehensive *882 zoning ordinance by the City of Hutchins, such ordinance was validated by Article 974d — 11 V.A.T.S. and was controlling at the time of the trial.
2. —The resolution passed by the City Council of Hutchins on November 7, 1966 changing the classification of the plaintiffs tract to manufacturing had no legal effect and such resolution was not validated by subsequent acts of the Texas Legislature.
A city or town having a valid ordinance and providing therein the procedures to amend, supplement or change such ordinance must be followed and the validating statutes of the State of Texas passed thereafter will not correct the cities failure to follow the requirements of its own ordinance. The comprehensive zoning ordinance of the City of Hutchins can only be amended, supplemented or changed by a validly enacted ordinance.
3. —The City of Hutchins is not estop-ped from classifying the plaintiffs tract as residential, since the plaintiffs failed to properly investigate and determine the true classification of such tract.
4.

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Related

District of Columbia v. Jones
287 A.2d 816 (District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 1972)
City of Hutchins v. Prasifka
450 S.W.2d 829 (Texas Supreme Court, 1970)

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Bluebook (online)
442 S.W.2d 879, 1969 Tex. App. LEXIS 2212, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-hutchins-v-prasifka-texapp-1969.