City of Overland Park v. McLaughlin

704 P.2d 997, 10 Kan. App. 2d 537, 1985 Kan. App. LEXIS 1115
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedAugust 15, 1985
DocketNo. 57,063
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 704 P.2d 997 (City of Overland Park v. McLaughlin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Overland Park v. McLaughlin, 704 P.2d 997, 10 Kan. App. 2d 537, 1985 Kan. App. LEXIS 1115 (kanctapp 1985).

Opinion

Meyer, J.;

After a trial to the court, Everett McLaughlin (defendant) was convicted of driving a truck in excess of the allowed rear axle weight and in excess of the allowed extreme axle weight, both violations of Overland Park Municipal Ordinance TC-1190 § 12.04.196.1. Defendant appeals, challenging the constitutionality of the ordinance and charging the ordinance as violative of K.S.A. 12-3009 et seq.

On May 20,1983, at approximately noon, two City of Overland Park police officers had a cement truck stopped to investigate the weight of its load. While talking to the driver of the stopped cement truck, the officers overheard an unidentified person’s voice come over the truck’s radio. The person stated he knew his truck was overweight, knew the police were stopping trucks for weight checks, and thus was going to drive down 119th Street to avoid being stopped. The two officers immediately proceeded to 119th Street to wait for the driver they had heard on the radio. The officers flagged down the first cement truck to pass by. The [538]*538driver of that truck stated the cement truck coming right behind him was overweight. The two officers stopped this next truck. It was a cement truck driven by Everett McLaughlin, defendant.

Once the defendant’s truck was stopped, the officers asked for defendant’s load sheet. This sheet stated defendant was carrying ten yards of concrete. Portable scales were called for and defendant’s truck was weighed. Complaint No. 22356 was issued, charging that defendant’s vehicle was 16,000 pounds in excess of the allowed rear axle weight; and Complaint No. 22709 was issued, charging that defendant was 17,000 pounds in excess of the allowed “bridge weight.”

On July 26,1983, the case was tried on the record in municipal court. The defendant was found guilty on both charges and fined a total of $3,200. He appealed his conviction to the Johnson County District Court.

On November 18,1983, defendant’s case came on for trial. The plaintiff moved to amend Complaint No. 22709 pursuant to K.S.A. 12-4505 and K.S.A. 22-3610 to read “in excess of allowed weight, distance between extreme axles.” The court allowed the amendment. The plaintiff was allowed to present its case in chief at the conclusion of which the case was continued until February 3, 1984, at defendant’s request.

On February 3, 1984, the court found the defendant guilty on both counts. This appeal follows.

Defendant first contends that Overland Park Municipal Ordinance TC-1190 § 12.04.196.1 violates his due process and equal protection rights because it excludes defendant’s cement truck from a category of vehicles not subject to the ordinance.

Overland Park Municipal Ordinance TC-1190 § 12.04.196.1 incorporates by reference, as if set out in full, the provisions of K.S.A. 8-1909. It is actually, therefore, K.S.A. 8-1909 to which defendant bases his constitutional challenges. This statute, in subsection (a)(2), provides certain weight limitations on vehicles. These weight limits are based upon distance in feet between the first and last axles of vehicles. It is these weight limits which defendant was found guilty of violating. In subsection (a)(3) of K.S.A. 8-1909, it is stated that the table of weight limits in subsection (2) is not applicable “to truck tractor and dump semitrailer or truck trailer combination^]. . . .” Defendant raises his constitutional challenges based upon the omission of [539]*539cement trucks from the list of vehicles not subject to the weight restrictions. Defendant argues this omission is a denial of due process and equal protection under the law.

The equal protection clause of our Constitution goes no further than to prohibit invidious discrimination. Zerr v. Tilton, 224 Kan. 394, 397, 581 P.2d 364 (1978). Defendant does not quarrel with the power of a state to make classifications for legislative purposes. Indeed, the United States Supreme Court has held that states and municipalities may create statutory classifications in order to regulate local affairs as long as the classifications are reasonably drawn and are rationally related to legitimate state interests. See New Orleans v. Dukes, 427 U.S. 297, 303, 49 L.Ed.2d 511, 96 S.Ct. 2513 (1976). See also Iowa National Mut. Ins. Co. v. City of Osawatomie, Kansas, 458 F.2d 1124 (10th Cir. 1972); Gumbhir v. Kansas State Board of Pharmacy, 231 Kan. 507, 646 P.2d 1078 (1982), cert. denied 459 U.S. 1103 (1983); Aubertin v. Board of Cty. Com’rs of Woodson Cty., 588 F.2d 781 (10th Cir. 1978).

In the instant case, the defendant denies there is any rational basis for distinguishing between cement trucks and those other classes of trucks not required to meet the weight limitations of K.S.A. 8-1909. Defendant divides his arguments into three parts.

First, defendant argues there is no difference between concrete trucks and truck tractors, dump semitrailers or truck-trailer combinations. Defendant states that his truck, like the others, is used in the transportation of construction materials and thus should be treated like the others.

Defendant’s second contention is that by excluding truck tractors, dump semitrailers and truck-trailer combinations, the state is giving a commercial advantage to the asphalt industry. Defendant states that the weight limitations imposed by the statute force him to make more trips to do the same job as trucks carrying asphalt, which can carry heavier loads. Defendant claims his cost is thus increased and the asphalt industry has a competitive edge.

Finally defendant argues that the legislative purpose of K.S.A. 8-1909 is to promote construction. Defendant contends the concrete industry is as interested in construction as the asphalt and other industries. He contends that if the legislature intended to promote construction, cement trucks should be freed from any [540]*540weight restrictions just as are other trucks hauling construction materials.

The City of Overland Park, in contrast, asserts that the legitimate state interest present in the statute is “safety.” The plaintiff presented rebuttal evidence in this case through testimony of Mr.

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Related

State v. Riddle
788 P.2d 266 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1990)
City of Overland Park v. McLaughlin
714 P.2d 939 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1986)

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Bluebook (online)
704 P.2d 997, 10 Kan. App. 2d 537, 1985 Kan. App. LEXIS 1115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-overland-park-v-mclaughlin-kanctapp-1985.