Dumas v. Conyer

1968 OK 165, 448 P.2d 835
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 26, 1968
Docket41771
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1968 OK 165 (Dumas v. Conyer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dumas v. Conyer, 1968 OK 165, 448 P.2d 835 (Okla. 1968).

Opinion

LAVENDER, Justice.

Plaintiff in error, as the owner of “Lots 7-11, inclusive, of Dumas Replat of Original Block 40, City of Purcell, Oklahoma,” commenced a district court proceeding for a writ of mandamus to compel the defendants in error, as the persons holding certain positions with the City of Purcell, to connect, or permit him to connect, the water, sewer, and electric lines constructed and installed by him on said property to the city-owned and operated water, sewer, and electric utility systems adjacent to said property, and to furnish water, sewer, and electric services to the property.

*836 He alleged, among other things, that he had improved the described land by the construction and installation of water, sewer, and electrical lines upon the property, and otherwise expended substantial money and time in rendering the property suitable to accommodate five mobile homes; that the property is zoned “U-l” under the zoning ordinances of the City of Purcell, for single family dwelling use, and that his proposed use of the property is not violative of said zoning ordinance; that he applied for, and tendered the required deposit and inspection fees, for water, sewer, and electrical service to the property; that the members of the City Commission of the City of Purcell, sitting ex officio under the city charter as the City Board of Health, declared this property and the improvements thereon a nuisance, when in truth and in fact it is not a nuisance, and resolved that no water, sewer, or electrical services should be furnished to the property, and directed the city’s building and electrical inspector accordingly; that, later, the same individuals, sitting as the City Commission of the City of Purcell, confirmed that action and directive of the board of health; that in so doing those individuals acted arbitrarily and capriciously and without just cause or reason; that the defendants refuse to furnish said utility services to the property; that the City Clerk-Treasurer refuses to issue the required connection permits and licenses or to accept and retain the required fees and deposits therefor; that the City Plumbing, Building and Electrical Inspector refuses to make the required inspections or to authorize and supervise the connection of said utilities; that the City Commission and City Board of Health refuse to require or permit their appointed officials, the City Clerk-Treasurer and the City Plumbing, Building and Electrical Inspector, to perform their legal duties with respect to the plaintiff’s application.

The trial court issued an alternative writ of mandamus which recited, among other allegations of the petition, the plaintiff’s contemplated use of the described property as a “Mobile Homes Park,” and commanded the defendants, immediately upon receipt of the writ, to perform their duties under the ordinances of the City of Purcell to provide, or permit to be supplied, municipal water, sewer, and electrical services to said property — specifically, that the City Clerk-Treasurer receive and retain the required deposits and fees and issue the required receipts, licenses and permits, and that the City Plumbing, Building and Electrical Inspector perform the required inspections and supervise the required connections of said utilities according to the city ordinances, and that the City Commission and City Board of Health direct their appointed officers and employees to make said collections, inspections and connections and provide said utility services to the property — or appear before the court, at a stated time on a specified date, and show cause for their failure or refusal so to do.

The defendant city officials filed a return and answer to the alternative writ in which they alleged, among many other things, that the plaintiff’s proposed use of the property in question as a “Mobile Homes Park,” in a “U-l” zoning district would be in contravention of the city’s zoning ordinance.

A trial was had on the date specified in the alternative writ of mandamus. At the close of the trial, the parties stipulated that the only question for determination by the court was the question of law of whether the zoning ordinance of the City of Purcell would permit the placing, and use, of mobile homes, as contemplated by the plaintiff, in a “U-l” zoning district. Tacitly, at least, the parties thereby agreed that the writ of mandamus prayed for by the plaintiff should be granted if that question be answered in the affirmative, but should be denied if that question be answered in the negative. The trial court entered its order and judgment denying the writ of mandamus prayed for by the plaintiff, based upon a finding that, *837 in the circumstances, the plaintiff’s proposed use of the property in question would constitute a “commercial” use thereof, which is not authorized, or permitted, in a “U-l” zoning district. For that reason, we shall consider only the question presented to the trial court, and the evidence bearing thereon.

By stipulation of the parties, a copy of the zoning ordinance of the City of Purcell, together with copies oflhe city chár-ter and ordinance provisions concerning the members of the City Commission being, ex officio, members of the City Board of Health with all of the voting power, and the duties and powers of that board. It was also stipulated by the parties that, on a specified date, the City Board of Health declared the property of the plaintiff a nuisance and directed the City Plumbing, Building and Electrical Inspector not to connect the property to the city’s utility services; that, three days later, the City Commission in meeting thereof confirmed that action of the City Board of Health and directed the City Plumbing, Building and Electrical Inspector to notify the plaintiff of such actions and directions; that the city’s water, sewer, and electric utility lines are adjacent to the plaintiff’s property as alleged in his petition; and that, at all times relevant to the action, the plaintiff’s property was, and presently is, zoned “U-l.”

In support of the defendants’ return and answer to the alternative writ of mandamus, the City Manager of the City of Purcell testified that the reason why he had not directed that the utilities be provided to the plaintiff’s property was that the City Council met as the Board of Health and declared “this issue now involved” a nuisance, and that that ruling was still in effect.

Plaintiff testified that each one of his five lots measures 75 feet in width by 160 feet in depth (which would give an area of 12,000 square feet), and concerning his proposed use of the property in question (which would have an area of 60,000 square feet), he testified that he proposed to use the property as a “mobile homes park,” by using each of his five lots as the site for one mobile home which would be restricted to occupancy by one family and would be so located on the lot as to meet, or exceed, all requirements of the city ordinances, but did not propose to construct any “public” facilities, such as a swimming pool, laundry, bath house, or toilets, on the property in question; and that he did not propose to install any mobile homes on the property himself but proposed to rent the spaces to other people who owned their own mobile homes, and they could move their mobile homes in and out as they desired. He did not so state, but the inference is that facilities would be, or had been, provided for connecting each mobile home to the water, sewer, and electrical lines installed by the plaintiff on the property in question.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1968 OK 165, 448 P.2d 835, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dumas-v-conyer-okla-1968.