Freeman v. Gee

423 P.2d 155, 18 Utah 2d 339, 1967 Utah LEXIS 665
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 26, 1967
Docket10590
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 423 P.2d 155 (Freeman v. Gee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Freeman v. Gee, 423 P.2d 155, 18 Utah 2d 339, 1967 Utah LEXIS 665 (Utah 1967).

Opinions

CROFT, District Judge:

This action was commenced by appellants to enjoin the further use by respondents of their respective residences as two-family dwellings, which, it is alleged, were built and used as such by respondents in violation' of restrictive covenants of record relating to the established subdivision in which they live. From a judgment dismissing their complaint as stating no cause of action, plaintiffs appealed.

[341]*341The appellants, 21 in number, are the individual owners of residential lots in Indian Rock Subdivision, a first-class residential area located in the vicinity of Wasatch Drive at about 20th South in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Craners are the owners of a two-family dwelling located on Lot 16 of the subdivision and the Gees are the owners of a two-family dwelling located upon portions of Lots 9 and 10 of the subdivision.

Indian Rock Subdivision, consisting of Lots 1 through 41, was established in April 1952, by its then owners. A set of restrictive covenants relating thereto was recorded on April 26, 1952, in the office of the Salt Lake County Recorder ' and provided that all and each of the lots in the subdivision “shall be subject to-and shall be conveyed subject to the -Reservations, Restrictions and Covenants” there-inafter set forth, the material portions of which read as follows:

Covenant I
Each and every lot above described shall be known and is hereby designated as a “Residential Lot” and no structure shall be erected, altered, placed or permitted to remain on any such “Residential Lot” other than one detached single family dwelling not to exceed two stories in height and a private garage .for not more than three automobiles, except that one detached single family dwelling or a duplex may be erected on each of Lots Nos. 30, 31, 38, 39, and 41.
Covenant III
No building shall be erected, placed or altered on any building plot in this subdivision until the building plans, specifications, and plot plan showing the location of such building have been approved in writing as to conformity and harmony of external design with existing structures in the subdivision, and as to location of the building with respect to topography and finished ground elevation, by a committee composed of Richard R. Hoyt, John Glauser and J. Alvon Glauser, or by a representative designated by a majority of the members of said committee. In the event of death or resignation of any member of said committee, the remaining member or members shall have full authority to approve or disapprove such design and location or to designate a representative with like authority. In the event said committee, or its designated representative, fails to approve or disapprove such design and location within 30 days, after said plans and specifications have been submitted to it or, in any event, if no suit to enjoin the erection of such building or the making of such alterations has been commenced prior to the completion thereof, such approval will not be required and this Covenant will be deemed to have been fully complied [342]*342with. Neither the members of such committee, nor its designated representative shall be entitled to any compensation for services performed pursuant to this Covenant. The powers and duties of such committee, and its designated representative, shall cease on and after May 1st, 1957, thereafter, the approval described in this covenant shall not he required unless prior to said date and effective thereon, a written instrument shall be executed by the then record owners of a majority of the lots in this subdivision and duly recorded appointing a representative, or representatives, who shall thereafter exercise the same powers previously exercised by said committee.
Covenant V
No noxious or offensive trade or activity shall be carried on upon any residential lot hereinbefore described or any part or portion thereof, nor shall anything be done thereon which may become an annoyance or nuisance to the occupants of the remaining residential lots hereinbefore described.
Covenant VI
No trailer, basement, tent, shack, garage, or other outbuilding erected in, upon or about any of said residential lots herein-before described or any part thereof shall at any time be used as a residence temporarily or permanently, nor shall any structure of a temporary character be used as a residence.
Covenant VIII
No signs, billboards or advertising structures may be erected or displayed on any of the residential lots hereinbe-fore described or parts or portions of said residential lots except that a single sign, not more than 3x5 feet in size, advertising a specific lot for sale or house for rent, may be displayed on the premises affected.
Covenant IX
No trash, ashes or any other refuse may he thrown or dumped on any residential lots hereinbefore described or any part or portion thereof.

From the record before us the following facts are apparent:

The Craners obtained a warranty deed to Lot 16 on August 30, 1955, which deed recited that Lot 16 was “subject to the building restrictions of record affecting Indian Rock Subdivision.” A house was built on the lot in 1955 consisting of two levels, each level being furnished at the outset with complete facilities for living purposes. Upon completion, the Craners occupied the lower level and have done so continuously up to the present time. The upper level was occupied upon completion by the Craners’ son and his family who resided there until February, 1964, when they moved. Thereafter the Cran[343]*343er’s rented the upper level to non-relátive tenants at a monthly rental of $100. Since 1955, the only remodeling that was done was the installation in October, 1964, of a front door for the lower level. In a deposition included in the record Craner stated he knew some building restrictions relating to one-family dwellings existed on Lot 16 but he “paid no attention to it.”

The Gees obtained their building lot by warranty deed dated October 11, 1961, from Earl R. Belnap, who thereafter built a home on the property for the Gees. This deed made no mention of the restrictive covenants, although the deed by which Belnap obtained title to the property in April, 1960, recited that the land was subject to the restrictive covenants here involved. Belnap, a builder of thirty years’ experience, had built a prior home for the ■Gees and had discussed the restrictive covenants with the ' Gees before building the house. Nevertheless, at the request of the Gees, Belnap drew up plans for, and built, a duplex for the Gees. The house was constructed with complete housing units on both floors, each having two separate outside entrances. The Gees moved into the upper unit in April, 1962, and their son and his family occupied the lower floor from March 15, 1962, until August, 1965, when the son moved, following which the Gees rented to another tenant.

Prior 'to the construction of the Gee house, one Louis S. DeEnis wrote a'letter dated November 13/1961, to'Gee, advising him that residents of the subdivision had met about an apparent violation of the restrictive covenants due to the'intended construction of a building other than a single-family dwelling on Gee’s lot and requesting Gee to contact DeEnis.

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Freeman v. Gee
423 P.2d 155 (Utah Supreme Court, 1967)

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Bluebook (online)
423 P.2d 155, 18 Utah 2d 339, 1967 Utah LEXIS 665, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/freeman-v-gee-utah-1967.