Goodwillie v. City of Detroit

61 N.W. 526, 103 Mich. 283, 1894 Mich. LEXIS 1141
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 22, 1894
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 61 N.W. 526 (Goodwillie v. City of Detroit) 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
Goodwillie v. City of Detroit, 61 N.W. 526, 103 Mich. 283, 1894 Mich. LEXIS 1141 (Mich. 1894).

Opinion

McGrath, 0. J.

The bill in this case is filed to enjoin the collection of a paving assessment. The case was heard on bill and answer. It is alleged that the proceedings are invalid—

“1. Because the board of public works never furnished the common council with the detailed estimate of cost of pavement required by the charter.

“2. Because the laying of water and gas pipes in the portion of the street paved was not completed a full year before the pavement was ordered, as the charter requires, but, on the contrary, the city laid the water main in the street immediately before the laying of the pavement.

“3. Because, by entering into this paving contract, the council exceeded the charter limitation upon the aggregate cost of paving contracts entered into in one year without the petition of the owners of abutting property.”

Compiler’s section 320 of the charter of the city provides that, when any public improvement is proposed, the common council, before proceeding with the same, shall refer [286]*286the matter to the board of public works, which shall forthwith examine it, and report thereon to the council, giving detailed estimates of the costs of the improvement, and making such recommendation as it may deem expedient. An estimate of the cost in gross was reported to the common council. The bill does not allege that a detailed estimate was not actually made by the board. It does, however, allege that no other estimate was reported, to the council. In this respect only does the present case differ from the case of Cuming v. City of Grand Rapids, 46 Mich. 157, 158. The charter of Grand Eapids provided that, when the council should decide that any public work was a necessary improvement, the board of public works should determine as to the particular kind and quantity of materials to be used therefor, and estimate the probable cost and expense of such work, and of the material to be used, in detail, and cause to be prepared, so far as necessary, plans and specifications for such work, and report its estimate to the common council. Mr. Justice Cooley, speaking for the Oourt in that case, says:

“The board of public works must undoubtedly make a detailed estimate, but there is much reason for contending that if only the sum total is reported to the council, and that body sees fit to act upon it, the objection cannot be taken afterwards. The estimate is for the information of the council, to enable that body to determine how much money shall be raised; and if they have the sum total, and act upon it without calling for further particulars, it may well be urged that the question is precluded.”

Under the charter provision in that case, plans and specifications were prepared by the board of public works for each particular street, as its improvement was contemplated, while, under defendant's charter, plans and specifications for the various kinds of pavement are prepared in advance by the board of public works, and approved by the common council. The question of the [287]*287■cost would naturally be considered in detail upon the preparation and approval of such plans and specifications. The duty of furnishing the estimate is imposed upon the board of public works; the council called upon the board for such estimate; and an estimate, having been furnished, -and no further particulars having been called for, it must be assumed that the information was sufficiently specific to enable the council to act intelligently. In Butler v. City of Detroit, 43 Mich. 552, the board of public works made no report as to the expediency of the proposed improvement, nor did they report any estimate of the cost. In Mills v. City of Detroit, 95 Mich. 422, the board reported no estimate whatever as to the cost.1

As to the second objection, complainants rely upon section 314, which is as follows:

“They shall establish a system of sewers for the entire ■city, and cause to be designated on said plats the streets ( through which the same are to be constructed; and no ’.street shall be paved until the sewer to be constructed through the same shall be completed so far as the pavement is to extend: Provided, that all sewers, water-pipes, .gas pipes, and all connections be made and completed at least one year before such paving is ordered to be done."

The section is section 6 of chapter 15, relating to the hoard of public works. Respecting water and gas pipes .and connections, neither the board of public works nor the council has the authority to lay either. The water board has exclusive management and control of laying water pipes and connections, and the same are laid in its ■discretion, and gas is supplied by private corporations owning and managing the entire plant. The water board is •empowered to lay pipes in the streets, and the consent of neither the council nor the board of public works is re[288]*288quired, nor is there any provision enabling the council or board of public works to direct or compel the laying of water pipes by the water board. Water connections are usually made at the expense of the consumer, and under the rule laid down in Jones v. Water Commissioners, 34 Mich. 273, the expense of these connections cannot bo made a charge upon the abutting property in advance of their use. However, these connections are made under rules formulated by the water commissioners. The answer - avers that the laying of the water pipes in the street in question was begun after the confirmation of the contract for paving, and was done by the board of water commissioners, without any actual notice to or knowledge of defendant or the board of public works. When the contract was let, there was no charter obstacle to the improvement. It certainly was not the intention that subsequent action by the water board would prevent the improvement, involve the city in litigation with respect to its contract, or, invalidate the assessment. The section referred to prohibits pavement until the sewers contemplated by the plan adopted shall have been completed, and then specifies that they shall be completed at least one year before pavement, but it does not prohibit paving until the water-pipes are laid. This section, so far as it relates to sewers, is consistent with the proper exercise by the common council of its powers. So far, however, as it relates to water or gas pipes or connections, the council has no authority over the subjects, except, in the case of gas pipes, to refuse permission for laying the same. The necessity for a pavement may not depend upon the presence of consumers of' water. Large belts of unimproved and unoccupied property often divide thickly-settled districts, which are supplied with water; and for convenience, and police and fire protection, it frequently becomes necessary to pave streets leading from one of these districts to the other in advance [289]*289of any demand for water or gas in tbe unsettled territory. In view of these conditions, the power is given to the common council to order the improvement of streets in the absence of any petition therefor. Again, there is no rule governing the number of water or gas connections which may be needed upon a given frontage. That matter depends upon the number of habitations, rather than the number of lots. Action by the common council, in response to the demands of the public, cannot be made dependent upon the discretionary action of the water board, which is prompted by other exigencies, nor can the action of the council be made to hinge upon individual demands for water connections.

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Bluebook (online)
61 N.W. 526, 103 Mich. 283, 1894 Mich. LEXIS 1141, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goodwillie-v-city-of-detroit-mich-1894.