Havensight Hills Estates Property Owners Ass'n v. Brown

40 V.I. 96, 1999 WL 317124, 1999 V.I. LEXIS 7
CourtSupreme Court of The Virgin Islands
DecidedFebruary 23, 1999
DocketCiv. No. 721/1993
StatusPublished

This text of 40 V.I. 96 (Havensight Hills Estates Property Owners Ass'n v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of The Virgin Islands primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Havensight Hills Estates Property Owners Ass'n v. Brown, 40 V.I. 96, 1999 WL 317124, 1999 V.I. LEXIS 7 (virginislands 1999).

Opinion

SWAN, Judge

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Background

Plaintiff, Havensight Hills Estate Property Owners Association, Inc., whose members reside in Estate Bakkeroe in St. Thomas, filed [97]*97suit against Defendant Lou Ellen Brown seeking an injunction enjoining Defendant, Lou Ellen Brown, from constructing a three unit structure on her property located at no. 1-61 Estate Bakkeroe, St. Thomas. Plaintiff asserts that the neighborhood in Estate Bakkeroe is zoned R-l which allows for construction of not more than two dwelling units. 29 V.I.C. 229(c). Defendant has built one residential structure and two apartment units on her lot. Plaintiff further asserts that defendant has violated, and continues to violate, the restrictive covenant in her deed which expressly prohibits defendant from constructing two additional units on her property.

Defendant countered that plaintiff is discriminating against her by filing this lawsuit. Specifically, defendant avers that plaintiff has information and knows of other neighborhood residents who have violated, and are violating, the same zoning law and restrictive covenant by constructing more than two (2) additional units on their lots. Yet, plaintiff has failed to file a similar lawsuit against those violators, as plaintiff has done against this defendant, for the same violation. Defendant further contends that plaintiff has acquiesced in these residents' flagrant violations of the same restrictive covenant and of the same zoning laws. Consequently, defendant asserts that plaintiff is estopped from attempting to prevent her from enjoying the same benefit as the other homeowners in the subdivision. Defendant reminds the court that she is Black and that the other homeowners who are violating the restrictive covenant and zoning laws are all Caucasians, and alleges that this is the sole reason why plaintiff has filed this suit against her, but has not filed suits against the Caucasian violators.

Defendant also raised the issues of plaintiff's complaint being barred by the doctrine of laches and by the doctrine of estoppel. In so doing, defendant contends that plaintiff has waived its right to enforce the covenants and conditions in her deed.

ANALYSIS

From the parties' pleadings and the evidence in the case, the Court concludes that the defendant's lot is zoned R-l (Residential low density) and that the deed to defendant's property does have [98]*98a restrictive covenant, restricting the number of units that may be erected on the lot.

The Court finds that plaintiff has endeavored to be the "watch dog" for the residential development. Plaintiff asserts that it intends to enforce all deed restrictions by legal action, if necessary. The Court finds, however, that plaintiff has dismally failed to initiate any form of legal action against any of the Caucasian violators of the same restrictive covenants. For example, it is common knowledge for many years, and plaintiff has had actual knowledge that the owners of parcels no. 1-41, no. 1-44, and no. 1-51 Estate Bakkeroe have all violated, and continue to violate, the same restrictive covenant that plaintiff accused defendant of violating. But, as of the last hearing date in this case, and of the date of this Memorandum Opinion, plaintiff has failed to file suit or take any legal action against the owners of those properties that are similarly in violation of the zoning laws as defendant.

The Court finds that at the time defendant commenced the construction of the third unit on her property, other property owners were already violating the same restrictive covenant. Importantly, some of the violators of the restrictive covenant were renting their illegal units and deriving a source of income from such renting. Moreover, these units were not being rented surreptitiously. Rather, they were advertised in the leading local newspaper of general circulation in this judicial district. For example, Parcel No. 1-41 had two, dwelling units in violation of the restrictive covenant. Both units were being rented for $1,000.00 and $1,200.00 monthly, respectively. The evidence further shows that both parcels nos. 1-44 and 1-51, which are owned by Caucasians, are in violation of the restrictive covenants, since each lot has a minimum of two rental apartments, in addition to the main residence. Two of the homeowners in violation of the covenant were the sister and brother-in-law of one of the former officers of plaintiff's association. Therefore, the Court concludes that plaintiff is "selectively" enforcing the restrictive covenant by not initiating lawsuits against Caucasian residents who violate the covenant, while initiating one against someone who is Black.

Plaintiff asserts that enforcement of the restrictive covenant against defendant is warranted and necessary to "protect the [99]*99residents and the neighborhood." But plaintiff cannot seriously contend that its members are damaged by defendant's actions when others are doing the same thing with impunity or without any efforts by plaintiff to enjoin the same violation of a restrictive covenant by other residents. While plaintiff is uncompromising with defendant for her alleged violations, plaintiff is extremely condescending and timorous when dealing with others who are flagrant violators of the same restrictive covenant. For instance, when one of the plaintiff's representatives approached the owners of parcel 1-44 Estate Bakkeroe and inquired about the number of dwelling units on the premises, one of the owners of that parcel told the representative in no uncertain terms that it was "none of your business as to how many units were on the premises." Plaintiff condones this type of arrogance by its failure to initiate a lawsuit, as it did in this case, against the owners of parcel no. 1-44 Estate Bakkeroe.

Additionally, "[t]he rule is well established that where a covenant in a deed provides against certain uses of the property conveyed . . . those suffering from a breach of such a covenant . . . may be afforded relief in equity upon a showing that the covenant was for their benefit as owners of neighboring properties." Neal v. Grapetree Bay Hotels, Inc., 8 V.I. 267, 276 (D.C.V.I. 1971) citing Osius v. Barton, 147 S. 862, 865 (Fla. 1933) However, the rule is not absolute.

Undeniably, plaintiff has a right to seek enforcement of the restrictive covenant. However, the right to enforce a building restriction may be lost by laches or acquiescence in prior violations. Ellis v. George Ryan Co., Inc., 424 N.E.2d 125 (Ind. App. 1981) Likewise, a party who has not acted against a continuous history of non-compliance has either acquiesced to the violation or waived its right to enforce a covenant. Ellis, supra. Also, the right to enforce a valid restrictive covenant may be waived by conscious acquiescence in persistent, obvious and widespread violations. Dierberg v. Wills, 700 S.W. 2d 461 (Mo. App. 1985).

In certain situations, a restrictive covenant will be deemed invalid and unenforceable, see, Schindel v. Pelican Beach, Inc., 16 V.I. 237 (Terr. Ct. 1979) (Where Court refused to enforce a restrictive covenant because Plaintiff was barred by latches and the doctrine [100]*100of relative hardships). An example of the Court's ability to nullify a restrictive covenant is the doctrine of waiver by acquiescence as set forth in James v. Roberts, 16 V.I. 272 (Terr. Ct. 1979), citing Beatty v.

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40 V.I. 96, 1999 WL 317124, 1999 V.I. LEXIS 7, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/havensight-hills-estates-property-owners-assn-v-brown-virginislands-1999.