Hero v. City of Gretna

93 So. 2d 319, 1957 La. App. LEXIS 685
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 11, 1957
DocketNo. 20933
StatusPublished

This text of 93 So. 2d 319 (Hero v. City of Gretna) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hero v. City of Gretna, 93 So. 2d 319, 1957 La. App. LEXIS 685 (La. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

McBRIDE, Judge.

This suspensive appeal was taken by plaintiffs from a judgment of the district court maintaining defendant’s exception of no cause or right of action and dismissing their suit to enjoin the defendant from exchanging a portion of Gretna Park for six other lots in the vicinity. The exception was maintained only after certain evidence had been introduced on trial of the rule nisi for a preliminary injunction. Plaintiffs’ appeal was made returnable to the Supreme Court, but the appeal was transferred to us when it was determined by that court that the amount involved was below its minimum jurisdiction. 231 La. 427, 91 So.2d 590.

The allegations of the petition for the injunction and the aforesaid evidence show that on October 7, 1930, by authentic act, seven persons owning property in the City of Gretna, among whom were Alfred O. Hero and Mrs. Claire Angele Emma Jou-bert de Villemarest, wife of George Alfred Piero, conveyed to the said municipality certain of their respective property within its corporate limits, it being recited in the deed of transfer:

“Whereas, Grantors have agreed to convey their several respective tracts of land in said triangular area ‘CZY’, as shown by the plat hereto annexed, to the City of Gretna, Louisiana, and dedicate the same as a public park, for the use of the public:
******
“Each and all of the Grantors further declares that this conveyance is made for the purpose of creating a public park for the use of the public in the City of Gretna and that the several tracts of land herein conveyed are hereby dedicated as a public park for the use of the public:
“And now to these presents came and appeared Charles F. Gelbke, Mayor of the City of Gretna, Louisiana appearing and acting herein by virtue of an Ordinance adopted by the Mayor and Board of Alderman of said City, a certified copy of which is hereto annexed [321]*321and made part hereof, who declared that the City of Gretna, Louisiana, accepts the conveyance and dedication of the properties hereinabove described, and, as a further consideration for said conveyance and dedication, the City of Gretna, Louisiana, agrees and binds itself;
“1. To develop the tract of land included within the lines ‘CZY’ on the plat hereto annexed, comprised of the several different parcels herein conveyed, as a public park for the use of the public at as early a date as practicable :
“2. To open and maintain at least one public street in said park area and to extend its sewerage, water and other facilities into the area adjoining the park as soon as possible;”

The recitation of the consideration for the transfer of the property by Alfred O. Hero and Mrs. Claire Angele Emma Jou-bert de Villemarest, wife of George Alfred Hero, to the City of Gretna appears in the deed thus:

“In consideration of the sum of One Thousand, Four Hundred Fifty-Six and 42/100 Dollars ($1456.42), to them cash in hand paid, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the benefits which will accrue to its remaining lands by the development of a park, and the further considerations hereinafter set out, the said Alfred O. Hero and Mrs. Claire Angele Emma Joubert de Villemarest, wife of George Alfred Hero, * * ”

It is a fact that the City of Gretna proposes to exchange a parcel of property measuring 450 feet by 450 feet which forms the corner of Gretna Boulevard and Claire Avenue for six scattered lots located in the general area. Though not named in the petition, the evidence in the record shows that the individual with whom the defendant intends to enter into the exchange transaction is Warren Rose. A further disclosure by the evidence is that upon the consummation of the transaction between the City of Gretna and Warren Rose, the latter will exchange the property he acquires from the City of Gretna with the School Board for other property, and that it is contemplated that a public school building will be erected on the land acquired by Rose from the defendant. The particular tract in question is part of that which was transferred by Alfred O. Hero and Mrs. Claire Angele Emma Joubert de Villemarest, wife of George Alfred Hero, to the City of Gret-na, on October 7, 1930, as aforesaid.

On April 14, 21 and 28, 1956, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Gret-na publicly advertised in a newspaper of general publication a notice to the effect that an ordinance had been introduced and was proposed for adoption which authorizes the exchange of a portion of the Gretna Park for certain other property in the neighborhood (the property involved being fully described therein) and calling on and notifying all. parties at interest that any opposition thereto must be made within fifteen days as provided by LSA-R.S. 33:4712.

The plaintiffs-appellants made seasonable written opposition to the adoption of the proposed ordinance and to the exchange of the property, but after a hearing the opposition was rejected and the ordinance plaintiffs attack, which was assigned the number 968, authorizing the exchange was adopted. This suit for an injunction ensued.

The plaintiffs are Alvin A. Hero and Alfred O. Hero, Jr. They assail the validity of the ordinance on several grounds, one of which is that:

“ * * * the City of Gretna proposes to exchange petitioners’ property with other property to some private individual or corporation and that they propose to build a school on the property donated for park purposes, instead of using said property as it was intended to be used, for park purposes.”

[322]*322The plaintiffs pray for injunctive relief:

“ * * * directed to the defendants, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Gretna, restraining, enjoining and prohibiting them, their agents, employees, or any other persons claiming to act in their behalf, from executing an exchange of the property described in the ordinance and in the advertisement with any individual, person, firm or corporation

Plaintiffs also pray for judgment “decreeing the ordinance illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.”

Plaintiffs also sought and obtained a temporary restraining order. The rule nisi for a preliminary injunction was duly heard, after which the trial judge recalled the restraining order and rendered the judgment from which the' appeal was taken.

Besides the exception of no cause or right of action, defendant filed several other exceptions, but these were not passed upon and need not be mentioned except the plea of prescription of ten years which the appellee has reurged before us. The exceptions not passed upon by the lower court are deemed to have been overruled. Rains v. Thomason & Champion, 17 La.App. 120, 135 So. 92; Lacaze v. Hardee, La.App., 7 So.2d 719.

LSA-R.S. 33:4712 authorizing the sale, lease or other disposition' of certain property by municipalities reads as follows:

“Municipalities, the City of New Orleans excepted, may sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of, at public or private sale, any real property not actually acquired for a specific public use, or, if acquired and once used for a specific public use, there is, in the opinion of the governing authority, no further need for the property.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Lacaze v. Hardee
7 So. 2d 719 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1941)
Anderson v. Thomas
117 So. 573 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1928)
City of Shreveport v. Kahn
193 So. 461 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1939)
Hero v. City of Gretna
91 So. 2d 590 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1956)
Rains v. Thomason & Champion
135 So. 92 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1931)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
93 So. 2d 319, 1957 La. App. LEXIS 685, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hero-v-city-of-gretna-lactapp-1957.