Houck v. City of Roseburg

108 P. 186, 56 Or. 238, 1910 Ore. LEXIS 165
Oregon Supreme Court·Decided April 26, 1910·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

Mr. Justice Eakin

delivered the opinion of the court.

1. But one question is raised by the brief of appellants, viz.: Is the assessment of the cost of the construction of the sewer upon the property on the south side of the street void because it does not include all the property directly benefited? It may be stated as a rule in proceedings for the levy of an assessment for a street improvement that, if the council has acquired jurisdiction, equity will not grant an injunction to prevent the collection of the assessment for irregularities occurring in the subsequent proceedings on the complaint of the owner of property benefited by the improvement, who, with knowledge of its progress, permitted its construction without objec[243] tion. Smith, Law of Munic. Corp. § 1263; Wilson v. City of Salem, 24 Or. 504 (34 Pac. 9, 691); Barkley v. Oregon City, 24 Or. 515 (33 Pac. 978); Strout v. Portland, 26 Or. 294 (38 Pac. 126); Clinton v. Portland, 26 Or. 411 (38 Pac. 407); City of Denver v. Dumars, 33 Colo. 94 (80 Pac. 114); Klepsch v. Donald, 18 Wash. 150 (51 Pac. 352.)

2. The proceedings necessary to jurisdiction are that the council, having determined to construct ,a. sewer at some designated location, shall declare by ordinance whether the cost thereof shall be assessed to the property directly benefited, the appointment of the council of disinterested viewers who shall view the street and location of the proposed sewer and ascertain and determine what property is directly benefited thereby and the extent and proportion of such benefits, and publication by the recorder of the notice provided by Section 100 of the charter. Laws 1895, p. 548; Clinton v. City of Portland, 26 Or. 411 (38 Pac. 407.)

3. In Wingate v. Astoria, 39 Or. 603, 604 (65 Pac. 982, 983), Mr. Justice Bean says:

“It is the settled law of this State, supported by the weight of authority, that, where the municipal authorities have jurisdiction to improve a street, a property owner who, with knowledge of such improvement, makes no objection until after the work has been completed, cannot enjoin the collection of the assessment on the ground that the proceedings have not been regular.”

As there stated, the objection that the local assessments were not in fact made according to the benefits does not go to the jurisdiction of the council to make the improvement, and therefore cannot be the basis of a suit to enjoin the collection of the assessment after the improvement has been made. It is immaterial that the plaintiffs did not have actual notice. The construction notice provided for by Section 100 of the charter is all that is required. This gave plaintiffs ample opportunity to be heard as to any irregularities in the proceedings, and, not having [244] taken advantage of that opportunity until after the work has been done, they are precluded thereby from asking equitable relief. Barkley v. Oregon City, 24 Or. 515, 520 (33 Pac. 978); King v. Portland, 38 Or. 402 (63 Pac. 2: 55 L. R. A. 812); Paulson v. Portland, 16 Or. 450, 463 (19 Pac. 450: 1 L. R. A. 673).

4. It is further alleged in the complaint that the action of the viewers and the council in omitting from the assessment the lots on the north side of the street and assessing the whole cost of the sewer upon the property above described, was willful, arbitrary, and intentional, and purposely done. Such conduct on the part of the viewers or the council, if unreasonable, oppressive, and subversive of the rights of the plaintiffs, would amount to a fraud upon plaintiffs and render the proceedings void and ground for equitable relief. Masters v. Portland, 24 Or. 161, 165 (33 Pac. 540; Beckett v. Portland, 53 Or. 169, 172 (99 Pac. 659.)

5. But in an equity proceeding the findings of the council as to the amount the property is directly benefited by the improvement and the proportionate share thereof to be charged to each lot are conclusive in the absence of fraud. Duniway v. Portland, 47 Or. 103, 112 (81 Pac. 945); Hughes v. City of Portland, 53 Or. 385 (100 Pac. 942.)

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Houck v. City of Roseburg, 108 P. 186, 56 Or. 238, 1910 Ore. LEXIS 165 (Or. 1910).

108 P. 186 (Houck v. City of Roseburg) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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