Klensin v. City of Tucson

459 P.2d 316, 10 Ariz. App. 399, 1969 Ariz. App. LEXIS 599
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedOctober 6, 1969
Docket2 CA-CIV 642
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 459 P.2d 316 (Klensin v. City of Tucson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Klensin v. City of Tucson, 459 P.2d 316, 10 Ariz. App. 399, 1969 Ariz. App. LEXIS 599 (Ark. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

HATHAWAY, Judge.

The Klensins sought a declaratory judgment that the existing R-3 zoning classification of their property situated on East Broadway, Tucson, Arizona, was unconstitutional as not being within the police power, and as being arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable and discriminatory. They also asked for a restraining order to prevent the defendant, City of Tucson, from interfering with their making commerical use of the subject property as permitted under B-l zoning.

The cause was tried to the court sitting without a jury. Evidence was presented and the premises were viewed by the court. After the plaintiffs rested, the City moved for dismissal under Rule 41(b),. Rules of Civil Procedure, 16 A.R.S., which the court granted. The court adopted the amended findings of fact and conclusions of law submitted by the City.

The plaintiffs’ property, located on the south side of Broadway between Swan Road and Craycroft Road, is a rectangular parcel — 75 feet wide and 150 feet deep. A frontage road 25 feet wide separates the property from Broadway, with a curb separating the frontage road from Broadway, and an alley 20 feet wide runs along *401 the rear of the property. The frontage road can be entered from Niven Avenue, which is approximately 300 feet west of the subject property, or in front of the subject property where a cut in the curb exists. East of the property is a shopping center zoned B-l with a business sign, “Pleasure Time,” immediately adjacent to plaintiffs’ property. The property across the alley at the rear is zoned R-l, and is occupied by persons living in single dwelling units. All property on the south side of Broadway between Swan and Craycroft is zoned residential with the exception of large corner lots at the intersections of Swan and Broadway and Rosemont and Broadway, which are zoned for commercial use.

The area in which the plaintiffs’ property is located was annexed to the City on December 5, 1965. Prior to annexation it was zoned under the county equivalent to its present City classification. There has been much development along Broadway since, and a good deal of zoning reclassification has followed.

Plaintiffs contend that the trial court was bound to view the evidence and inferences to be drawn therefrom most favorably to their position when considering the defendant’s motion to dismiss under Rule 41(b), made after plaintiffs rested their case. Rule 41 (b) provides in part:

“After the plaintiff, in an action tried by the court without a jury, has completed the presentation of his evidence, the defendant, without waiving his right to offer evidence in the event the motion is not granted, may move for a dismissal on the ground that upon the facts and the law the plaintiff has shown no right to relief. The court as trier of the facts may then determine them and render judgment against the plaintiff or may decline to render any judgment until the close of all the evidence. If the court renders judgment on the merits against the plaintiff, the court shall make findings as provided in Rule 52(a).”

The rules seek an orderly, expeditious determination of lawsuits and:

“ * * * it is certainly within their purpose that the court should have the power to dispose of the case at their first opportunity, and it is entirely appropriate that the court have the power to weigh the evidence, consider the law, and find for the defendant at the end of plaintiff’s case.” 5 Moore’s Federal Practice § 41.13(4), pp. 1157-58 (2d ed. 1968).

The judge as trier of the facts in a trial without a jury may pass upon credibility and conflicts in the evidence and dismiss at the end of the plaintiffs’ case if convinced against the plaintiffs, provided special findings are made. Joseph v. Tibsher-any, 88 Ariz. 205, 354 P.2d 254 (1960); Lehman v. Whitehead, 1 Ariz.App. 355, 403 P.2d 8 (1965); Rule 41(b), Rules of Civil Procedure. In Markel v. Phoenix Title & Trust Company, 100 Ariz. 53, 410 P.2d 662 (1966), cited by plaintiffs, no findings of fact were made as required by Rule 41(b) and it was therefore required that the evidence be considered in the light most favorable to plaintiffs. Here, findings of fact were made by the trial court and we will view the record in the light most favorable to sustaining the trial judge. Joseph v. Tibsherany, supra.

Fourteen questions are presented for review. The majority of these are directed to the reasonableness of the zoning classification.

The plaintiffs first contend that the character of Broadway has changed to such an extent that the present R-3 zoning for their property is not within the police power of the City and is unconstitutional. To prevail, they must show that the ordinance is clearly arbitrary and unreasonable, and that it does not have any substantial relation to the public health, safety, morals or general welfare. Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co., 272 U.S. 365, 47 S.Ct. 114, 71 L.Ed. 303, 54 A.L.R. 1016 (1926); City of Phoenix v. Burke, 9 Ariz.App. 395, 452 P.2d 722 *402 (1969); City of Tucson v. Arizona Mortuary, 34 Ariz. 495, 272 P. 923 (1928). The ordinance is presumed valid, and where the reasonableness of the ordinance is fairly debatable, the trial court must uphold its validity. Rubi v. 49’er Country Club Estates, Inc., 7 Ariz.App. 408, 440 P.2d 44 (1968); Courson v. City of Tucson, 10 Ariz.App. 159, 457 P.2d 346 (1969); City of Phoenix v. Fehlner, 90 Ariz. 13, 363 P.2d 607 (1961); Arverne Bay Construction Company v. Thatcher, 278 N.Y. 222, 15 N.E.2d 587, 117 A.L.R. 1110 (1938); Zahn v. Board of Public Works of City of Los Angeles, 274 U.S. 325, 47 S.Ct. 594, 71 L.Ed. 1074 (1927), and cases cited therein.

The plaintiffs have directed our attention to the increase in traffic on Broadway, the presence of a B-l use adjacent to the property and to instances on Broadway of reclassification from residential to B-l. We agree there are reasons that can be given and arguments that can be made in favor of their position. In exercising our judicial function, however, the reasons supporting the Mayor and Council’s refusal to reclassify the property to B-l must be carefully considered.

A general purpose of zoning is to restrict uses to certain localities, “to bring about the orderly physical development of the community, to conserve, protect, or maintain the value of buildings or other property, and to put land to the use or uses to which it is best adapted, or the use which is most appropriate.” 101 C.J.S. Zoning § 2.

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

Related

State v. Crisp
855 P.2d 795 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1993)
Fidelity National Title Insurance v. Pima County
831 P.2d 426 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1992)
Rogus v. Lords
804 P.2d 133 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1991)
Corrigan v. City of Scottsdale
720 P.2d 528 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1985)
Quinn v. Town of Dodgeville
354 N.W.2d 747 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1984)
State v. Cook
678 P.2d 987 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1984)
Tucson Community Development & Design Center, Inc. v. City of Tucson
641 P.2d 1298 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1981)
Aztec Film Productions, Inc. v. Prescott Valley, Inc.
626 P.2d 132 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1981)
Amfac Electric Supply Co. v. Rainer Construction Co.
600 P.2d 26 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1979)
Rempt v. Borgeas
583 P.2d 1356 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1978)
City of Phoenix v. Oglesby
537 P.2d 934 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1975)
City of Phoenix v. Collins
524 P.2d 1318 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1974)
City of Phoenix v. Beall
524 P.2d 1314 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
459 P.2d 316, 10 Ariz. App. 399, 1969 Ariz. App. LEXIS 599, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/klensin-v-city-of-tucson-arizctapp-1969.