Magid v. Cleveland Heights

143 N.E.2d 718, 77 Ohio Law. Abs. 269, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 1035
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 28, 1957
DocketNo. 24127
StatusPublished

This text of 143 N.E.2d 718 (Magid v. Cleveland Heights) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Magid v. Cleveland Heights, 143 N.E.2d 718, 77 Ohio Law. Abs. 269, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 1035 (Ohio Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

[270]*270OPINION

By HUNSICKER, PJ.

This is an appeal on questions of law from a judgment of the Common Pleas Court of Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Sam D. Magid, the appellant, as a resident taxpayer, filed an injunction action against the City of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, herein called city, and its various officials. In this action Mr. Magid asked that “amended and substitute ordinance No. 73-1953, as amended,” of Cleveland Heights be determined to be invalid, and that an order of injunction issue to the city officials enjoining them from taking any action with reference to such ordinance.

The case was tried in the trial court upon an agreed statement of facts and the exhibits offered by the parties.

The facts are that: Cleveland Heights is a charter city, which adopted, many years ago (1921), a comprehensive zoning plan for the entire city; on December 20, 1954, the council of the city passed “amended and substitute ordinance No. 73-1953, as amended”; this ordinance accomplished the rezoning of an area of 147 acres known as “Longwood,” the home of the Severance family; prior to the enactment of ordinance No. 73-1953, “Longwood” was zoned for single-family residence use only; ordinance No. 73-1953 created a new use classification known as 3CP (commercial-professional); and it is to this new use classification, and the claimed effect that it has upon “Longwood” and surrounding property, that the action for injunction is directed.

After judgment was awarded in the Court of Common Pleas to the city of Cleveland Heights, Mr. Magid appealed to this court, saying that the trial court erred:

“1. In overruling plaintiff’s motion for new trial.

“2. In rejecting evidence offered by plaintiff at the trial hereof, to the prejudice of plaintiff.

“3. In determining that the ordinance constituting the substance of this action was lawfully enacted.

“4. In determining that the ordinance constituting the substance of this action established a lawful zoning use classification.

“5. In determining that the Board of Control, created by the ordinance constituting the substance of this action, is a lawful board with lawfully delegated powers.

“6. In determining that the procedures provided in the ordinance constituting the substance of this action are lawful.

“7. In rendering judgment manifestly against the weight of the evidence.”

At the beginning of our consideration of this case, it should be noted that the owners of Longwood are not objecting to the ordinance herein, but the action to declare the ordinance (73-1953) invalid is [271]*271prosecuted by a neighboring landowner as a taxpayer resident of the city of Cleveland Heights.

The city of Cleveland Heights, by its charter provisions, has all powers of local self-government. The power of the city, with respect to control of matters within its corporate boundary, is set out in Article II of the charter, which is as follows:

“ARTICLE II. POWERS

“The city of Cleveland Heights shall have all powers of local self-government now or hereafter granted to municipalities by the Constitution and laws of Ohio, and such further powers as may now or hereafter be granted by the laws of Ohio; and all such powers shall be exercised. in the manner prescribed by this charter or by ordinances of the Council created hereby.”

The legal rules which must guide our consideration of this case have been stated in an excellent review of the authorities by Judge Hurd, in the case of Cleveland Trust Co. v. Brooklyn, 92 Oh Ap 351, wherein the court said:

“1. All zoning laws and regulations must find their justification in some aspect of the police power asserted for the public welfare. Such laws and regulations must be considered as a valid exercise of police power if substantially related to public health, safety, morals or welfare.

“2. The power of a municipality to establish zones and to classify property accordingly, is purely a legislative function which will not be interfered with by the courts, unless such power is exercised in an arbitrary, confiscatory and unreasonable manner in violation of constitutional guarantees.

“3. The presumption of validity which attaches to legislative acts in general applies with equal force to zoning ordinances and regulations and the facts to justify interference by courts with the legislative function must clearly appear from the evidence. If the legislative classification for zoning purposes is fairly debatable the legislative judgment must be allowed to control.

“4. Granting the jurisdiction of a court in a particular case to determine the validity of the whole or any part of a zoning ordinance in appropriate proceedings, such jurisdiction is limited to finding such regulation valid or invalid, and the court may not determine the ultimate classification of the zoned area or substitute its judgment for that of the legislative body.”

The power of the city to enact zoning regulations and to amend such regulations is not controverted. Specifically, it is claimed that council did not comply with the procedure for amendment of the zoning regulations set out in Title Three, Chapter 13, Sec. 1113.01 and Sec. 1113.02 of the Zoning Code, which sections are as follows:

Sec. 1113.01:

“The City Council may amend, revise, rearrange, renumber, or re-codify this Code or any of the provisions hereof at any time and from time to time upon its own motion or upon recommendation of the City Planning Commission or upon petition, after holding a public hearing upon the'proposal of which not less than thirty days’ prior notice has [272]*272been given by publication at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City. However, such proposal, prior to action thereon, shall be referred to the City Planning Commission for its consideration and recommendation. The Commission shall be allowed a reasonable time, not less than thirty days, for its consideration and recommendations. (Emphasis ours.)

Sec. 1113.02:

“If the City Planning Commission shall have made a recommendation for action by the City Council upon such proposal within such thirty-day period or thereafter but prior to voting by the City Council upon the proposal, no action shall be taken by the City Council contrary to such recommendation except by the concurring votes of not less than three-fourths of the members of the City Council. Any such proposal may be amended prior to the voting thereon by the City Council without further notice or postponement if such amendment to the proposal shall be germane to the subject matter thereof and is in accord with the recommendation of the City Planning Commission.” (Emphasis ours.)

On August 17, 1953, ordinance No. 73-1953 was introduced in the council of the city of Cleveland Heights by the mayor of the city, and then referred, on August 21, 1953 (in compliance with Sec. 1113.01 of the Zoning Code), to the planning commission of the city.

Thereafter, numerous communications and discussions were had with reference to this ordinance by the mayor of the city, the city council, the planning commission, and interested parties.

On January 18, 1954, an amended and substitute ordinance No. 73-1953 was given its first reading in council.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
143 N.E.2d 718, 77 Ohio Law. Abs. 269, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 1035, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/magid-v-cleveland-heights-ohioctapp-1957.