McBride v. Behrman

272 N.E.2d 181, 28 Ohio Misc. 47, 57 Ohio Op. 2d 77, 1971 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 211
CourtHighland County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedAugust 4, 1971
DocketNo. 21495
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 272 N.E.2d 181 (McBride v. Behrman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Highland County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McBride v. Behrman, 272 N.E.2d 181, 28 Ohio Misc. 47, 57 Ohio Op. 2d 77, 1971 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 211 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1971).

Opinion

Hottle, J.

The within action for injunctive relief having come on for hearing before the undersigned, upon consideration of the evidence, stipulations, interrogatories, and answers thereto, arguments of counsel and the law, the court grants the prayer of the complaint.

The stipulations herein read as follows:

“1. That the named plaintiffs are the owners of the various lots in Mountain View Colony Subdivision, Paint Township, Highland County, Ohio, as alleged in para-; graph two of the Complaint.
“2. That Mountain View Colony Subdivision and McCoppin Mill Road Colony Subdivision were owned at one time by one owner, and said owner caused the restrictions contained in paragraph four of the complaint to be inserted in all deeds to lots sold and defendants purchased their subject lot with notice of said restrictions.
“3. That shortly before July 1, 1970 (date of filing of the Complaint) defendants caused a mobile home or house [48]*48trailer to be moved or placed on their lot in Mountain View Colony Subdivision, and with accomplaning (sic) water and sewerage outlets to be installed.
“4. That the interrogatories submitted by defendants to plaintiffs and the answers to said interrogatories are filed with this court, and are to be considered as evidence, by both parties.
“5. That the record of the hearing for the preliminary injunction, along with stipulations of counsel and various exhibits are also to be considered as evidence in this final hearing, of both parties of record.
“6. Counsel of the parties agree that the basic issues to be determined by the court are as follows:
“a. Whether or not the act of placing or installing a mobile home or house trailer by defendants on their lot in Mountain View Colony Subdivision with improvements as indicated by evidence violated any of the restrictions of record in said Subdivision.
“b. Whether or not a permanent injunction will lie as prayed for by the plaintiff in their complaint, or as may be modified by the court.”

Stipulation No. 6 states the question decided herein.

The restrictions mentioned in Stipulation No. 2 read as follows:

“1. The said premises shall be used for residential purposes only.
“2. All buildings shall be erected to conform with the building line of said colony. Any building erected on said lot shall set back at least 35 feet from the street or public thoroughfare line on which said lot or lots adjoins.
“3. No temporary structure will be permitted upon said premises for occupancy nor shall any unsightly structures be erected thereon at any time.
“4. No dwelling or residence having a value of less than $3,500.00 shall be built, constructed, erected, or moved upon said premises in said colony.
“5. All construction upon the premises herein conveyed shall conform with the building and sanitary codes of the state of Ohio.
[49]*49“6. The foregoing restrictions, covenants, reservations and limitations constitute a part of the consideration for the premises herein and in addition to the foregoing, restrictions against anything offensive to a high class residence district will be imposed and all the foregoing shall run with the land and shall inure to the benefit of any and all lot owners in said colony.
“7. The several covenants and agreements hereinbe-fore contained in paragraphs numbered 1 to 6 inclusive shall run with the land hereby conveyed and shall be binding upon the grantee, their heirs and assigns forever.”

This court has been unable to find any Ohio case precisely on all fours with the instant case. However, two Ohio cases are quite similar: the first, in time, being Swigart v. Richards, 87 Ohio Law Abs. 37, decided by the Common Pleas Court of Licking County in 1961. The restriction dealt with there, reads as follows:

“No building shall be erected or maintained upon any lot except one residence designed and used for occupation by a single family and not more than one and one-half stories in height on water front row only. Such residence building may include a garage as an integral part thereof.”

Judge Holtsberry stated at p. 40:

“The mobile home mode of living has created many social and economic problems resulting in a great amount of regulatory legislation over the country, conflicting and confusing court decisions, some perhaps due in some degree to unfamiliar knowledge of factors involved, and lack of guiding precedent.
‘ ‘ This new concept of home must, at least at its present stage of development, be regulated not solely as a vehicle, or solely as a building, but as a combination of both. (The very design and structure of the present day mobile home is a vehicle because of its wheels and design for highway movement by being towed by another vehicle.) • It is subject to the laws of the road and is expressly defined and included under certain Ohio motor-vehicle statutes. (R. C. 4501.01 (I).) Said Section provides :
[50]*50“ (I) House trailer means any self-propelled and non-self-propelled vehicle so designed, constructed, reconstructed, or added to by means of accessories in such manner as will permit the use and occupancy thereof for human habitation whether resting on wheels, jacks, or other foundation and used or so constructed as to permit its being used as a conveyance upon the public streets or highways. ’ ’

Judge Holtsberry also cited and discussed E. C. 4503.06, regarding revenues derived from house trailers for the state.

At the bottom of p. 41 he pointed out that restrictive covenants in deeds, are interpreted generally by those rules used to interpret contracts, and that a use of property restriction is strictly construed, ref. 175 A. L. E. 1191-1215. See also Bove v. Giebel, 169 Ohio St. 325; 15 Ohio Jurisprudence 2d, Section 119 “Covenants” and citations thereat; citations at p. 101 of Property Owners’ Assn. v. Driscoll, 106 Ohio App. 95.

Judge Holtsberry, top of p. 41, of his opinion, stated:

“It is stated in 15 Ohio Jurisprudence 2d 106 (Sec. 118) that a fundamental consideration in construing stipulations restricting the use and enjoyment of real property is the intention of the parties as evidenced by the terms of the restrictions and the surrounding circumstances, both of the parties and subject matter.”

At the bottom of p. 40 the Judge stated:

“In considering such a case as the instant case, many factors such as dimension, alterations, existing applicable legislation and court decisions, the particular restrictive covenants, apparent intent of the covenants, together with all facts and surrounding circumstances must be carefully considered by a court in reaching a decision. Most mobile home cases arising today must be decided upon the particular facts■ and circumstances before a court.” (Emphasis added.)

• The other similar Ohio case is Yeager v. Cassidy, 20 Ohio Misc.

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Bluebook (online)
272 N.E.2d 181, 28 Ohio Misc. 47, 57 Ohio Op. 2d 77, 1971 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcbride-v-behrman-ohctcomplhighla-1971.