Smith v. Troy

18 Ohio Law. Abs. 476, 1934 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1002
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 3, 1934
DocketNo 337
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 18 Ohio Law. Abs. 476 (Smith v. Troy) 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
Smith v. Troy, 18 Ohio Law. Abs. 476, 1934 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1002 (Ohio Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

[477]*477OPINION

By BARNES, J.

The petition in error sets out 9 separate specifications of error. However, in the briefs of counsel these are grouped and all questions may be summarized under two general propositions as follows:

1. The evidence is insufficient to establish the claimed violation of the zoning ordinance.

2. That the provisions of the zoning ordinance insofar as it may apply to the business of the defendant is unconstitutional for the reason that it is indefinite in its provisions and further is an unwarranted and unreasonable exercise of police power.

In the Mayor’s Court the defendant, Smith, did not testify nor did he present any evidence in his defense.

A certified copy of the zoning ordinance so called, is presented in evidence and attached to the bill of exceptions as Exhibit “A”. The ordinance is a full and comprehensive enactment prepared in detail and dealing with every section of the city. Its penal provisions are provided in §23 of the ordinance.

The specific charge against the defendant, Smith, in the Mayor’s Court as disclosed by thef affidavit, in substance, is as follows:

“On the 12th day of February 1934 * * * unlawfully did then and there operate, control and manage a barbershop within the city, to-wit, on the northwest corner of Monroe Street and McKaig Avenue, contrary to Ordinance 1696, etc.”

Ordinance 1696 is the zoning ordinance above referred to.

It is disclosed from the map attached to the ordinance that the northwest corner of Monroe Street and McKaig Ave. is within the territory described under §4 designated as “B four family district”. This §4 sets forth under nine subdivisions the character of structure and uses to be made thereof within its bounds.

A barbershop is not designated as one of the uses. The first subdivision of §4 reads as follows:

“1. Any use permitted in the ‘A’ residence district.”

Section 3 provides the permtited uses in the “ ‘A’ residence district” under nine subdivisions. The conducting of a barbershop is not specifically mentioned as a permitted use under any of the nine subdivisions set out under §3.

It is the contention of counsel for the defendant, Smith, that subdivision 9 in the “A” group is broad enough to include a barbershop. §9 reads as follows:

“9. Uses customarily incident to any of the above uses when situated in the same dwelling, including home occupation such as the office of a physician, surgeon, dentist, musician or artist.”

There are some further ■ provisions contained in subdivision 9 not pertinent to the question now toeing considered. In the trial court' all the evidence presented on the question was to the effect that a residence was not a customary place for the conducting of a barbershop.

[478]*478Considering the question on the basis of common knowledge and as applied generally in other communities, we cannot say that it is customary to conduct barbershops in dwellings, although there are instances of such. If the question of common knowledge is -limited to the - city of Troy, which it probably should be, then we must say that the question of common knowledge cannot apply.

The claim is further made that the following “such as the office of physician, surgeon, dentist, musician or artist” would include the business or profession of barbering. We can see nothing similar in the conducting of a barbershop with the office of a physician, surgeon, dentist, musician or artist. The mere statement is the strongest argument.

The fact that barbers are required to take examinations under the present law merely goes to the right, or authority to engage in the business. This does not change the general character or classification. It does not make a barbershop an office and therefore can not be classified “such as an office of a physician, etc.”

The claim is further made that there is no specific provision of the ordinance prohibiting the operation of a barbershop in either the “ ‘A’ residence district” or the “ ‘B’ four family district.” This claim is answered by the provision of the ordinance which makes the specific provision as to the uses in the various districts and excludes all others. There is no specific exclusion of any kind or character. If the business is not included in the specific provisions, then it is excluded by the general terms of the ordinance.

Por instance, in the “‘A’ residence district” we find this provision:

“No building or land shall be used and no building shall be hereafter erected or structurally altered unless otherwise provided in this ordinance, except for one or more of the following uses.”

Under the provisions as to the “ ‘B’ four family district” is found the following:

“No building or land shall be used nor building shall be hereafter erected or structurally altered unless otherwise provided in this ordinance, except for one or more of the following uses.”

There are other zones wherein barbershops are permitted and in fact there is no legitimate business but what is permitted in some zones in the city.

It should be further stated that the ordinance specially provides that any lawful use of premises within the city limits existing at the time of the passage of the ordinance, although not now conforming to the provisions thereof, may be continued, but if such non-conforming use is discontinued, all future use of the premises shall conform to the provisions of the ordinance.

According to the evidence, the defendant located his barbershop in district “B” after the passage of the ordinance and in fact only a short time prior to his arrest.

The constitutionality of the zoning ordinance is attacked on two grounds. The first being that it is indefinite in its provisions as it applies to plaintiff. In support of this claim 1,2 A.L.R., 1436 is quoted from. This citation refers to the well recognized principle of law that penal statutes not prescribing definite rules of conduct or vesting in public officials a discretion uncontrolled by definite legislative enactment are unconstitutional and void. In the - instant case it is sought to give application to this principle wherein the ordinance under “A” and “B” in addition to specific uses also under subdivision 9 includes “uses customarily incident when situated in the same dwelling including home occupations such as, etc.” It is urged that the provisions of this subdivision “such as, etc.” is indefinite and necessarily vest$ in the commission and finally in the court a discretion as to whether or not the particular use complained of, if not specifical-j ly provided for, is embraced in the terms “such as the office of physician; surgeon, dentist, musician or artist.”

We are unable to agree with counsel that the ordinance is indefinite in-the particulars complained of, nor do we think that a| discretion is vested either in the commission or the court. The fact that there may be occasions/ wherein it becomes necessary to determine whether or not the particular use is a ‘home occupation such as, etc.”, but such cannot properly be designated as a discretion. On the other hand, it is a determination whether or not under the particular facts of each casé, the terms of the ordinance have been violated.

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Related

State, Ex Rel. Vielhauer v. Leighton
171 N.E.2d 748 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1959)
Harford v. Dagenhart
21 Ohio Law. Abs. 308 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1936)

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Bluebook (online)
18 Ohio Law. Abs. 476, 1934 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1002, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-troy-ohioctapp-1934.