State ex rel. Boozer v. City of Miami

26 Fla. Supp. 29
CourtCircuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Miami-Dade County
DecidedDecember 21, 1965
DocketNos. 65-L-749, 1015 and 1106
StatusPublished

This text of 26 Fla. Supp. 29 (State ex rel. Boozer v. City of Miami) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Miami-Dade County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Boozer v. City of Miami, 26 Fla. Supp. 29 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1965).

Opinion

RAY PEARSON, Circuit Judge.

Order granting respondents’ motion for summary judgment and summary final judgment quashing alternative writs and denying peremptory writs: These proceedings were separately brought by the relators against respondent, City of Miami, seeking writs of mandamus commanding the issuance of permits for the construction of certain commercial advertising signs upon properties situate in the city.

Officials of the respondent city declined to issue the requested permits on the authority, inter alia, of Dade County ordinance no. 63-26. Relators alleged that the ordinance was either inapplicable or if applicable, that it was invalid and unconstitutional. By separate orders dated April 21, 1965, based on stipulations between the City of Miami, (hereinafter called the city) and counsel for relator in no. 65-L-1015 and no. 65-L-1106, Dade County (hereinafter called the county) was added as a respondent. After returns and motions to quash were filed, the three cases were consolidated as a single judicial unit for all further proceedings upon the county’s motion.

On October 5, 1965 the consolidated cases came on for hearing on relators’ respective alternative writs of mandamus and upon motions for summary final judgment by the county and the city. Uncontroverted affidavits of six persons were relied upon by the respondents. Relator in no. 749 (65-L-749) filed his own affidavit [31]*31to which a motion to strike was directed by the county. After lengthy argument, an order on pending matters and motions issued out of the hearing.

At the onset of further hearing on November 30, 1965, set by the abovementioned order, relator in no. 1015 moved the court to consider a motion for continuance as to itself, erroneously styled and therefore filed in another case. Reserving decision upon relator’s motion, further oral argument was afforded all counsel present.

Attention is first given to relator’s motion for continuance as to no. 1015. Nearly two weeks expired between the date of this court’s order setting the further hearing, and the requested continuance which was presented at the time set for concluding arguments in these consolidated causes. No request by motion or otherwise has been made to modify, vacate or correct any aspect of this said order.

No opposing affidavits have yet been filed or served on relators’ behalf; nor has affidavit been presented to this court showing the name, qualifications, or substance of any proposed testimony of any witness on the relators’ behalf. Further, no affidavits were filed setting forth reasons why the relators could not present, by affidavit, facts essential to justify opposition to the granting of a motion for summary judgment. Florida Rule of Civil Procedure, 1.36 (f). For each of the foregoing and other reasons, relator’s motion for continuance having been duly and fully considered, it is hereby denied.

Based upon the record, stipulations of counsel, and upon applicable legal principles which govern the matters herein, the alternative writs issued in each of these causes directly involves and challenges the constitutionality of Dade County ordinance no. 63-26. The challenge must legally be viewed as one on the face of the ordinance, in its entirety. All parties herein have stipulated that the ordinance applies throughout Dade County, including incorporated as well as unincorporated areas of the county. See Dade County Home Rule Charter, sections 1.01 A.l, 5, 12, 21, 22, 4.07 and 5.02.

The respondent county filed affidavits of six persons supporting the constitutionality of the challenged ordinance. The county and city contend that the ordinance is a valid exercise of police power upon the principal grounds of protection of the public, the common interest, welfare and safety of the residents and visitors in Dade County. Aesthetic considerations are relied upon for additional support justifying the police power exercised in enacting the ordinance in question.

All matters of record in these causes have been reviewed carefully and further inquiry made of counsel whether any genuine issue of material fact is present in these causes. No such fact issue has been [32]*32suggested, or otherwise discerned by the court. Bearing the foregoing in mind, attention is first directed to relators’ contention that the exceptions allowed by section 4 of the ordinance are unreasonable classifications which discriminate against other signs not within its scope. Particular reference is made to the so-called “point of sale signs” defined in section 4.

It must be recognized that some difference in legislative treatment is valid provided the differences are based upon a reasonable, non-discriminatory classification. As 6 Fla. Jur., Constitutional Law, §176 states, all persons need not be treated absolutely equally —

A statute passed in the exercise of the police powers need not apply equally and uniformly to all persons of the state; it is sufficient to satisfy the constitutional requirements of equal protection of the law if the statute applies equally and uniformly to all persons similarly situated . . . Reasonable and practicable classification in the exercise of the police power is permitted if the reasonableness extends to each classification sought to be regulated.

The issue respecting alleged discriminatory classification wrought by section 4 of Dade County ordinance no. 63-26 becomes essentially, therefore, whether such a separate classification as “point of sale” is reasonable and rationable as opposed to arbitrary and unreasonable. The court is not without guiding precedent in this state to aid in resolving the issue at hand.

Chapter 20446, Laws of Florida of 1941, first injected the so-called point of sale or on site exceptions into the law of this state. It is particularly noteworthy that chapter 20446 was an act to regulate the construction, use, erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, inter alia — “. . . within 15 feet of the outside boundary of a public highway . . .” Chapter 20446, §9 (a). Of equal significance is the fact that the properties affected by the law were, by definition, privately owned lands.

An exception to protected area legislatively established by chapter 20446 was provided in the same act for —

. . . Those [outdoor advertising signs] constructed, erected, operated, used or maintained by the owner or lessee of a place of business or residents on land belonging to said owner or lessee and not more than one hundred feet from such place of business or residence, and relating solely to merchandise, services or entertainment sold, produced, manufactured or furnished at such place of business or residence. Chapter 20446, Laws of 1941, §14 (a)

The above act, and specifically the point of sale exception noted above, was held valid by the Supreme Court of Florida against a constitutional challenge based on allegations that §14 was an arbi[33]*33trary, unreasonable and discriminatory classification. In Hav-A-Tampa Cigar Co. v. Johnson (Fla. 1942), 5 So. 2d 433, the court stated at page 437 —

The statute in this case is appropriate to accomplish a general public purpose and is not shown to be an arbitrary or unnecessary exercise of the police powers of the State.
Exceptions to the operation of the statute contained in sec. 14 . . .

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Bluebook (online)
26 Fla. Supp. 29, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-boozer-v-city-of-miami-flacirct11mia-1965.