Unknown Heirs, Devisees, Legatees & Assigns of Devou v. City of Covington

815 S.W.2d 406, 1991 Ky. App. LEXIS 47, 1991 WL 57794
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedApril 19, 1991
DocketNos. 89-CA-938-MR, 89-CA-996-MR, 89-CA-998-MR and 89-CA-1000-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 815 S.W.2d 406 (Unknown Heirs, Devisees, Legatees & Assigns of Devou v. City of Covington) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Unknown Heirs, Devisees, Legatees & Assigns of Devou v. City of Covington, 815 S.W.2d 406, 1991 Ky. App. LEXIS 47, 1991 WL 57794 (Ky. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

DYCHE, Judge.

On November 28, 1910, William P. De-vou, Charles P. Devou and his wife, Helen M. Devou, donated a tract of land of approximately 700 acres to the Covington Board of Park Commissioners. This tract of land comprises a major part of what is now known as Devou Park, and was given by the Devou family as a memorial to William P. Devou, Sr., and Sarah Odgen Devou, the parents of William P. Devou, Jr., and Charles P. Devou. The land was given to the Board of Park Commissioners (the successor to which is the City of Cov-ington) under twenty-three specific “conditions and limitations.” Those conditions and limitations are as follows:

FIRST
The City of Covington to expend $100,-000.00, to make the necessary improvements during the period of six years, beginning January 1, 1911, not less than $35,000.00 of same to be expended for said purpose upon said property by January 1, 1913, and the City to appropriate all further funds required as years and necessity may demand.
SECOND
The City to levy each year not less than $10,000.[00] or more as required on the general duplicate to cover the expenses of maintaining policing, lighting, insuring of buildings and painting and repairing all buildings and residence, boulevards, driveways, cement walks, sewering, repairing and painting all buildings and fences, and in fact, repairs of all kinds in and to the park.
THIRD
To grant Street railway or traction companies a right of way only upon binding agreement to pay full, reasonable value for said right or rights of way. The Street railway or traction companies to build only on either or both sides of Boulevards or driveways and absolutely to construct their own roadbed and lay their own tracks, set poles and string wires at their own expense and under no consideration whatsoever to occupy boulevards or driveways constructed by the City; they [are] to light, maintain and repair their tracks and right of way. FOURTH
The City to construct a boulevard, sixty (60) feet wide, with cement walk from end of Main Street in West Covington, through the Park to a point about the intersection of the Amsterdam Pike and the Street Railway Company’s crossing, with branch road around Boone Point, on Montague Place.
FIFTH
The City to construct a boulevard sixty (60) feet wide [sic] with cement walk on one side (or some less in width at difficult points on hill sides), beginning at a point close to Devou and John Paul Corner on Western Avenue, over and across [410]*410as projected by William P. Devou, Jr., past Gibson and Hayes Houses, and then in a Northwesterly course to the Lagoon and Ludlow, with a branch to the top of the East Gibson hill overlooking Coving-ton; also a branch past the Devou family residence on North to the Smith field; and also to brow of hill overlooking West Covington and Cincinnati.
SIXTH
To construct a boulevard, sixty (60) feet wide, with cement walk starting at Lewis and Montague street and on the North side of Creek, from the old Gibson Road to the top of the hill by the old Gibson House, and on through the Tib-betts, Manly and Eubank Miller tracts to Ludlow.
SEVENTH
To construct a driveway to and around Fort Bates.
EIGHTH
Picnic and play grounds, golf courses, tennis courts and hand ball grounds must be restricted to certain localities. NINTH
Wading and bathing pools to be separated for either sex, to protect the youths’ morals.
TENTH
Heavy teaming not to be permitted on boulevards.
ELEVENTH
No beer or liquor to be sold or dispensed gratuitously upon park premises either for large or small picnic parties. TWELFTH
The several fine springs and wells to be carefully preserved.
THIRTEENTH
The City to establish within a period of three years from January 1, 1911, green houses and nurseries for its own use. FOURTEENTH
The City to plat the park, police, light and maintain said land for park purposes only, solely and only as a free park for the public.
FIFTEENTH
Charles P. Devou reserves the house, cabin, barn, barn lot and reasonable garden spot for two years, known as Montague House.
SIXTEENTH
Charles P. Devou and wife to have unrestricted use of family residence, house lot, cottage at barn, and bam and lot, necessary pasture and meadows for their own use during their joint lives, and for the use of the survivor of them during life time of such survivor.
SEVENTEENTH
At their death residence to be remodeled and added to and to be used as an art museum or library.
EIGHTEENTH
The City to use all receipts for privileges, street railroad rights of way, sale of sand and stone and clay to purchase adjoining lands to add to the Devou Park and to be held under the same name and title, or said receipts from said sources to be applied by the City or the Board of Park Commissioners for the maintenance or beautifying of said Park, as it in its judgment may determine.
NINETEENTH
Park lands are not to be encumbered in any way but kept free from debt, all taxes and assessments which may be levied to be paid by the City of Covington; the City to pay taxes levied for the year 1911 payable in 1911. The City is to assume back City Taxes on steep hillsides which were assessed by mistake as City Lots.
TWENTIETH
The right and privilege is given to the City of Covington, or to the Board of Waterworks of the City of Covington, at any time it may see fit to do so, to construct an auxiliary reservoir on said premises, together with the necessary stand pipes and pumping Stations. Surrounding grounds to be for and maintained as a Park by Board of Water Works.
TWENTY-FIRST
In case of failure upon the part of the City of Covington or the Board of Park Commissioners of the said City to carry out all or any of these conditions, said Devou Park and such additions as may [411]*411be made from time to time to it from the sources herein provided, shall revert back to William P. Devou, Jr., and Charles P. Devou or their heirs.
TWENTY-SECOND
No beer or liquor shall be sold or dispensed gratuitously upon Park Premises.
TWENTY-THIRD

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Bluebook (online)
815 S.W.2d 406, 1991 Ky. App. LEXIS 47, 1991 WL 57794, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/unknown-heirs-devisees-legatees-assigns-of-devou-v-city-of-covington-kyctapp-1991.