|
<br />-C. ;.'" ~rJ"?~i::.f'{~~;'~'F~i;i?;'~~;~
<br />
<br />. u"~~.>.. ".~-:-:..;i?-'~.""
<br />", .~..' =.~...
<br />
<br />... 4"
<br />
<br />........
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />, . - ~ .
<br />
<br />. ~~~e
<br />
<br />. ',,:r ~.::~:..::
<br />
<br />
<br />778 Tel:.
<br />
<br />480 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 2d SERIES
<br />
<br />na
<br />
<br />, .
<br />". .....
<br />
<br />lative judgment mnst be allowed to con-
<br />trol.
<br />
<br />In 1927 the Texas Legislature enacted
<br />statutes, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. arts. IOlla
<br />et seq., giving cities the power to pass zon-
<br />ing ordinances. , In City of Dallas v. Mese-
<br />role, 155 S.W.2d 1019 (Tex.Civ.App.-Dallas
<br />1941, writ ref'd w. o. m.) it was held that
<br />these statutes gave cities the power to pass
<br />zoning ordinances as a valid exercise of
<br />their police power.
<br />
<br />The ordinance with which this case is
<br />concerned is not a zoning ordinance. It
<br />does not estahlish a comprehensive plan by
<br />which the city is divided into districts
<br />wherein property is limited to specified uses
<br />and it was not passed in accordance with
<br />the procedures specified for the passage of
<br />zoning ordinances. This ordinance does
<br />not prohibit. any particular use of any
<br />property, but merely regulates the use of
<br />property in the operation of an automo-
<br />bile wrecking or salvage yard. It is, how-
<br />ever, somewhat akin to a 'zoning ordinance
<br />in that it i.s an exercise of the city's police
<br />power. The zoning ordinance cases, such
<br />as those cited above, furnish a guide for
<br />testing the validity of this exercise of the
<br />City's police power.
<br />
<br />The preamble to this ordinance recites
<br />conclusions by the City Council of the City
<br />of Houston to the effect that the exis~ing
<br />practices in the operation of wrecking yards
<br />are a detriment to health, safety and wel-
<br />fare. It was recited that they constitute
<br />fire hazards, traffic hazards, invitations to
<br />theft and burglary, and dangerous attrac-
<br />tions to children, and that they depreciate
<br />the value of other property. The trial court
<br />made f.indings of fact contrary to those
<br />made by the City Council.
<br />
<br />". .,+
<br />
<br />, ,
<br />":
<br />
<br />.. ..
<br />
<br />,'. '. 'f
<br />
<br />... ."
<br />
<br />. "\
<br />
<br />.'.
<br />
<br />"
<br />. ~.
<br />" -
<br />
<br />, .
<br />t- ",
<br />
<br />.! '-'~;l' .~}
<br />
<br />. . ........ ~ ".:" 'I.
<br />
<br />d'}{,':' '
<br />
<br />.. .' . ,,~,' ""r' ~ .
<br />~ '.: '" ..
<br />
<br />.'; ~~.. : . \~
<br />j. ~.' .
<br />. .~.
<br />
<br />" ~~\~. . .;:
<br />."'". ~ - ~..~C'.
<br />
<br />~fI ..
<br />
<br />.' . ~ . I .
<br />~... . .
<br />
<br />", i .~
<br />
<br />'J ,
<br />
<br />, ,
<br />
<br />., !.
<br />
<br />,..'
<br />
<br />[1] It is the legislative body of the City
<br />of Houston, its City Council, that has the
<br />authority and responsibility to determine
<br />factually whether the practices followed in
<br />the operation of automotive wrecking and
<br />salvage yards so adversely affect the health,
<br />safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the
<br />city as to caU for the exercise of the police
<br />
<br />. '
<br />
<br />~i
<br />
<br />power in regulating them. Neither the trial .'
<br />court nor this Court may substitute its
<br />factnal finding in that respect, for that of.': ,
<br />the City Council. The Council's finding' ,.
<br />that a condition exists, the control of which ' ,
<br />is a proper exercise of the police power ,,' '.,
<br />must be accepted by the courts as a basi~ ' - .
<br />for accepting the validity of the objective
<br />of an ordinance if there is any legally suf.
<br />," :'
<br />ficient evidence to support such finding.
<br />Smith v. Davis, 426 S.W.2d 827 (Tex.Sup. '.
<br />1968); City of Waxahachie v. Watkins, 154
<br />Tex. 206, 275 S.W.2d 477 (1955).
<br />
<br />an
<br />to
<br />
<br />We
<br />
<br />!H!.~~
<br />muil
<br />
<br />i-"~"-,"-
<br />
<br />r'2
<br />L-
<br />ordiJ
<br />
<br />!""~~~(
<br />
<br />be iJ
<br />
<br />[2] There was testimony in the trial
<br />court as to facts which sustained the City
<br />Council's conclusions which are listed '..
<br />above. There was also testimony that
<br />would have, standing alone, sustained a'..,
<br />factual conclusion on the part of the City',,; '-.:
<br />Council that no such conditions exist. We' ::.: ":;'
<br />must, presume also that the City Council :~:;!:
<br />considered matters of common knowledge ~;~~:
<br />whether they were the subjects of testi- ';:.:
<br />mony in the trial court or not. It doesn't' :,:.>~'
<br />require testimony to know that leaving" ~:' \' ,t'
<br />flammable materials in a collection of, il.:,:~, ."J:
<br />junked cars increases the possibility of)::',,' ,::
<br />fire. Wrecked cars have jagged edges 'of j;:~':_ ",':, -:
<br />metal that are dangerous to playing ~~F;b:,' : <J
<br />dren who have access to them. LeavlDg,',1},",;.'~"\1
<br />vehicles in a large unenclosed area faciIJt:;::f'~':' 'Sj:
<br />tates theft. Because of these factsari~2r::" '>',
<br />because of the unsightliness of sllch opeia.-(.,:"~,,::,; :;:'" ,
<br />tions wrecking yards must inevitably havi,:' ,~;. ,,'~': '
<br />a depreciating ef feet on the value of other :;.: ,,;~
<br />property in their vicinities. Tex.Penal: 1:.0:,.:'
<br />Code Ann. art. 1436-3, sec. 9 (1971) re~''-i.~.~,::'
<br />cites: ..j,:'
<br />
<br />it ml
<br />duly
<br />
<br />sary
<br />
<br />and'
<br />
<br />TIIIT.....
<br />c-
<br />
<br />the.
<br />this
<br />
<br />Iii ~~
<br />show
<br />
<br />.
<br />;In .;..
<br />
<br />laco
<br />
<br />( i:;j,
<br />
<br />ness
<br />ofr.
<br />
<br />rivu'
<br />
<br />City
<br />"\IV
<br />
<br />the
<br />
<br />"Junked vehicles which are located in . ,
<br />any place where they are visible from
<br />a public place or public right-of-way are
<br />detrimental to the safety and welfare of '
<br />the general public, tending to reduce the. : ,
<br />value of private property, to invite van- ; ': "
<br />dalism, to create fire hazards, to CODSti-,:;'
<br />tute an attractive nuisance creating a ::
<br />hazard to the health and safety of millOfS,,:"
<br />and are detri~ental to the economic wel- .:',
<br />fare of the ,State, by producing urban ',< .
<br />blight which is adverse to the mainte- '
<br />
<br />_L'
<br />
<br />the
<br />
<br />tiUJ
<br />
<br />f"-
<br />
<br />"A_A...
<br />
<br />able
<br />in th
<br />put il
<br />
<br />. I.... .
<br />,
<br />
<br />~.-.. .
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />~~=====~~~~~~~
<br />
<br />
<br />___ -c -..... ,.--::7.~._~-_:=:---==--~-=----
<br />
|