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<br />and perma-
<br />enforcing it
<br />of Civil Ap.
<br />rdinance pro-
<br />uids shall be
<br />.' ., -~ placed
<br />uviding that
<br />uUI,dc:u by a
<br />constitutional
<br />and fact that
<br />would cause
<br />. ~ automotive
<br />ir-,c it invalid
<br />operiy.
<br />
<br />rendered.
<br />
<br />. operation of . '
<br />'~~A yards so ,: ,:',
<br />I, safety and ;' .'
<br />f the city as ~,: '
<br />police power ':",:;~
<br />red to be ac- ',-:' , , .
<br />for accepting .~~;:':,.:
<br />an ordinance ,.:~ ./.
<br />;. f
<br />. evidenct :E:~~'~'
<br />.;t~ ~.~"f :-t..
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<br />
<br />:- ......~.. .;'~
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<br />f~ .."~-.:: '\~~.'
<br />
<br />.", .
<br />". 'I '. .
<br />all flammable ,...., ."
<br />. ".of';<#
<br />wrecked au- >~. " '
<br />- .....r'
<br />.-:.:~: ~:~~ ~:~- ~. '"
<br />must be sur~ .~.,
<br />wall was a
<br />police power
<br />of ordinance
<br />, operators of
<br />.. not render
<br />.... ~ of prop-
<br />
<br />95,597
<br />
<br />r- is passed to
<br />iy within the
<br />r, it must not
<br />n ...--'~' oppres-
<br />
<br />CITY OF HOUSTON v. JOHNNY FRANK'S AUTO PARTS CO.
<br />Cite as 480 S.W.2d i74
<br />
<br />sive in its operation upon those affected by
<br />it and it must be reasonabiy necessary for
<br />the preservation of health, safety and wel-
<br />fare.
<br />
<br />4. Municipal Corporations ~122(2)
<br />
<br />When validity of ordinance is attacked
<br />on basi.s that it is not reasonably nec~ssary
<br />for the preservation of health, safety and
<br />welfare, there is a presumption of validity
<br />and the attacker, to prevail, must clearly
<br />show that it is arbitrary, unreasonable and
<br />an abuse of the police power.
<br />
<br />5. Municipal Corporations ~111(3)
<br />
<br />Question of' reasonableness of ordi-
<br />nance is a question of law, not of fact.
<br />
<br />6. Municipal Corporations ~616
<br />
<br />Ordinance providing that automotive
<br />wrecking yards must be surrounded by
<br />fences made of wood, masonry, corrugated
<br />sheet metal or chain link fences with strips
<br />of wood or metal run through all links was
<br />not beyond scope of city's police power on
<br />theory that only purpose for requiring solid
<br />fences was to achieve an aesthetic result,
<br />in view of the expressed purpose to remove
<br />a condition that, because of its unsightli-
<br />ness, impaired 'the valu~ of surrounding
<br />property.
<br />
<br />7. Municipal Corporations ~611
<br />
<br />It is not necessary that a business con-
<br />stitute a nuisance to be subject to regula-
<br />tion under the police power.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />William A. Olson, City Atty., F. William
<br />Colburn, Sr., Brian L. Reade, Asst. City
<br />Attys., Houston, for appellants.
<br />
<br />Seymour Lieberman, Lieberman & Ko-
<br />miss, Houston, for appellees.
<br />
<br />TUNKS, Chief Justice.
<br />
<br />On May 4, 1971, the City Council of the
<br />City of Houston passed an ordinance, desig-
<br />nated as number 71-825, regulating the
<br />operation of automotive wrecking and sal-
<br />
<br />Tex.
<br />
<br />775
<br />
<br />vage yards :-vithin the City. Johnny Frank's
<br />Auto Parts Company and several other
<br />owners of such automotive wrecking yards
<br />filed suit against thc City of Houston for
<br />declaratory judgment that such ordinance
<br />was void and for injunction against its en-
<br />forcement. After a non-jury trial the trial
<br />court rendered judgment adjudicating the
<br />ordinance void and permanently enjoining
<br />the City from enforcing it. The City ap-
<br />pealed.
<br />
<br />Ordinance number 71-825 provides that
<br />all oil, gasoline, and other flammable liquids
<br />shall be drained from wrecked automobiles
<br />placed on wrecking yards within the city
<br />limits. It provides that wrecking yards
<br />must be surrounded by a solid fence or
<br />wall. The fence on any side of the yard
<br />running generally parallel to and within 100
<br />feet of a street right-of-way shall be at
<br />least eight feet high, and on other sides at
<br />least six feet high. It prohibits the displa)'
<br />of or working on wrecked vehicles or parts
<br />outside the required walls.
<br />
<br />The trial court filed findings of fact
<br />'and conclusions of law. As findings of
<br />fact it was recited that the plaintiffs' busi-
<br />nesses do not adversely affect the value of'
<br />surrounding property, the health of the
<br />people of the City, the safety of such people,
<br />the comfort of the people or the welfare
<br />of the' people. The conclusions of law
<br />were:
<br />
<br />"1. The Court concludes that the en-
<br />forcement ~f City of HOllston Ordinance
<br />71-815 will deprive these Plaintiffs of
<br />property rights without due process of
<br />law and will result in an irreparable in-
<br />jury thereto with no adequate remedy at
<br />law.
<br />
<br />2. As to these Plaintiffs, the Court
<br />concludes. "that the enactment of Section
<br />2 of Ordinance 71-815 dealing with flam-
<br />ma~le liquids has no substantial relation-
<br />ship to the public health, safety, morals
<br />or welfare of the people of the City of
<br />Houston, and, therefore, ,does not come
<br />within the police power vested in the City
<br />of Houston.
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