Old Lycoming Township v. Farr
Old Lycoming Township v. Farr
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
This appeal grew out of an attempt by Old Lycoming Township, a second class township, the appellant herein, to collect assessments for the construction of pavements as provided for in an ordinance adopted September 5, 1958. The Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County entered judgment on the pleadings, holding that an order entered by direction of this Court in Hinaman v. Vandergrift, 197 Pa. Superior Ct. 140, 177 A. 2d 174 (1962) restraining the collection of the assessment against certain property owners on the ground that the ordinance, as to them, was unconstitutional, was binding against all property owners.
The history of this case is set forth in Hinaman v. Vandergrift, supra, and the gist of the problem in this appeal is that the property owners were divided into two classes, those who had constructed sidewalks before the construction and those who did not. The property owners in Hinaman v. Vandergrift, supra, were those who had sidewalks before the construction and we held in that case that this was a reconstruction of an existing facility and that the ordinance, as it applied to these abutting owners, was unconstitutional, illegal and invalid. Hence the order granting injunctive relief restraining the collection of the assessments.
We said, however, at page 145: βThe ordinance, as it applies to abutting owners who had sidewalks in front of their property prior to the construction, is unconstitutional, illegal and invalid. However, the ordinance would be valid and the assessment could be made against those abutting owners who did not have sidewalks on their property prior to the new construction.β
What we said in Hinaman v. Vandergrift, supra, we said again in Mr. Lebanon Twp. v. Hobbes, 201 Pa. Superior Ct. 30, 191 A. 2d 855 (1963).
Judgment reversed and it is directed that judgment on the pleadings be entered in favor of the plaintiff, Old Lycoming Township.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.