Boskovich v. Midvale City Corp.
Boskovich v. Midvale City Corp.
Opinion of the Court
Appeal from a no cause of action judgment. Plaintiffs sought an injunction and damages against defendants, where a portion of a street and alley was closed by city ordinance. The judgment is reversed and remanded, with costs on appeal to plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs own lots in Eastvale Addition, a platted, recorded and accepted subdivision in Midvale. The street and alley in question are included therein, and the shaded area of the subjoined sketch represents the closed portion.
The city justifies its action under general statutory authority granting cities power to create and vacate streets and alleys by ordinance.
There are a number of ways that streets may be opened or closed.
Furthermore, even if the city had satisfied the requirements of due process by giving reasonable notice and conducting a fair hearing, still it could have vacated no more than the public easement or right which the city had in the shaded area,
This case involves a duly platted subdivision containing streets and alleys and is thus distinguishable from the authority cited by defendants.
Title 15-8-8, U. C. A. 1943: “They may lay out, establish, open * * * streets, alleys * * * and may vacate the same or parts thereof, by ordinance.”
Title 78-5-6, 7 and 8, U. C. A. 1943.
Hall v. North Ogden, 109 Utah 304, 166 P. 2d 221; Wall v. Salt Lake City, 50 Utah 593, 168 P. 766; Sowadzki v. Salt Lake County, 36 Utah 127, 104 P. 111; Title 78-5, supra; Title 15-8-8, supra.
Utah Const., Art. I., Secs. 7 and 22; U. S. Const., V and XIV Amendments; Tuttle v. Sowadzki, 41 Utah 501, 126 P. 959.
Tuttle v. Sowadzki, supra; 150 A. L. R. 652, 658.
150 A. L. R. 644.
Robinett v. Price, 74 Utah 512, 280 P. 736.
Concurring Opinion
(concurring).
I concur, but make the following observation. In the main opinion, reference is made to the “public easement” of Midvale City in the street which was closed. Under Sec. 78-5-4, U. C..A. .1943, the City has a determinable or limited fee which is a, higher right than an easement. That section provides, that the filing and recordation of maps cited even by defendants, that if the dedicated streets of a subdivision are laid out and right to the use thereof has
Defendants are not remediless. Midvale might have ended the public easement by ordinance so long as pertinent statutory and due process requirements were satisfied. The school board might have eliminated the private easement by orderly employment of the statutory provisions and fundamental principles relating to eminent domain,
In remanding this case, the trial court is instructed to enter an order requiring removal of any obstruction on the property described, unless the parties by stipulation amicably agree to maintain the status quo until such time as their differences may be resolved. There seems to be little and plats of a subdivision
“* * * shall operate as a dedication of all streets, alleys and other public places, and shall vest the fee of such parcels of land as are therein expressed, named or intended for public uses in such county, city or town for the public for the uses therein named or intended.” (Emphasis added.)
“By taking or accepting land for a highway the public acquires only the right of way and incidents necessary to enjoying and maintaining it. A transfer of land bounded by a highway passes the title of the person whose estate is transferred to the middle of the highway.”
Sec. 36-1-7 is found in our code in the title on Highways, whereas Sec. 78-5-4 is found under the title on Real Property and under the section thereof dealing with Plats and Subdivisions. Clearly, Sec. 78-5-4 governs the rights of a county, city or town in the streets of a platted subdivision. While it makes no difference in the instant case whether the City has a determinable fee or a public easement, the distinction is pointed out because there may be cases where the difference is vital. See White v. Salt Lake City, 121 Utah 134, 239 P. 2d 210.
Tuttle v. Sowadzki, supra.
Title 104-61, U. C. A. 1943.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BOSKOVICH Et Al. v. MIDVALE CITY CORP. Et Al.
- Cited By
- 9 cases
- Status
- Published