Case Information
*1 .,
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
QROVER SELLERS ArrORHcY QKNNLR*L
Honorabla H. Pet Xdbwdr Civil DIrtrio Attorney
Dallar Uountf Dallas, Texa8
ATTBmzOllr Eonorehle wsmn 8. Qook, A~lriotent Mrtriet Attoner n
Dear Sir8
We hate reaeivod
1946, relative to the
for the very able bri
It was oi great he1
qusetlons.
rise the faotr ad inroad bonds for the n pub110 roads rlld lng rights-of-wep r State and Federal Highways In said Oountp, end eoqubing ounty roads now to bo here+ The elsotlon order llated soosedr of the ing parsgraph muoh a8 the Olty or Dallaa haa reoently and also extended its aorporets 15mit8 oonsiderabl nweroulr towns have bean inonrporated, w hP oh inoludo muoh ot the Improvement8 terted by Dallas County the Co~ty ia In doubt 88 to ita authority to expend &hla bond money within the limits Of BUlniOip~litie8.
WCYe,~~~-$herefors, 8hall rppreolete your opinion at ycur earliest oonvenlenoe.*
179’ *. Eon, ?l. Pat Edwards - Pap 2
The quo&Am8 rhloh you waut this departmmt to armwmlf are a8 ;tollow8r 1. DQM a oouaty have the legal right to roqulro prtqerty
In an inoorporated town or oity far rtate highway purpooor by oondemnrtlon?
2. Does a oaktO hate thi legal rig&% 6oqairo property in an lnoerporated tmm oity ?or 8tato highmy prtrpooer br purohru?
3. If the answer to either o? the rbove que88lon8 18 in the o??lrmtlre, om tho 008t thereo? be paid aut o? the prooeedo the road beads aontilononsd in tho waoldt parqrap h?
4.’ I? qur8tioa 3 18 an8nrl*d in the aegatlve, what oountr ?ulldr Em3 tw 8a owu?
Thir departmeat had qtiostlon 1 before It in a reoon8 opinion,
o? which 18 herewith onolosed. ~~rrod qPe6tlon ir answered In the negative.
T~nisg HOW to geur 8eoond quutlon, It la a general propoaf- tlon of law that the jmledl~tlon 8ab omtrol over the r8mek of ata iao o r p o rat8Q oitp o r tom Is l xelaslnl~ in that oity Or town. Artloles 1016 1066, 1201, and 1202, V. A. 0. 8. However UQQ~ this mesa thai the oousty under its general power to e&s&i8h 6ad maintain oounby roads till aever have the authorltp to eon- 8truot or impr~vo reads wlthln the llmlta o? a muniolpal oorporr- tlon? Wo think that the oosu hold otherwlse.
Artlolb 6703, V. A, 0. B., glror the otxmi8sl0nera* oourt authority and control over the county road8 end al.1 8treats and and inoorporeted towns rhloh have no de faoto alley8 ia oltirr munioipal gov~rnmeat 5.n tho aotlte disohargq o? their oifiolal dntler.
In the rrly OHM o? Bate vr SOEWII, 18 ‘hr. S7l, (I oa8e firmly eatablirhed and olted m6nt tlaea, the Bapreme Court adopted the oplaion of ahe lower ootart, uhloh in dealing Prlth oountg mad8 in inoorporeted &tie* .etated, in pertr
*rr.untilthe tovm oounolla~~r tkm authorltr oonferred by it8 charter, the gmoral authority o? tim over rubjoet riab, oounty ooart mditer ooatimea rnQ my be oxerolsed, It 18 only when both bodies attempt to sot ln opposltlon to, and in sonfllot with Qsoh other, that the power authority of oae muat oeam end yield to that the other, and In suoh a 8tate of thing8, I aa of the opiaion that the authority o? the Oounty oourt mult yield to that of the town 0oun0~1.”
180 Hon. B. Pat Edwards - Page
Whet i8 tbo import of tha above language? It 1s olmr to t8.I moans that the oity and the oountf mny uork together with rapat to aounty roads ~4thin the city, and only upon a aonflfot bbtwban the oity and tb, aounty is the authority @ the oounty over l uoh roads done rway with.
The oourt in the oaM of &%th v. oathey, 226 3. ‘N. 158, oonaidorad SubdivlaUon 6 ot Artiole 2241, tprnon'a Saylea* Tore8 Civil BtStUteb 1914 (Subdiv.6, Art. 2351, Rsviaad ci~ll St(ltutb~ oi 1925), whidh daalt with the QQW~XS of tb ooBIpriaaion- era* aaurt and provided as tollowat
"(6) To r~~erolee $eueral aontrol and auporlntondenoe over all roads, hl&hwsya, ferrioa 4nd bridges in their 00untlea.*
The aourt hrd the following to my: .,
*~f~rubditinion 6 ilr &ton p ower to l xeroiae oontrol aud l uperiatmdonoo OYU? all roads high- ways in the aountlar. This ir Subjeot to tha powara Qraated to oities and towna ov4r streets, eta,,. usually within ita limits, when lb ebooaea take jurlsaiotion and the oity or town am8 proper exorolsa aooh powers.
Rut wham the oit town do44 not dean It proper to reroiae ueh jur I sdiotlon, and does not objeot to,the up aah road or atrert, the oou~ty km4 oount &roping the r i @at to do ao." The oourt aited 3tiats v. Jones, uupra, and quoted at length rrom the opinfon. Uountp Ta the ae44 of Bughas v, Uoamiseionrrst Court $tounty, 33 3. W. (2d) 818, the question hsforr the oourt Barrio
x~n tLu, lealltl of an egrrament between Earris County and the City oi HoustQn the oounty‘agremd ahereby to eontribute $25,000 as iter part of the oorf of widening and oth*rafee lmprovin~ Yala Street, a oounty road whioh has boon taken in by tho Oitg of Houston By extending its boundrrira. The oourt at length quot4b tr Cathey, aupra, and held that tha from Stat4 v. Jones and snlith agreement WIS ontiroly logel. Blr quote Zollowil3g exoergta fxom the opinion O? the Mt: ha8 by ?irtUo of the ~XWI~IOXUJ of
*Th county the pAera lawa oi f,hia State, as well [48] by the Harris oounty looal road law, the right to expend its funda in the FmpxovamsAt Oi a at&Wet WithiA the OOrpOr4te limit8 of a oity which is also a pub110 road of the OOUAtY, SO v&en auoh improvwnsnt is done with the con- 0~~00irrily #eAt aAd invitation the Oitg authorltiea.
Eon. 8. Pat Edmrda - Page 4 *fn the ease at bar, it la cot nooeaaery to
aaaum* an rbsonor of 00nR10t. tt 4pp44ra tiixmatln- 1~ that there is l ntlrlr aword. 89 that ovea if it 8o ooatrol OIW a awed assume4 that thr pawar exoroia is 4 neoeosary pradioata tor find cl 6 authority to ex- pfbnd oauntg fun68 la lmprovilrg a tatr8rt--yhioh wa have 8houa la rat a* all tru*--tbo law am doolared that Sueh'pow4r &*a tiaii in t& Sounbf; 1 la tcwporarlly in l bepaocr 8o lane 88 eltr oxarofara its right, but 0~011 Uad*r th4 g4asral 14~. rhor4 the oity naitra its right, the gjemral power the oountf la fully res%ored sot3 may eaut?me ooatrol and aupw~ntaadsnao over waya the dty, wft4a
**Upon bhbr nbol4 84~. we S~O of bhe opfoioa that y&w ecmdoatonerar oowt weld not hem authority, wlthout tho oon8ent rad rapulrroenae 02 olty oounoila of the oitiea tow.8 in th4 oouaty oonatruot xoada ouch within oitlra or time ualeaa ib might be in * oity or iaaorporatrd towa & whicrh tram some uciuaa there is not a de faato mualoipal overnataat in the activ4 die- ohargo af thetb orPfloi41 dot 48." P Yfo think, howaver, that with tlm conarnt o? 4itl oounSll8 theym$ght roads through aonatrual or 60-o m-at* in oonatruating auab tome sib 4 0s. t
*In Hez&a eountp bhero arc a dolti mmloipallbiarr. If tha oontontiona of ooune81 ior 8pQ4llRRt,Rr4 oorr44t. bh4 oountf of Harris Stead8 powrlesr to e~snd a dollar on roada through aaoh aualoipalitlea. It would be acin- sllrd bo leave gaps 1s irn ortaat hlghwapa, evm t bough f t is l ruloua and able L prom the *ema out oi its road fund, alla mm bhhaugb tbr muRl&mllby OOAoOrnOd la uflliag 8nd anxioru it should do soI ‘The weight of authority sums to indiaate that the g8nimsl law the aountiea have the aonatitu- tion4l 8nil 8tatutory ponor to axprna th4ir ro4ikfunda in th4 improwmenb theL ~ocrda whioh 'pass through 4 munloiplitp, au% thay have bh4 right to improve auoh roads, though they be stneta of auoh muniai allties, with the coneant of the munioipallti4a. State vb 0 ones, 1.8 Tex. S7br E#altb v. Cathoy (l’em.,OivrAyp.), 226~ S.W. 1581 B44art t.,Bllaa Gountg (Tex,Uir~App.I,266 3?W. 540. II II ..I
li , 182
, ‘Our Suprrlai, Court ha& the iollowlry quratloa b~?op~ $t la tha.0888 Oi CitJ 0f ~~Ok~DFid$~ V. StdphtN38 UotInt~, 40 3. W.
(241 '43:.
Wobar the Oonatltutlon aad law of thla atate doer tha oonPniaalolura* oowt of l aouaty hat. the
authorltl to axpen& aountr road iunda fop tbm kprw+ mBt of tha atreata of lnoorporated oiticse aa4 towns boat& in auah Qounty, where auah 8Qr eta arq ommWi- lnglixik~, and $ntegrsl prta as count a9 road8 or atato h.lghWj-89"
The wurt held aa tollowar II oarefali lBtantlgUtla5 or the authozdtlel, *Aftor
inaludir& the Conatltutlon rad lan ot this ate&e, we have rawhe ooaolu8loothat the ooamlaeioaa~a~ aourt dear hava lawful authorlt~ tompond oomty road or olty &meet8 where bead fund@ for the kapxovimrrnt 8UOh StiWtr iQT8I :13tO@*l pgTt8 oi OOUBtJ FOld8 O? mtatr hi@w I, rhea maah i WI aad. With- OlbMBt#
out oonfllst ng with the fur 62atlan ef tha mu~le$ 1m Y 4f.i 52, ct. ity, Of With it8 0OBEedt Or epprotal. sWtiOB 3, Teraa Conatitutlon~ State v. Jonear, 18 ?!ex, 874f Smith T. cathey (~ox.dir.~ppg.l, 226 9. S. 158,160~ Uainoa t. Heeljr Uoartruotioa Co. (Tex.~l+.Agp.),242 S.W. J26,, $29 (wzlb rarused. are toted by aa entire =Whrn the road bonds
oounty, the lneo rated oltlea aad tomu loaatml T tta at the oountp. thorain am oerta IQ lnt4gal ft,Wa n6t nroraatiry r arpreaa r PO rtatcr llr tJcm abora montirvhad. All tar-
oo~titutloMl prorlcion able property @ a 6QUBty fr, aubjrot to tU8tiOB for t&a payment of oount road bonds. Thr Wmm%l)- alo~orr*‘eourt ha8 tha r gkt to axpsdd OouBtY r-4 bond.ruads on oouaty roads and higtbmm in aq pa-8 of tho oouaty. Xf I street of 1111 lnoclrparatod town or o:ty iorpLs a eonaeotlng lid In the OouBty ~066 Or 18 a bOU?Xtr Foad within atrtr highway, we think the a@&&% or tho statutes to the extent that OOUnjiY: faada may be *gent ior laprmrm)at thereof w oowB4 the tom ok O* 6ot=n:n8 ward pa4=-:4 baa pa~&unl, jurl~aiotio~ the atraet~ and high-va tharwf, ana the ~~~&aalonera* owrt would have Ii0 authopity t,~ l:~~~va street8 hIghWe 8 within UUBl- f in sonfllot wlth the jurisd OtlOB of the ~:pdl:tl~~ olty tb lltiprow tha a-. xowevm, au’111 thqln~taat
oaae, w&we Mm improvement 1s XQU~* wlQh f&e Oon8*nt elty we find 01: approval rw 8tatutorV Or @On- abltutlonal slllpedim*nt. In hot, wa think tha aueopltlga above eltsd .fUlly EUh3lB the rl&t*‘”
Hon. B. Bat Edwards - Page 6 JQAW, rupra,
The OWxt quoted from the opinioa o? Siiete t. aad we rlah ? ollo~rlag reoaptt rwiunpb*Eiso
wt . ..It ir only when both bodibr rttempt be rot ia oppoaitian to, End In ooa?liat with ~44 other, that the potrsr ruthuxity of OM mat 06aaa onb ylold to that 8nd la aueh tkr otlke, a atate of thioga, 2 an of t&r dpfnfah that tha ruthwlty of Ooaaty Court muat ylald to that O? tOWB cb\iaoi~.‘”
% Buaod UpOB the for*@43 authority, it la elrar to ua t&at 0 oounty may Bob pwohnar land la an lnoor oratrd olty ror h1+ war pwpoama if auoh purahsra aosfllota WI orirdlotloa or the munsoiprllty; hewerat, lo our oplnlon ? the olty appmman, ooarrrmta to, oqUie~+368 ox ooopwatea la tha pumhma, thoa thr oouat~ m8y pUr*lu88 lead for woh pmrpore. This the riau is not inoomirtont with thhr holding tE* rauaty may not 00nam auah lea& The poww a? ooniIemn8tlon, I? prseeat In thq oeunty, uarld b there m$axdlwa oonaent or a~ roval 8uoh powor would ooarliot with the Jurlsdlo g loa er of the oity. the 019~ OT~P its 8tXetttE$ thwofore, 8apla authority thuro la no euoh pawe? in tha oounty. But thsc, la *pcww to puxahaoq~ with the approval or ognneikt o? the atty.
Aa ym aentlmt*d in your brief, oourtlsaaro prsoluded ?rcn making any frPOrotrraint o? B au&y roads which hare boon deaigaatad Art- aa state highwaya, axeopt the furnlahlag et rfght-or-way& lole 6674~6, Y.A.U.B., prorldw in parts
@t...Ro farther i3lpromsent of auib l yatea a&*11 be mdo wlth t&o rid O? or with aa moaira iuralshad by the OOUt$,l, ssoapt the @Oquf6 I tfon Or Xi&t-Of- ways *IOh may be tarnlahrd by the oountloa, t4kelr rubdfofaorr or deilned reed di8triota.w TOW ~oeablon* are, thsreror*, mawared Pa iolfowat 1. A oounty dew not hsto thelagal ri&t to aoquirr proper- ty iB aQ inoorp6rat.d rlty er town fez stat* highffay purpose8 by ooadmaatioa. Eme~w, it map purohase auob laobe to? right-of-way 2,
~UF~O~W for rtatr h&kiwaya I? tha oity or tom approvea, 60% aenta, or agsma auoh purohaue.
3. The prooeetla or road bond8 Issued ior auoh ptar~oea may be tared to purohaae auoh %?lght-Of-WWi. It it la sp00irw.t in the prg-elg&ion order #at tha prooeade rill be spent anly OxI OWtsiB then the prooeeda may bo apent cm no other high- n-d ~ghwaya, waya, ?or guoh aprolfiaation la a part a? and a limitation OB th0 bond purpoeo t In Oplnloa Flo. O-J.190 fhi8 departmrnt hold that a oounty la without authority to 1~1~0va oity atreats unleaa auoh t,retJtg o onrtituto l part of thtt OoUiW road DJTlte% A OOPY oi *7 .
Eon. H. Pat Zdvmrds - Page
thi8 opinion ha8 alwhdp ‘iWan rorwarded you.
4* Hot only may a&oh bond prooscds ba usrd to purobrsa tha right-of-ways, but also any appropriate road funds may ba so used.
It ia amphaslaad that the oountp baa the power toIniwere~o euoh land only ror oountp or state hl&hwey purpoess.
s.ords, the eountg has no power or authority with rsspsot to olty streets M&ah QW nob pert or the oountp ro&@ or state highwar rgrtem,