Case Information
*1 c
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTXN
a- mramuvoI*- c. MIllI4
Hon.. O.J.S. Elllnz~on - Page
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Hon. o.J.3..zlllngeoll - Page 3
It is a ganaral rule that o&tier have euah pouor, and suah Power ow, a'8~ ia oonlerred upan them ‘by statute or epssial ohorter aad saoh addltianal powerr, a6 sriBt by. neo@rBary finplloeMw imxa powm~ ,granted tihembf the bgislaturo; stersne Ye city (13lV. Ap~i, Port Worth, 19l4) 1.69 3. W. or Dublh US81 Vosbtzg, &Q'Or, V. %Crary, 77 Tex. 568, u+. S.X,~195$ banham v* Nator Co., 67 Tex. 542, 4 8.U. :U38 1YaQuillfn an'Wnl0lpa.l Corporationf3, Sea. 229. .I19 ax. 302.
It is also generally held that oltles hftve no.auf&ority to olOes street8 sxoapt as the power to .~
&o 80 hai been expreissly ooafetied- by etatute or :~ :speolal ohsrt%.i-. l~%lliatt on IWads and Streets, ll77; ~13 H. C* LI 67 3601 60; 30; 2 Idem. Soo. 3~. Bgre V. Mqhir (WV. App., Port Worth, 1417) 197 S&F. Authoxity to Taoate and~'alose alley@ has bwa held m*to inalude by Impli&tiOn.a 8inrtlar porrerdth re- ;gard to ~BtreotB. Steveas va tJlty or Dublin (CJlv. App., :rgrt yo*th* 19l4.149 8, PI. 1q ,. 'i,. ., Grants or power to othdr subordlntito go~ema- :awtal agsnoieti are usually ISODS striotly oonetrwd than .srtt those to lneorporated numioipalitiea. Stratton 'V. ~ommlw~otiera' court (Clv* APP., San Antonio, 19w I.3. Tax. Jur. 563, Sec. 36. 1.37 s. w. U70; Prom these oonaideratidos, it r0llowa thd .
no iirm, agaop or eubtitision or the Stats otbrnmont~ * pi the abaenae opeoiilo Et&MOW a\ithor tY f 50 to do, my exeroise tie peer to 0108s OP vaoato pubUa road- ways within the State.
The Texas Prisoa Board ir, a aroature or the Legislature andenagenay of the State bmrrght iat being trndor authority oi the 1927 amen&t t0 the Conetitutloa authorizing the Maotwnt Or la&iabtion for the ~agement and admiafatration of 8tato ptilOnB* Teer V. &Gann Gonstitution, art* XV&~ 8ee. 561’33 Te . Wr 1933 Austin, (Glv, App., l2a) 5 65 S. We .’ *4 :
lion. it. J. 5. ~uingaon - Page 4
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362.
bY Pwer or aUthorltY rrhioh euoh Board has
to 0lOlM W Moats publio streets adjaouibto the4 Hunt* vilrh l%box~ and vlthla the @ty of 3itmtsville but out- aida the wallo OS euoh prif~~ mat appear amoq the sots of the LeSitiature.
A aark wuainatlon of all akitutory gro-
viaf~ons .pwMnlng to fho 'Priron Spatan inalubing those .' preaoribI.a&tha authorit& mare and duties ot the Taxar Prison Board, revem& of no au& authority the delegation to t+ Board and M p%'Oriei~~~ which br &@.ioatlon in- aludeo the. requiafte power and authority.,
Obrioualy ‘thoreforoi ii the streeta l.n pueation and vaaated, lruoh mu& be done -either
are’ to ba le@~.U$ &srd throUgh aation.of the Legislature, or by a&ion on the part of 8oam other agumy to whiah ewh authority hm born dale- gated. County Comirsi0r&er8~ Courts ara ganerel~ held to
The Prison .Board,. o'dook15.ng7'to ~your letter, has ippqale6 W :aai OalJ other State agenoy vhIoh
alma ml&At ~6 the re~ixbito power, that 18, tho city Counoil %J
of ELunttaville. In view o$-the problem3 whiah now aonfrOn6 tbnt; body in ooBM08iOn With the BO'trd'S 6pp.d it m not be 'tier tb diaow8 briefly hereia.~o~~~ of ,ihab l& atathofitiea to rhi6h'~tho Board nuxy direot the attention OS IAW city couaoll in rurlihsxyim of ite applioatlon.
@onerally a atreet highway oan be vaaated aalr ~h0n the p-par publlo euthoritiee ilstermina that lt.i* no longer r@uiracI i'or the publio 980 or oonven1aaoe~ ana tut th*re i8 a publr0 neuemity far,lta Yaaatlorr or that it u for ~8 publio benefit the0 s~h adiOn b* k-c 13 a. c, I. 68, See. 61, and oa8em oitodi :
where tale r@quisita pobor exists 4 a nunlol-
palltyr .it 18 for the aopliiolpal'outhoritiea'to rleteaine whisn %t ahall be ~eseroieetl~ and’ their eotlan in t&f8 rq?aZtl tilli noat bo~rsvimed by the’ooarte in the cbssnce of treutl or iafinlfset~~ abuse of diaareii~~~ or praot tla& it was done sol.04 tar tha parpose OS praaotlng a pxioate ente~rpr*eo . The OreeUigtloIi le that e street or~higtmey wan vaosteib in the intorest the publh, azid that its vaodhJa was netweea~ for pubAh purpmes~ and tbn burihn of ~0.~~46 the oontrary is pleoedugoe thepersone ob- jeotdna 80 the pro5aeding. Hartwell bon Yiorke va Hla3ou,rl- IKansas-Tess8 itya CO. i~iv. Appqr C;alvsa-ton, .1932) 56 8. d. (2U) 922; lJ 2. C. L. 70. In TOXRS that eaeemante *'ft is mm wall-settled
over .ouah wwe my bye either OP a publia or a private ahap eater,~end that theea two oeperats end dietlnot rights
“The 0onselrs~cul4re’ Gour8 has the-right to wlth- *6 Hon. 0. J. 5. Ulingeon - Page
draw, at any tlnw It saw fit, it8 oontrol.and right to saint&n this paeaageway as a publio road, but thie ri&t to rithdmm 0eintenahoe+ and the approprlatlon of publio fund8 theref0r;d06a
not oafiy with it thei right to 0108% UP a ,RW8W5eWeY0 whloh a private indlvidualmay~have ao- qUb%b b;p. oOiitd?80Lw .ufsyer V. Calve&on, H. & B. A. Dy.
CO. tiCW. &R. Sieo. E;l932) 50~9.. iV. (28) 268.
The80 daoif&nr; em believe eaiPbllah the prop sitlola that mu&olpaLauthoritle8~ au t Lag under legl8latfm autho:rlt delegated br atatute or apeolal charter, han,al- most till& ted dleocetlanpver the purely publio~ eaaementr in puhlle street@. ,Thelr aotlQa In vaoetfng Or ellmlnatlng rruoh pub110 eaeenent~w1l.l not be questioned by the oourta in’tha abaanae of’s showlng that they aoted Craudulentlg, aaprinlously Or~raole4 to benefit a private anterprlse.
Applying this propoaitloa to the aituat,lOn~~ eented by yourinqulry, the City Oounoll or.Hunterllle, it it poseessee the requlelts authority mayby ordlnenoe ’ vaoato the public easement ip ouoh port&S QZ I@elfth
Btraatt and Avenue EI,‘and it8 dl~oretlon in this regard oannot be queetlcmed 80 long a8 it nakes no atterapt to phy- lsioally oloee ruoh Jegnmnta* ‘.. _.
C&OS hiuoh aetntm of;these two etreetr~~‘ure thu8 nu6vita of the pai w-t, toll i0gal~ tftbriu ordlnarilf revert to the abutt- owner) being ia~thl@ ln- stmoe the ~Texas Prleon System. .:.&f, thereafter, the Prison Board detealne6 to phy0loally 0Mae euah l treetrr,,the olti,~ may ~~~lafnrerponalblllt~ for au&h olo~fng and 8np olalm i@,lr &uaagea or injunotlon~ would be dlreoteb. erolualvely agalnrrt suah Board. Dallas Cotton AilUs Y. Indwtrlal Co., (Go& AppIr Seoe A, 1927) 2% 9. VL 503.
Thus, ln: the r;o
(civ. App., Amarillo, 1941 ! that *there waa~no basis for attaok upon,tihe good faith Oi a0 Gw.3m$m0ionera0 court" ror raoatiing a portion of a 0ountY rood ai0h dirid0d lend aoquirea ror
0aplgln3.wnt night hare had a olaim -gem -et the Parks .Board if the euoh im-ettt had interfered with any
T&, up nOw 9xeJsine the question OS,-griYate’d&ht~ efititjsg in the portions or the 8treet to be moated, with th4 enpeaial obJeo3 of determining the rlghta Of tbee.l=d'=
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Hon. 0. J. 3. Xllingson - Page 7
owners eaet or the mlaon who are proteatlng against the ooatslnp~ted aotion:
The rule ie 50 wd.l settled am to be a&oat ele- aentaq th+ a private perrron oannot sue ror damages or ior an injunotion or to abate an eaoroaohment, beoauae ot en alleged inproper uae of a street or an obatruotlon therein, unleais the injury he has suatcilned is speoial ae diatlngulshed from injuries aflifered by tha publlo at large. 4 Ho~in on !&niolpal Corporationa, 187 380. $446 (1382); Hertwell Xron Worka vb Mlaa0url-Eaneaa-~exa aJrt Co. (Clv. App., GaLve8ton, 1932) 56 9. ‘Si. i2d) 922.
What. ~ktuatlona gire rime to ‘auoh ‘private ~lghta ln a YaoatFd PUbllo roadway to aupp~rt a clala of 8pGlal injq9 It la @aera- held that aa abutting owner ,&a# auoh rights and Teses ~deoialma reoognlze sUl.lar rights ooqulmd by contraot. 4 2doQtiU on Munlolpal Corpora- tbw, 271; ~5~30. 1522 (l405)-~Btiwera pe &whir (cfv. App., flort Worth, 1917) 197 S. 5& ‘j58. ~“.’
OUT oourte hare .p~~olf~~ally reoognlaed the fight in own~ra Of &riVE&e sa~srJsnta~~of this nature in publlo etreeta to anJoin the phyaionl ~oloeing or auoh streets where peymmt gf adequate ompensatlon ham n@ been ppade.~ rtg abutting an damgqai ii eny. But where he owns pre the e.loeed .streetP, he .w eajoln the aloal oloalng oi Rc
the street.
~mmllar right0 in a purchaser or land aoooraing to e “rroorded pLet are reoog@Zed ‘in Della8 oatton 2WlS Y. Induatrlal Co. (Corn. Appti:# Bea* A, 1927) 2% 9. W. 503. We puote the $‘allori~ exoerpt froa the opinion of the Port Worth Couxt or ‘Civil Appea;te Qn this qW5titiS
-It is well settled by the &eolalOxU or this etnte,and by many other ~atatea am we3.l.~~ that where the owner of lend laps it out and out@ the came into lots dnd publlo streets and allafa~ and Sells 8Ueh lgta ‘by refannoe to, the plat, th.e ‘purohaSOX5 Of auoh lote aoqulre aa appurtenaat .$hereto ,the r&at *8 i
Yan. 0. S. 5. Elllngaon - Page 8
to use the streets so dedioated which right la a property right aoquired by purohase, and en- title& to the same proteotlon aa the title to the lota themaelvea~ and the r&ht la not limited to the streets on which the lots of auoh purohaaera are sItBated,* Bowers Y.
Afaohir (Clr. ApJL; Fort Worth, 1917) 197 -. Se& alaos Oswald v. Grenet, 232 “* 758, 760. Tex. 96. -
BoweVer, ona purohaeiug unplattsd aoreage in-‘a olty without rererenoo to, or relianoe upon, an 0rri0ial map or plat of the oity a eubdirfaion thereor, wua held to have aoqulred no pritate, easemeats in the atreeta or aYenue8 upon whiah auoh eoreage did not abut. be Y. Clt Of Stratford (Oom. App., Seg. A, 1.935) 81 S. W.
(261 1003, %25 !Pet. 179. The Coim@aeion or Appeals’ in this oaee also quotedwith approval the follaW5.xq ox-, oerpt rran a noted teatbook writert
*On the, other hand, if the street directly in ~Tront or one*8 property la not moated but taoated 15 in another blook; so that the portion he lnap tie an interaaotlng oroae-street, although perhaps it 15 not quite 50 ahort a way’~ar a6’,oon- veabnt, it la almost tmlvereally hela that &J does not mUffor auah apsolal Injury aa entltlea hini to demegea~ And this la so notwlthataudi.ng the nau road la less oonrenient end the diYeralon ~oi-~ $ratel depreolatea the, ralue or his property. : 2he rao,t that. fhe lot -or may. be inocwmnienoe& or aat ha may hare to go a more roundabout way ta raaoh ~oertain parts, it .I8 general4 held, does not brine Aim an-injury ‘dffferent in kiad porn the geaerel pubU.0, but in degree only. txr mana of inme and egress are not out ofr or 1eiWened in the blook or the abutting owner, but is on4 rendered &es oonvenient beoauae of being 1055 dir%Ot f5 &e, also, Texsa Co. et al ta Texarlcena )&ah.
Shops (Clr. APR.~ Texarkaaa, 1928) 1 S-W., (26) 9281. V. Galyeaton, H. & S. A. wiri Co4 (Cl?. APP*s
s-5 ~aLveaton, 1933) 57 8. W., (26) 199 .error U-0 SW- -0 ot Texas t cir. weu. Y. Uasourl-3Saneaa-Texea 5. 0, *9 Don. 0. J. Se Slliceaon - Pat;e 9
API?. l;alveston, 1932) 56 5. x. (2d) 922. : TO the 84me effuct la the case of Johnson V. bncaster (Civ. App., AImtin, 1924) 266 5. ‘3. 565, wherefa it wes held that an ,&ncorporated oity bed authority to wdelad-endw a publio street by phy5icaU.p closing one 'ad, ovclr the proteet of 45 abutting owner where suoh oloaing aid. not aeprive him him ntoat convehiant route to the buslneaa distriot of auoh city, rle find alxilar hold- ings in Uhn v. City of Houston, 28 3. 3. (26) 595, l2l Tel,.‘ 293 land ,in Meyer, v, Oalve&on, 9. & S. a. By. Co.
(Con. App., Sea. Do, 1932) 50 S. 3. f2d) 268.
Ye ia. apparent. from the faota atate Ln your that the property’of’the persona who are pro-
inq~uiry testing the taoating'of auoh streets does not 4nd oanvlot abut upon thelportiona to be oloa=d sinoe the prison ropexty~abuta.on both eidea of such blocks.
Iu the f ight of the’ decisions cUscu4sea ana mny other authorities ‘too ,nmeroua .to mention in this opinion, it would seem that the onQ baa15 for injuaotive relief or 0laZ.a ror~damagea would,depsnd.upon whether they urchased auohproperty in relianoe upon, and by reference e ob a map or pIat whioh iz&oluded end dedicated auoh street.
Yom requeet does~ not 6upp4 us with thi5 information but from the County Deed Reaorda. you daxigaeily,obtBin.lt Before conoluding this opinion, it tight be well ror uato d.iamee briefly the statutory provialona whloh bear! upon the question of the authority oi.the'City Couucll or Ebmteville to vacate streetar~
Prior to the passage of the enabling aat to the %ome ihrle” amendment to the State Constitution, oitiea of this; State had ho suoh authority escept as it was granted by 4~pecia.l oharter. ~Gohatitution, Art. XIWi Sep. 5~ Aota or 1.913 Chapter I.47 p, ~307 Stevefia vc City of Dublin (civ,. A$. , Fort 7io&h, 193&f 169 S. M‘J. 188.
heoing populations in efoes~ of 5jOOG ~irrhauiteata to adopt or amend tbsir charter5 to inelude the power to YeOak end 01088 aareets. Thid ~pr$&ole reads la part am fOllovat
WCitiea t.dopting the charter Or &ueaaartYlt hereunder shall have full power of loodl self- *10 i
HOW. 0. J. 5. ~llih~;~on - Page 10
government, and amng the other powers that my be ereqoiaed by a4 euoh oltp the follows are hereby enumerated for greater oertainty: n* * *
“18. To control, regulate and ramove all ob- struotions other enoroaahments or onoumbranoea on a4 publia street, aliey, or Ground, and to~narrow; tlter, widen or straighten a4 suoh streeta, alleye, avenues or boulevards, end’to .vaoate and abandon <and oloeeahy suoh streets. alleys, nvmuea or bou.Le- varde end to m&ate and control the J&ovlrIg or other structures over and upon, the b-~-or street8 or aveuue8 of suoh city.* The City of ~~tsoille, according to both the 1930 and 1940,Federal cexmus~ has a population In exoeas of 5,000+ See Texas Almanao p. 109. Ne do not &oat, however, whether that olty has adopted or amended its oharter in aaaordanoe with the hot of 1913.
Accordingto records of the Seoretary of State’s offloe, the oity is still opsra,ting’uuder a tipeolal darter gmuted by the Le slature in 1871. Thle-oharter, whioh si appears in Camel a Laws, Vol. VI.,p,l&lO, does not include 8psm.a authority to olose and vaoats ,streeta and under the oourt dsoiaions we have oited In the rlxat portion of thir opinion, euoh charter would not authorize the oity~to oloae or vaoate streeta.
The city authoritlee of Euhtevllle, of courseF oould advise you a;B. to whether the oity~ has adopted a hew charter or unendmnt to ita old chartor Lu aooordahca xlth the p:rovisionr of the got6 of ,1913.
If ‘the oharter under whlah the. city ia now operatin& does not epeoifi&ally include the-power to alone and v;aoate publio atreeta, it would seem that the only avenue open to you is to reqmet the Legislature to provide *11 (I . Hon. 0. J. 9. ELll.ngson - Page 11
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for tile olosblg of the otreete in queation.
Trustln~ that we have suffioiently answered your inquiry, we arci
Yours very &roIu!m om PXIBT