Case Title: Masters v. Pruce

Citation: 274 So. 2d 33

Docket Number: 

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 1973-02-08T00:00:00Z

Document:
274 So. 2d 33 (1973)
R. E. MASTERS et al.
v.
Marcia Smolian PRUCE et al.
6 Div. 942.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
February 8, 1973.
John T. Roach, Jr., Birmingham, for appellants.
Dale Corley, Birmingham, for appellees.
*34 BLOODWORTH, Justice.
This case was originally assigned to another justice. It was reassigned to the writer for the preparation of an opinion for the court. On rehearing, the application for rehearing is granted, and the original opinion, prepared by the writer, is withdrawn and the following opinion substituted therefor.
Appellants filed a bill of complaint in the circuit court of Jefferson County, in equity, seeking to obtain a permanent injunction against appellee, James E Norris, as Zoning Administrator of Jefferson County, to restrain him from issuing a building permit for the construction of an apartment complex on a tract of real property, lying within the police jurisdiction of the City of Vestavia Hills but outside its corporate limits. The bill also prayed that the court declare Acts 1177 and 1178 of the Alabama Legislature, approved September 13, 1969, General Acts of 1969, unconstitutional, and that the court determine that the Jefferson County Commission, the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Adjustment, and the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission were without authority to change the zoning classification of the property, and for other, further and different relief to which they might be entitled.
The appellants are owners of residential dwellings near the property in question, the latter tract being owned by the appellees, Isadore Pizitz, John H. Jacobson and Marcia Smolian Pruce. Appellee, Stuart W. Gaines, is the party who filed the rezoning petition.
Prior to September 13, 1969 (the date when Acts 1177 and 1178 became effective), the City of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, exercised zoning jurisdiction and control over the property in question. It was zoned R-2.
Sometime after that date, Jefferson County commenced to exercise zoning over this property.
The zoning classification of the tract was changed from R-1, residential district, and C-1, commercial district (its previous county zoning classifications) to R-4, multiple dwellings, by a resolution of the Jefferson County Commission adopted on May 25, 1971.
The pertinent portions of the acts in question are as follows:
"Act No. 1177
"* * *
"Section 1. Definitions: For the purposes of this Act, certain terms are defined as follows:
"`County' shall mean any county of this state having a population of 600,000 or more according to the 1940 federal census or any succeeding decennial federal census.
"* * *
"Section 2. Any county which has heretofore or shall hereafter adopt zoning regulations shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all matters relating to such zoning within all areas of the county not lying within the corporate limits of any municipality in such county. From and after the adoption by the county of such zoning regulations, any and all jurisdiction of any municipality as to any area outside its corporate limits as to any matter relating to zoning is and shall be withdrawn and taken away.
"* * *
"Section 5. All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby superseded.
"Section 6. If any section, provision, sentence or phrase of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional, or void for any reason, such adjudication shall not affect any other provision hereof, and the remainder thereof shall be left intact and valid.
"Section 7. This Act shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or upon its otherwise becoming law.
"Act No. 1178
"* * *
"Section 1. The title of Act No. 344, H. 775 of the Regular Session of 1947 (General Acts 1947, p. 217) is hereby amended to read as follows: `An Act to empower any counties having a population of 400,000 or more according to the 1940 or any succeeding federal census to provide for, regulate, and restrict in the unincorporated portions of the county including that area lying outside the corporate limits of the municipalities of the county but within the police jurisdiction of such municipalities, the use and construction of buildings, structures and land for trade, industry and residence; to establish set-back lines for buildings and structures along the roads and streets; to prescribe certain duties and functions of the county planning commissions; to provide for county boards of zoning adjustment and define the authority, powers, and functions of such boards, and procedure and appeals from their decisions; and to provide remedies for the enforcement of ordinances, resolutions, and regulations made by such counties under authority of this act.'
"Section 2. Section 1 of said Act No. 344 of the Regular Session of 1947, as heretofore amended, is further amended to read as follows:
"`Section 1. For the purpose of promoting health, safety, morals, or the general welfare of the county, the governing body of any county having a population of 400,000 inhabitants or more according to the 1940 or any succeeding decennial Federal census, (herein called the "County"), is hereby empowered to regulate and restrict the use and construction of buildings, structures and land for trade, industry and residence; and to establish setback lines for buildings and structures along the roads and streets in the unincorporated areas of the county including all areas within the police jurisdiction of any incorporated municipality even the area within the police jurisdiction of a municipality over which the governing body of such municipality is exercising zoning jurisdiction and control when this amendment becomes effective; and all the rights, powers and authority relative to zoning in such areas heretofore vested in any municipality in any such county having a population of more than 400,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census is hereby withdrawn and taken away.'
"Section 2. This Act shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or upon its otherwise becoming a law.
"Approved September 13, 1969.
"Time: 4:42 P.M."
In its final decree, the trial court held both acts were valid, constitutional, and that "the legislative intent and the statutory effect" of Acts 1177 and 1178 were to repeal and supersede prior legislative enactments in conflict with them.
Appellants insist, in brief, that Act 1178 did not amend all the sections of Act 344 of the Alabama Legislature, approved August 15, 1947, General Acts of 1947, as amended last on August 16, 1949 (appears as §§ 970-974, Appendix, Vol. 14, Code of Alabama), necessary to accomplish its stated purpose.
By Act 1178 only the title and Section 1 of Act 344 were amended. Act 1178 did not amend Section 4 of Act 344, as amended in 1949, which provides as follows:
Thus, it can be readily seen that Section 1 of Act 344, as previously amended in 1949 and as amended by Act 1178, and Section 4 of Act 344, as amended in 1949, are in direct conflict with each other. Section 1, as amended by Act 1178, purports to grant any such county the power to exercise zoning in the unincorporated areas of the county, including all areas within the police jurisdiction of any incorporated municipalities and withdraws that power from any incorporated municipalities. On the other hand, Section 4 excludes such areas in the police jurisdiction of incorporated municipalities from county zoning where these municipalities are exercising such power.
Section 4 of Act 344, as amended, contains the implementing legislation necessary to exercise the powers granted to the counties in Section 1; Section 1 being a grant of powers.
In Opinion by the Justices, 249 Ala. 88, 30 So. 2d 14 (1947), it was stated that:
Appellants would have us follow this rule of statutory construction and declare that, by virtue of the conflict between its own provisions, Act 344, as amended, is inoperative and void.
On our first analysis, it was our judgment that this opinion, as well as our decision in Dewrell v. Kearley, 250 Ala. 18, 32 So. 2d 812 (1947), compelled our finding the act to be inoperative and void. We are now persuaded we must reach a different conclusion as will hereinafter appear.
In Dewrell v. Kearley, supra, this court was confronted with an act which was designed to abolish bills of exceptions in this state. The act allowed ninety days, after the taking of an appeal, for filing the transcript of the evidence with the clerk. The act also provided that, after such filing, either party could file objections to the transcript within ten days, after which an additional period of fifteen days was allowed *37 for the trial judge to hear the objections. The trial judge was then given fifteen days to settle the objections. Thus, forty days were allowed for this procedure, but the act provided that the hearing should be completed within ninety days from the date of the trial or the date of the judge's ruling on motion for new trial. This court held, viz:
It was further stated by this court that,
Since our original opinion in this case was released, we have received an application for rehearing filed by appellees and a brief in support thereof. Appellants have filed a brief in support of our opinion.
Additionally, we have received applications from ten law firms seeking permission to file amicus curiae briefs in support of appellees' position. We granted each of these applications and each has responded by filing a brief. One law firm has filed an amicus curiae brief in support of our original opinion.
We have carefully read, studied and considered each brief and each contention presented on rehearing, as we did on original submission. Several cases are cited on rehearing of which we did not have the benefit on original submission and which our independent research did not disclose. After mature consideration, we have concluded that at least one of the contentions on rehearing is well taken, and that we must uphold Act 344, as amended in 1949 and as amended by Act 1178, under the doctrine of "implied repeal."
We now consider that the Dewrell case, supra, is not apposite, because in that case the court was confronted with a situation in which it was unable to ascertain the intent of the legislature. Moreover, the provisions of the act in that case were impossible of execution. This is not true in the case at bar, as we shall presently demonstrate.
The doctrine of "implied repeal" is advanced as an answer to appellants' arguments that Act 1178 is inoperative and void because of the inconsistency and conflict between amended Section 1 and Section 4. In substance, it is contended that those inconsistent and conflicting provisions of Section 4 were repealed by implication so as to permit Act 344, as amended by Act 1178, to be upheld.
The case of State v. Bay Towing and Dredging Company, 265 Ala. 282, 90 So. 2d 743 (1956), is cited as authority for this proposition. This case was neither cited to us on original submission, nor did we, in our independent research, locate it. We are now convinced, however, that both its rationale and holding govern us in our determination as to the validity of Act 1178, and that we must uphold the act on its authority.
In the Bay Towing case, supra, the late Mr. Justice Goodwyn, writing for the court, expressed the doctrine of "implied repeal" thusly:
The facts of that case are so singularly relevant to those in the case at bar that it may be stated it is an almost, if not altogether, "all-fours" case.
We state briefly its pertinent facts.
The levying section of Title 51, Section 788 (the "use tax" law) provided:
Title 51, Section 789, as amended in 1949, provided for an exemption from the operation of this use tax as to:
The aforesaid Title 51, Section 788, was amended in 1951 to provide as follows:
There was no amendment of Title 51, Section 789 (u), supra, at that time.
It is obvious that subsection (u) of Section 789 (exempting used vehicles) was repugnant to the 1951 amendment of Section 788 (levying on used vehicles). The two provisions were directly in conflict and could not be reconciled. This court held that subsection (u), exempting used vehicles, was impliedly repealed by the enactment of the later 1951 amendment, levying the tax on used vehicles.
The court followed the rule that:
The court went on to hold:
We are cognizant of the principle of law that repeal by implication is not favored.
Nevertheless, we must also recognize the cardinal rule of statutory construction, to which all others are subordinate, that we *39 must ascertain and give effect to the true intent of the legislature in enacting a given statute. In re Opinion of the Justices, 267 Ala. 114, 100 So. 2d 681 (1958).
Thus, we cannot but otherwise conclude, from a study of the title of the act and the amendment to Section 1 (as well as the simultaneous passage of Act 1177), that the intention of the legislature in enacting Act 1178 and Act 1177 was to grant to counties with such population classification county-wide zoning in the unincorporated areas of the county, including those areas lying within the police jurisdiction of incorporated municipalities and, notwithstanding some of those municipalities may have previously exercised zoning jurisdiction in the affected areas. It seems, also, that its clear intention, in the passage of this act, was to take away from the affected municipalities the power to zone in those areas within their police jurisdiction. It must be presumed that the legislature, in enacting Act 1178, overlooked enacting a provision amending Section 4, so as to have it conform to the amendment of Section 1.
Thus, under the authority of State v. Bay Towing & Dredging Company, supra, we must conclude that, by the enactment of Act 1178 amending Section 1 of Act 344, as previously amended, the legislature "impliedly repealed" the last clause in the first sentence in Section 4 of Act 344, as previously amended, to-wit:
Appellants further insist that Act Number 1177 contained no enabling legislation ("Method of Procedure") such as appears in Section 4 of Act 344, as amended; and thus, the Jefferson County Commission could not under Act 1177, proceed to pass a resolution which would validly and effectively change the zoning classification of property located within the police jurisdiction of Vestavia Hills, Alabama.
Act 1177 does not contain an implementing clause similar to the one in Act 344, wherein provisions are made for notice and hearing to affected property owners of the proposed zoning change.
In Anderson's American Law of Zoning, the rule is stated:
The following later appears in the same volume of Anderson on Zoning:
In Sikes v. Pierce, 212 Ga. 567, 94 S.E.2d 427 (1956), the Supreme Court of Georgia was confronted with a situation similar to that in the case at bar. There, the charter of the City of Dublin, Georgia, authorized the mayor and aldermen of the city to adopt, by zoning ordinances, a plan or plans for the zoning or districting of the city. Neither the charter of the city, nor any of the zoning ordinances adopted thereunder, provided for any notice or opportunity for a hearing to be given to persons whose property would be affected by the zoning regulations.
The court in Sikes v. Pierce, supra, held, inter alia:
Similarly, the Supreme Court of California, in Gilgert v. Stockton Port Dist., 7 Cal. 2d 384, 60 P.2d 847 (1936), struck down as void and unconstitutional an act creating a port district, in part because the port district was given zoning powers by the act, but no provisions for notice and hearing were included within the act.
The court there stated:
To like effect are our Alabama cases with respect to the meaning of "due process" in similar fact situations. In the case of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board v. State, 247 Ala. 469, 471, 25 So. 2d 30, 32 (1946), this court held, viz:
See also Cooper v. Watts, 280 Ala. 236, 191 So. 2d 519 (1966).
It is suggested that the legislature intended Section 4 of Act 344, as amended, to provide the implementing legislation for Act 1177, since Act 1177 and Act 1178 were passed as so-called "companion bills," were read and passed at the same time, and had *41 as sponsors the same members of the House of Representatives. There is nothing in either act upon which to base such a conclusion. Nor, can Section 4 of Act 344, as amended, be utilized to carry out the grant of powers contained in Act 1177, because Acts 344 and 1178 are based on different population classifications and the provisions of Acts 1177 and 1178 are different though, in part, they each deal with zoning.
Additionally, we have ourselves conducted a search of prior acts of the legislature in order to determine whether the powers granted to counties by Act 1177 could be exercised under some existing legislative enactment which does provide for notice and hearing in such situations. We have been unable to find any such act.
Therefore, as Act 1177 does not provide for affected property owners to have notice and an opportunity to be heard, and, as our research has disclosed no legislation which would operate to save the act in such a situation, it must be concluded, and we hereby declare, that Act 1177 is void and inoperative for failing to require procedure which comports with due process of law.
Next, we address ourselves to the contention that the record does not reflect that the attorney general of the State of Alabama was served in the declaratory judgment proceeding which contested the validity of these two acts, and that this court is required to dismiss this proceeding on appeal for want of jurisdiction.
Appellees cite Title 7, Section 166, Code of Alabama, which states as follows:
Though this issue was raised for the first time on rehearing, this court has held that service on the attorney general is jurisdictional and that we must note our want of jurisdiction apparent on the record. Board of Trustees of Employees' Retirement System v. Talley, 286 Ala. 661, 244 So. 2d 791 (1971) and cases cited therein.
On the other hand, appellants cite the provisions of Rule 25 of the Supreme Court Rules, which reads in pertinent part as follows:
We will not attempt to resolve any apparent conflict between our Rule 25 and the rule of Talley, supra. For, we note that, although the record does not reflect whether the attorney general was served, on pages 23 and 24 of the transcript the following pleading appears:
Filed in Office Jul 1, 1971"
Appellants have filed a motion, which, inter alia, requests that we order the register to amend the transcript to reflect that, in fact, the attorney general was served. A purported copy thereof is attached to the motion. (Of course, we cannot consider this purported copy under our rules.)
Since there was an appearance by the attorney general, the foregoing answer and demurrer being filed by him, we see no need for the transcript to reflect service on him. After all, the purpose of the provisions of Title 7, Section 166, is to give notice of the filing of the bill. The attorney general unquestionably has had notice of the bill, contesting the validity of the two acts in question, else he is not likely to have responded by filing the pleading set out above.
Finally, appellants urge that Acts 1177 and 1178 are unconstitutional because they are local laws which have not been advertised as required by Section 106 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901. Since we have already determined that Act 1177 is void and inoperative for another reason, we pretermit discussion of this issue with regard to that act.
Section 110 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901 defines the terms "general law" and "local law" as follows:
Thus, the question for determination is whether Act 1178 is a general law or a local law, as defined by this section. If Act 1178 is a local law, then it is void because it was not advertised as required by Section 106 of the Constitution. Smith v. Lancaster, 269 Ala. 579, 114 So. 2d 568 (1959).
A law which is based on a population classification may be enacted as a general law under limited conditions, even though the law in its application applies to only one political subdivision of the state. Smith v. Lancaster, supra, and authorities therein cited.
In order for such a law based on a population standard which applies to only one political subdivision to be upheld as a general law, the difference in population must be substantial, the classification must be made in good faith by the legislature, and the classification must be reasonably related to the purpose sought to be achieved by the act. City of Birmingham v. Moore, 248 Ala. 422, 27 So. 2d 869 (1946).
This court judicially knows that Act 1178 could only apply at this time to Jefferson County, as it is the only county in this state with a population of over 400,000.
*43 In Couch v. Rodgers, 253 Ala. 533, 45 So. 2d 699 (1950), this court held:
With reference to the tests heretofore set forth in City of Birmingham v. Moore, supra, it was stated in Opinion of the Justices, 263 Ala. 174, 81 So. 2d 699 (1955):
Nevertheless, we think the difference in population here was substantial.
Additionally, we believe that the classification was made in good faith by the legislature. There is certainly nothing to the contrary in the record.
Further, we hold that the classification is reasonably related to the purpose sought to be achieved by the act, as will be hereinafter discussed.
In our research, we have found twenty cases which dealt with acts based upon population classifications which applied at the time of their passage to Jefferson County only. In fifteen of these cases, this court held that the acts were general laws and were not violative of the Alabama Constitution. These were: Board of Revenue of Jefferson County v. Huey, 195 Ala. 83, 70 So. 744 (1916); State v. Burchfield, 218 Ala. 8, 117 So. 483 (1928); State ex rel. Russum v. County Commission of Jefferson County, 224 Ala. 229, 139 So. 243 (1932); State ex rel. Ward v. Henry, 224 Ala. 224, 139 So. 278 (1932); Wages v. State, 225 Ala. 2, 141 So. 707 (1932); State ex rel. Dally v. Woodall, 225 Ala. 178, 142 So. 838 (1932); City of Birmingham v. Wheeler, 225 Ala. 678, 145 So. 140 (1932); State exl rel. Shirley v. Lutz, 226 Ala. 497, 147 So. 429 (1933); Cooper v. State ex rel. Hawkins, 226 Ala. 288, 147 So. 432 (1933); Ex parte Ashton, 231 Ala. 497, 165 So. 773 (1936); Opinion of the Justices, 249 Ala. 511, 31 So. 2d 721 (1947); Opinion of the Justices, 263 Ala. 174, 81 So. 2d 699 (1955); Opinion of the Justices, 270 Ala. 38, 115 So. 2d 464 (1959); Smith v. Pullman Incorporated, 280 Ala. 295, 193 So. 2d 516 (1967); Opinion of the Justices, 281 Ala. 50, 198 So. 2d 778 (1967). Additionally, an act with a 110,000 standard of population which applied to both Jefferson and Mobile Counties was held general in *44 Dearborn v. Johnson, 234 Ala. 84, 173 So. 864 (1937).
The five cases in which it was held that the acts were local laws and violative of the Alabama Constitution, because they were passed without the required publication, were: Jefferson County v. Busby, 226 Ala. 293, 148 So. 411 (1933); City of Birmingham v. Moore, 248 Ala. 422, 27 So. 2d 869 (1946); Nelson v. State, 255 Ala. 141, 50 So. 2d 401 (1951); McDowell v. Columbia Pictures Corp., 281 Ala. 438, 203 So. 2d 454 (1967); Duncan v. Meeks, 281 Ala. 452, 204 So. 2d 483 (1967).
We believe that each of these five decisions is clearly distinguishable from the case at bar.
The case of Jefferson County v. Busby, supra, involved an act which provided for the appointment of bailiffs in circuit courts in counties having a population of 200,000 or more. The majority of the court held that the act was local without stating the reasons therefor other than a recitation of the cases on which they relied. We cannot presume to speculate as to why the court held as it did in that case. Suffice it to say that that case is not controlling in the case at bar.
City of Birmingham v. Moore, supra, dealt with an act which prohibited public housing projects in counties with a population of 300,000 or more. This court held that the act was local because there was no logical relation between the classification employed and the purpose to be attained. The act had the effect of leaving the construction and operation of housing projects to private enterprise, whereas in the other counties in the state, public housing authorities might carry out such functions. The court stated:
In Nelson v. State, supra, the act before the court provided for the condemnation of automobiles used in the storage of lottery papers in counties having a population of 400,000 or more. The court held that the act was local, stating that:
For similar reasons, it was held in McDowell v. Columbia Pictures Corp., supra, that an act which provided for a board to review and license the exhibition of motion pictures prior to their being shown to persons under the age of eighteen in counties having a population of 600,000 or more was a local act. In that case, it was observed that the legislature should be solicitous in enforcing the obscenity laws in all parts of the state, especially in view of the fact that virtually the same motion pictures are shown throughout the state.
In Duncan v. Meeks, supra, an act which prohibited straight party ticket voting by electors in voting for certain offices in counties having a population of 500,000 or more was held local. The court stated:
We believe that in the case at bar it is clear that the legislature could have reasonably concluded that the governing bodies of counties having over 400,000 population should have the sole and exclusive control over zoning in all areas within the county, outside the corporate limits of municipalities. The regulation of land use in populous counties within the state by the *45 county governing bodies appears to us to be a proper subject for the enactment of laws based upon such a minimum population standard as was set in this instance by the legislature. The problems of highly populous counties are unique with regard to the regulation of land use, especially in view of the fact that such counties generally contain a number of municipalities. Therefore, it is reasonable that the governing bodies in counties with over 400,000 population have such zoning powers, whereas other county governing bodies in the state may not.
The fact that the act before us presently affects only Jefferson County does not make the act a local law. This act will automatically apply to any other county within the state without exception upon its attaining the requisite population.
We hold that Act 1178 is a general law and as such is not in violation of Section 106 of the Alabama Constitution.
In conclusion, and by way of summary, we hold that:
I. By the enactment of Act 1178, amending both the title and Section 1 of Act 344, as previously amended, the legislature impliedly repealed the last clause of Section 4 of Act 344, as amended, which clause is directly repugnant to Section 1, as amended by Act 1178, and is impossible to reconcile with it; and, Act 344, as thus amended, is not inoperative and void because of its inharmonious provisions.
II. Act 1177 is void and inoperative in not providing a procedure for affected property owners to have notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with the requirements of due process of law.
III. An appearance by the attorney general in filing an answer and demurrer is a sufficient compliance with Title 7, Section 166, requiring service of process upon him.
IV. Act 1178 is a general law with local application, and no notice is required to be published as required by Section 106 of the Constitution.
The decree of the trial court is therefore affirmed in part, reversed in part and is remanded for entry of a decree in conformity herewith.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.
MERRILL, HARWOOD, McCALL and FAULKNER, JJ., concur.
HEFLIN, C. J., and MADDOX, J., concur specially.
JONES, J., not sitting.
HEFLIN, Chief Justice (concurring specially):
I concur in the opinion of Justice Bloodworth with the exception that I disagree with his opinion that Act No. 1177 is unconstitutional. I am of the opinion that Section 4 of Act 344, as amended, should be considered in pari materia with Act No. 1177 so as to provide a due process procedure. Therefore, I am of the opinion that Act No. 1177 should not be held unconstitutional.
MADDOX, Justice (concurring specially).
I concur in the opinion in every respect except that portion which holds that Act 1177 is void and inoperative because it fails to provide in the text of the Act a procedure which would give affected property owners notice and an opportunity to be heard. As I understand the facts, after closer examination on application for rehearing, the zoning change which gave rise to the controversy here was made only after notice was published in the Birmingham Post-Herald and a public hearing was conducted in the Jefferson County Courthouse. Therefore, procedural due process was accorded the property owners in this case.
*46 I would not strike down Act 1177 merely because the Act does not set out a procedure to be followed. Where notice and an opportunity to be heard actually has been provided, I can see no constitutional infirmity. In other words, I do not think the legislative grant of authority has to spell out in the Act the procedural requirements, although I readily admit that this is the prevalent and preferable method.
I agree also with the general proposition that if a person's property interest is affected, he must have notice and an opportunity to be heard. I do find some authority, however, for the proposition that public hearings and public approval are mandatory only when required by the Legislature.[1]
I am not willing to say that in every zoning case notice and a public hearing are mandatory although I believe it would probably be the preferable procedure. Constitutionally, owners who have an interest in affected property are entitled to reasonable notice and a reasonable opportunity to be heard. But the question of what property is affected could be an open one. While I do not necessarily think that procedural due process requirements are available only to actual owners, I would not attempt to specify all who would be classified as "affected property owners" under a given fact situation. In general, only persons whose rights are injuriously affected by zoning regulations may attack their validity. 101 C.J.S. Zoning § 20, p. 718.
It is interesting to note that in Sikes v. Pierce, 212 Ga. 567, 94 S.E.2d 427 (1956), and Gilgert v. Stockton Port Dist., 7 Cal. 2d 384, 60 P.2d 847 (1936), which are cited in the opinion, the parties objecting to the zoning were actual owners. The same is true in Bell v. Studdard, 220 Ga. 756, 141 S.E.2d 536 (1965). From the reports of these cases, I cannot tell whether there was any notice or public hearing before the ordinances were adopted, or whether those courts would have considered that of any significance. I think it is very significant that the Jefferson County Commission gave notice and held a hearing in this case. In short, I think Act 1177 is not unconstitutional because it contains no method of procedure. If the Jefferson County Commission, when purporting to zone under the authority granted by Act 1177, follows the method of procedure set out in Act 344, as amended by Act 1178, as it did here, such procedure would comport with due process, in my judgment.
[1]  See Cleaver v. Board of Adjustment, 414 Pa. 367, 200 A.2d 408 (1964).

In Burke v. Board of Representatives of Stamford, 148 Conn. 33, 166 A.2d 849 (1961), the Legislature did not make specific provisions for notice and hearing by the city board in its review of an amendment to a zoning map adopted by the zoning board. The court held that it could not write such a requirement into the law by judicial fiat. See also, 101 C.J.S. Zoning § 11, p. 696.