Title: Waterstradt v. Board of Commissioners

State: kansas

Issuer: Kansas Supreme Court

Document:

203 Kan. 317 (1969)
454 P.2d 445
RODNEY L. WATERSTRADT, FLORA E. WATERSTRADT, B.G. McCLEERY, PATSY R. McCLEERY, ALBERT L. LEBOR, FLORENCE B. LEBOR, EDWARD H. KRACHT, GENEVA KRACHT, RAYMOND F. KERR, LORRAINE J. KERR, KENNETH E. HEBRANK, VERA M. HEBRANK, LAWRENCE A. DAVIS, FLORENCE E. DAVIS, LEO E. BOOKER, CATHERINE E. BOOKER, and LEAVENWORTH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, a voluntary association, Appellants,
v.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF LEAVENWORTH, Appellee.
No. 45,310

Supreme Court of Kansas.
Opinion filed May 17, 1969.
John C. Tillotson, of Leavenworth, argued the cause and was on the brief for the appellants.
Thomas J. Brown, Jr., City Attorney, argued the cause and was on the brief for the appellee.
*318 The opinion of the court was delivered by
HATCHER, C.:
This controversy stems from a dispute over a rezoning ordinance.
The dispute involves a tract of land in the city of Leavenworth consisting of 600 feet running east and west and 400 feet running north and south. The tract is bounded on the north by Metropolitan Avenue, on the east by 16th Street and on the south by Pawnee Avenue. There are no streets running through the tract. Previous to the ordinance now in question the tract was divided into three separate strips for zoning purposes. The north strip consisting of 150 feet was zoned "E" general business. Both the north strip and the middle strip in controversy were owned by the same party, Dr. Hoins. The south strip consisting of 100 feet was zoned "A" single family dwelling. It is subdivided into lots and occupied by some of the plaintiffs.
The middle strip consisting of 150 feet was rezoned on July 17, 1967, from class "A" single family dwelling to class "C" apartments. Plaintiffs sought relief from the ordinance rezoning this middle strip in the district court under the provisions of K.S.A. 12-712.
The plaintiffs challenged the ordinance as arbitrary and unreasonable and not being enacted in conformity with the requirements of K.S.A. 1967 Supp. 12-708.
At the close of plaintiffs' evidence the defendant moved that the case be dismissed because of the failure of the plaintiffs to establish a prima facie case under the law.
The trial court made findings of fact which will not be set forth here, and concluded as a matter of law:
The plaintiffs have appealed to this court from the judgment of dismissal.
We should first give attention to appellants' procedural suggestion which reads:
The Hockenbarger case was tried under the old Code of Civil Procedure. When the new code became effective January 1, 1964, a new rule became applicable. K.S.A. 60-241 (b), dealing with involuntary dismissal, provides in part:
We have construed this statute as giving the trial judge, in a case tried without a jury, the power to evaluate evidence in a motion for an involuntary dismissal. In Mackey-Woodard, Inc. v. Citizens State Bank, 197 Kan. 536, 419 P.2d 847, we held:
The opinion sets out the federal cases construing the Federal Rule from which K.S.A. 60-241 (b) was taken. They will not be repeated here.
The application of the above rule, for all practical purposes, disposes of appellants' chief contention, which reads:
*320 We note next the restrictions on judicial review of zoning action taken by the governing body of a city.
In Moyer v. Board of County Commissioners, 197 Kan. 23, 415 P.2d 261, we stated at page 29 of the opinion:
The statement was approved in Arkenberg v. City of Topeka, 197 Kan. 731, 734, 421 P.2d 213, and applied in an action challenging a city zoning ordinance.
It may be said that about the only substantial evidence submitted by appellants was to the effect that as neighbors they objected to the rezoning for apartments and were fearful that their property would be decreased in value. In Arkenberg v. City of Topeka, supra, we stated at page 738:
It should also be noted that during the month of February, 1961, the Leavenworth City Planning Commission adopted a comprehensive plan for the Leavenworth regional area. This regional plan is consulted and used as a guide for the purpose of rezoning. The property in question is designated for commercial usage in the regional plan. It should also be noted that the adjoining strip of land to the north was also designated for commercial use.
Appellants claim discrimination because the owners of two other pieces of property within two blocks or so of the tract in question were denied rezoning. Without considering the legal aspect of the *321 contention it will suffice to say that appellants' evidence showed the reason for the distinction made. Mr. Robert J. Hrabak, director of the City Planning Commission, was called as a witness by appellants. The record discloses the following:
The reason given would appear to be ample to avoid any claim of discrimination.
The appellants challenge the ordinance on the basis that it constitutes "spot zoning." Appellee responds with the suggestion that the question was not presented to the trial court. Regardless of the procedural or legal posture of this issue, the rezoning was not "spot zoning." Appellants cite 51 A.L.R.2d 267 as authority for its definition of the term. We quote:
The property adjoining the rezoned property on the north was zoned as commercial. The rezoning of the strip in controversy tended to give two undeveloped strips a similar rather than different classification. Apartment buildings were permitted under the general business classification.
Appellants claim error because the trial court rejected their exhibit consisting of an architect's plan for developing the property in question. The plan was not presented to the Planning Commission at the hearing on the present application for rezoning and was not considered in adopting the ordinance. We cannot see how it would have been of any assistance to the court in determining whether the city officials acted arbitrarily or capriciously in rezoning the property.
After a careful examination of the record we are forced to conclude, *322 as did the trial court, that the appellee was entitled to judgment dismissing the action for the reason that the appellants' evidence failed to show the rezoning ordinance was arbitrary, unreasonable or void.
The judgment is affirmed.
APPROVED BY THE COURT.