Opinion ID: 1216156
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Forest Land Company Case

Text: This action was brought by the Forest Land Company, a South Carolina corporation, against the Mayor and Councilmen of the Town of Forest Acres to restrain the defendants from enforcing the ordinance heretofore mentioned upon the ground that said ordinance is unconstitutional. The summons and complaint, together with a rule to show cause, were served on April 29, 1950, the day on which the DeTreville action was commenced. Plaintiff alleges that it owns real estate in the Town; that at a great expense it had installed a water system and fire hydrants for the purpose of developing its property located partly within and partly outside the corporate limits of said Town; that it had obligated itself to supply water and furnish fire protection to those who purchased or leased property from it; that it had entered into agreements with the Forest Acres Extension Water District and Sub-district F to furnish water for the maintenance and operation of its system; that the Town is not now, and has not been, in a position to provide water service for said property; that it installed its water system only after the Town had declared itself unable and unwilling to supply the plaintiff with adequate and necessary water service for the fulfillment of its contracts and development of its property; that said installation was made with the full knowledge and acquiescence and tacit approval of the intendant and council of the Town of Forest Acres; that the enforcement of said ordinance would necessitate a breach in its contractual obligations, would cut off the water supply for many residents of the Town and cause them to be without fire protection, would place an unreasonable and unwarranted burden upon said residents and property owners, and would result in the virtual confiscation of its property without due process of law. The defendants moved to dismiss the action on the ground that the allegations of the complaint were insufficient to warrant injunctive relief. They also filed a return and demurrer in which, after setting up substantially the same facts and defenses interposed in the DeTreville case , it was alleged that the plaintiff did not install its water system until 1948 and did so solely for the purpose of complying with the terms of a decree of the Court rendered in 1943 and contained in Judgment Roll 28183 heretofore mentioned; that the Town was under no obligation to furnish water to those residing beyond its corporate limits; that neither the plaintiff nor any water district was authorized to sell water within the Town of Forest Acres; that the Town has always been, and is now, able and willing to furnish water to all its residents; that the plaintiff has undertaken, in competition with the municipally owned water system, to collect tapping fees and lay pipes for the purpose of serving various residents of the Town; that the plaintiff's system is illegal and plaintiff should be required to account for all tapping fees and profits made in supplying water within the town limits; and that the Town is entitled to all revenues from the sale of water to its residents for the purpose of discharging the indebtedness incurred by it in establishing the municipally owned water system and meeting other municipal expenses. It was further alleged that any attempt to permit any water company or water district to lay water lines within the Town would be in violation of Section 4, Article 8 of the Constitution. After the above returns were filed, the Forest Acres Extension Water District and Sub-district F of the Greater Columbia Water and Sewerage District were made parties plaintiff to the action and on May 15, 1950, these intervenors filed complaints almost identical with those filed by them in the DeTreville case . They need not again be summarized. The question of issuance of an injunction pendente lite was heard on June 10, 1950, along with the same question in the DeTreville case. The same records and documents were offered in evidence, the contents of which have heretofore been reviewed and need not now be repeated. In an order filed on June 17, 1950, the County Judge held that the Court had jurisdiction of the subject-matter, denied the Town's motion to dismiss the action, granted an injunction pendente lite upon bond being filed in the sum of $500.00, and referred the case to the Master for Richland County. The Town has appealed from all rulings and holdings made in said order except that portion granting a reference.