Opinion ID: 1190676
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: benefit to city or private party.

Text: The second amended petition herein alleges that the city was without power or authority to vacate the alley for the sole benefit of Bunting. That is undoubtedly a correct statement of the law. Elliott, Roads and Streets (4th Ed.) Section 1183, City of Rock Hill vs. Cothran, 209 S.C. 357, 40 S.E.2d 239, City of Stillwater vs. Lovell, 159 Okla. 214, 15 P.2d 12, 4 McQuillin supra, Section 1520. But, of course, this statement of the law is not a statement of a fact. It is not alleged that, as a matter of fact, the property was vacated for the sole benefit of Bunting. However, let us assume that the allegation is equivalent to an allegation of fact. The resolution vacating part of the alley does not indicate that it was solely for such benefit. On the contrary, we think that on the whole, it shows that it is for the benefit of the city. Elliott on Roads and Streets supra, Section 1182 states: Whether it is expedient to discontinue a highway is a question for legislative decision, and when the authority to discontinue is delegated to local officers, and no restrictions are placed upon its exercise, the officers are invested with a very broad discretion, and unless this discretion has been abused the courts cannot interfere. 4 McQuillin on Municipal Corporations supra, Section 1521 states: Apart from pure arbitrary action or clear abuse of discretion, or fraud or collusion, the propriety or necessity of vacating the given street, vested in the municipal authorities, will not be inquired into by the courts. And in Section 1520 of the same work he states: the discretion of the municipal authorities in vacating a street or alley will not be controlled or interfered with by the courts unless there is a plain case of abuse or there has been fraud or collusion. Faithfulness to the public trust reposed in the members of the legislative body will be presumed. So the fact that some private interest may be served incidentally will not invalidate the vacation ordinance.    the mere fact that the vacation was granted on the petition of a private person does not invalidate the vacation proceedings.    the fact that the vacation was at the instigation of an individual or private corporation, who owns abutting property, to enable him or it to use the vacated portion in his business, does not of itself invalidate the vacation, nor constitute such fraud or abuse of discertion as, in the absence of any further showing, will authorize a court of equity to interfere and declare the vacating ordinance to be void. If the purpose of vacating for private use does not appear from the face of the ordinance, some authorities hold that, where fraud is not alleged, the courts will not inquire into the motives of the common council in passing the vacation ordinance. See also 25 Am. Juris. 418. In National City vs. Dunlap, 86 Cal. App.2d 380, 194 P.2d 788, the court stated: Plaintiff's third contention is that streets cannot be closed for private use. The Plaintiff city in its brief recognized the general rule that the act of the council in ordering the vacation of a street is legislative in character and the act of a legislative body is conclusive as to a finding of necessity or convenience. It is argued that the finality of such a legislative determination is subject to an exception when the finding of public convenience and necessity results from fraud or collusion between the city and private land owners. The rule and the exception are both stated in Beals v. City of Los Angeles, 23 Cal.2d 381, 386, 144 P.2d 839. The complaint in the present action does not allege fraud or collusion. This question was not before the court by pleading or otherwise. In Stoessel vs. Ottumwa, 227 Ia. 1021, 289 N.W. 718 the court stated: a wide discretion is vested in cities and towns in the opening, control and vacation of streets and alleys. While the exercise of this power is not unlimited, yet where it is exercised in good faith, and for what it believes to be the public good, the courts will not interfere in the action of the municipality. Such interference is justified only in a clear case of arbitrary and unjust exercise of the power.    `While the power to vacate is not arbitrary, and may to some extent be controlled by the courts, the cases are exceptional where such interference is authorized.    Ostensibly, the vacation and conveyance of the streets and alleys    were for the public good. Where no fraud is charged, the determination of such a question is within the discretion of the council, and not subject to control by the courts.' Numerous other authorities to the same effect may be cited. There is no allegation in the second amended petition charging fraud or abuse of discretion. Moreover, it is held in the case of People ex rel. vs. Eakin, 383 Ill. 383, 50 N.E.2d 474 that the fact that the city is free from liability for injuries to the traveling public on a highway, and the fact that it is not compelled when vacated to maintain the street, is a sufficient public interest to warrant the vacation of the highway. We think, accordingly, that we cannot hold that the vacation of part of the alley in question here was for the sole benefit of Bunting.