Opinion ID: 2161654
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Injury to Plaintiffs.

Text: The last point raised by Cities Service is that none of the plaintiffs sustained damage because of defendants' operations on the south 60 feet, which is sufficient to support the permanent injunction which was entered. Plaintiff Ramaker resides with her sister on the west side of North Twenty-Fifth street, across the street from the Cities Service premises and can see the south 60 feet thereof from her home. Plaintiff Kupper owns the property immediately to the south of the Cities Service premises. In their testimony they testified to the disturbing noise generated by defendants' operations on the south 60 feet of the latter premises. Sometimes operations of the car wash extend to nine o'clock at night and on Sundays to two o'clock in the afternoon. In contrast, before the erection of the auto laundry, when such 60 feet were used for parking, there were no disturbing noises. The trial court found as a fact that the illegal activities on the parking district have decreased the enjoyment of the Ramaker and Kupper homes. The night lighting and the additional noise generated on the parking district fully support this finding. There are also esthetic considerations which are very important to respondents in the enjoyment of their homes. This is a residence area with flats, apartment buildings, and churches. A filling-station parking lot, particularly if operated by good housekeepers, would not be a source of irritation. Instead, plaintiffs now must look out upon the jumble of activity created by movement of cars and workmen over the parking district and steam cleaning at the south door of the auto laundry. Plaintiff, The Markdale Corporation, is the owner of a nearby apartment building. The circuit court found that there was no probative evidence presented that defendants' operations had decreased the value of its premises, and thus the injunction was grounded upon the injury sustained by the other two plaintiffs. Sec. 62.23 (7) (f) 2, Stats., provides: In case any . . . land is . . . used in violation of this section or of any ordinance or other regulation made under authority conferred hereby, the proper authorities of the city, or any adjacent or neighboring property owner who would be specially damaged by such violation may, in addition to other remedies, institute appropriate action or proceedings to prevent such unlawful . . . use; to restrain, correct or abate such violation; . . . or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business or use in or about such premises. Thus we are dealing here with an injunction specially authorized by statute. Special damage to adjacent or neighboring property owners resulting from a particular zoning-ordinance violation provides the statutory ground for issuance of an injunction to restrain the illegal use. There may be situations where because of laches or estoppel a court of equity will be justified in denying an injunction at the suit of private parties, but any element of laches or estoppel is completely lacking here. Decisions of this court in which zoning violations have been enjoined in actions instituted by adjacent or neighboring property owners are: Holzbauer v. Ritter (1924), 184 Wis. 35, 198 N. W. 852; Bouchard v. Zetley (1928), 196 Wis. 635, 220 N. W. 209. The finding by the circuit court, that defendants' illegal activities have decreased the enjoyment of the homes of plaintiffs Ramaker and Kupper, is not against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence. This finding establishes that these two plaintiffs have been specially damaged within the meaning of sec. 62.23 (7) (f) 2, Stats., and affords an adequate basis for the granting of the permanent injunction. By the Court. Judgment affirmed.