Court Opinion

ID: 9884548
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 03:01:18.99587+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:39.402865
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Schaefer, dissenting: I agree that authority has been delegated to the municipality to regulate the location and the construction of driveways that cross the parkway, as the opinion holds. But I do not believe that the two cases upon which the opinion rests support its conclusion that the present ordinance is invalid on its face. Both of those cases involved ordinances relating to driveway permits. In the Lydy case authority to issue permits for driveways that changed the grade of sidewalks was given to the commissioner of public works, who was to determine after investigation whether the proposed driveway would “unduly obstruct public travel or be dangerous to the public.” The ordinance was held invalid because it was thought to delegate legislative authority without providing adequate standards. In the Wilmot case, as in the case at bar, authority to issue permits was retained by the city council, and the ordinance was sustained. The court there said, (328 Ill. at 563-4), “An ordinance' permitting the city council to retain the control of the city streets and sidewalks as authorized by the legislature is not discriminatory, oppressive or unjust. Fisher v. City of St. Louis, 194 U.S. 361.” Our more recent decision in People ex rel. Armanetti v. City of Chicago, 415 Ill. 165, is to much the same effect. I would agree that it would be better practice for the council to include in its ordinance a statement, particularized to the fullest extent possible, of the conditions under which it would issue driveway permits. But I would not hold an ordinance invalid because it does not do so. No delegation of legislative power is involved, and it seems •an unnecessary refinement to require the agency that has the power to announce in advance how it proposes to exercise it. The fullest announcement would not save arbitrary municipal action, and the absence of any announcement should not invalidate municipal action if it is otherwise valid. If and when there is discrimination in the exercise of the power, judicial remedies are available. The opinion states that the present ordinance “purports to authorize the outright denial of a permit in any situation, depending upon the will of the city council.” The ordinance contains no language suggesting that it purports to do anything of the kind. Nor does the city make such a contention. It says: “No contention is made that the right to access to the street, which is a property right owned by plaintiff, can be denied or taken away without paying for it. The city, through its permit power, merely seeks to regulate the construction of driveways so that abutting property owners will exercise their right of access in a manner that will not be a public nuisance or menace.” In my opinion we should not determine the propriety of an exercise of municipal power by presuming in advance that the power will be abused. The plaintiff brought this declaratory judgment action without having applied for a driveway permit. That the action was untimely appears from the judgment of the trial court which is that the plaintiff has a right “to construct, maintain and use driveways of reasonable width and suitably located * * *.” What is a reasonable width, what is a suitable location and who is to determine those questions, is not stated.