Court Opinion

ID: 9526123
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:12:43.067149+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:18:30.307893
License: Public Domain

Dissent
Jackson, J.
Appellant has filed a petition to reconsider the action of the Court in dismissing the case at bar as moot because of the repeal of the ordinance on which the litigation was based.
In my opinion the petition to reconsider should be granted for the reason that the passage of Ordinance No. 7 of the Town of Prince’s Lake, Indiana, was invalid and unenforceable ab initio.
Regulation of watercraft operating on the waters of the State of Indiana has been pre-empted by the action of the Legislature in enacting Acts 1957, ch. 221, §§68-813 — 68-869, Burns’ 1961 Replacement, commonly known as “Indiana Boating Laws.” The passage of the above designated legislation clearly indicated the purpose and intent of the Legislature to adopt uniform regulations relative to the use and enjoyment of waters within the State. Such legislative regulation by the State prevents the enactment of a hodge-podge of unworkable, discriminatory and conflicting regulations by local municipalities.
Towns by statute possess only those powers expressly granted to them by the legislature. Since Acts 1957, ch. 258, §1, p. 588, §48-301, Burns’ 1963 Replacement enumerating the powers of the Board of Town Trustees, does not encompass the area of watercraft operation or regulation, and since enforcement of Ordinance No. 7 of the Town of Prince’s Lake impinges on the pre-empted area, such ordinance was and is void ab initio, and consequently was and is of no effect.
The petition to reconsider should be granted, the motion to dismiss for the reason that the subject matter of the cause of action herein is moot, should be set aside, reversed and the cause remanded to the trial *337court with instructions to enter judgment in favor of appellant at the cost of appellee.
Myers, J., concurs.
Note. — Reported in 205 N. E. 2d 821.