Witt v. Steinwehr Development Corp.

• Decision Date: 29 June 1960
• Citation: 400 Pa. 609,162 A.2d 191
• Parties: Paul G. WITT and Jean E. Witt, for the Benefit of Themselves, and All Others Similarly Interested, Appellants, v. STEINWEHR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION and Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, Appellees.
• Court: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Page 191

162 A.2d 191

400 Pa. 609

Paul G. WITT and Jean E. Witt, for the Benefit of Themselves, and All Others Similarly Interested, Appellants, v. STEINWEHR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION and Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, Appellees.

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

June 29, 1960.

Richard A. Brown, John A. MacPhail, Brown, Swope & MacPhail, Gettysburg, for appellants.

Daniel E. Teeter, Bulleit & Bulleit, Edward B. Bulleit, Gettysburg, for appellees.

Before CHARLES ALVIN JONES, C. J., and BELL, MUSMANNO, BENJAMIN R. JONES, COHEN and EAGEN, JJ.

EAGEN, Justice.

This is an action in equity to restrain the erection of a motor lodge or motel on land owned by the corporate defendant in the borough of Gettysburg, Adams County. After hearing, the chancellor entered an adjudication dismissing the complaint. Exceptions to the decree were likewise dismissed and a final judgment entered for the defendants. Plaintiffs appealed.

The facts, of record, are correctly summarized in the opinion of the lower court as follows: 'The land in question is part of a larger tract of land originally owned by William H. Johns and conveyed by his estate to Colt Park Development Company on May 21, 1952. Colt Park Development Company is a partnership and the partners are the principal officers and members of the board of the defendant corporation. The specific lot in question is an irregularly shaped tract lying east of Johns Avenue and west of Steinwehr Avenue extending southwardly from Queen Street. Three portions of this irregularly shaped tract, one 10 feet in width, one 40 feet in width, and one 50 feet in width extend to Steinwehr Avenue. The original Johns tract was a farm of approximately 60 acres and included in addition to the lot in question, the land from Queen Street, southwardly to the United States Government land between Johns Avenue on the east and Long Lane and government land on the west, and a small tract north of Queen Street between Fairview Avenue and Long Lane. Much, if not all, of this land had been occupied by Camp Colt during World War 1. Mr. Johns originated the idea of developing this area into streets and building lots, and in 1948, he had a draft of survey prepared by Leroy H. Winebrenner which contained a proposed layout of streets but did not show any proposed layout of lots. As lots were sold they were projected on this draft which was designated: 'Property of William H. Johns situated in Gettysburg Borough and Cumberland Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania' (PX 1).

'After the land was purchased by Colt Park Development Company in 1952, the company executed a total of 64 deeds for lots in the development up to January 26, 1959. Forty-six of these deeds referred to a draft of survey made by Leroy H. Winebrenner, dated 1948, and entitled 'Property and Proposed Street and Lot Plan of William H. Johns,' and stating that the descriptions were taken principally therefrom. The deeds to all of the lots sold by the company west of Johns Avenue contained building restrictions limiting the use of the lots to single family dwellings and otherwise restricting their use, with the exception of the deeds to the three lots conveyed to the members of the partnership and to four lots conveyed to the Borough of Gettysburg for street purposes. A total of 55 deeds contained such restrictions. Nine deeds including five to the Borough of Gettysburg for street purposes, one for a lot 10 ft. x 170 ft. fronting 10 ft. on Steinwehr Avenue, one for another lot fronting on Steinwehr Avenue, and two for lots east of Johns Avenue contained no such restrictions. None of the deeds to the lots sold in the irregularly shaped tract east of Johns Avenue contained any such restriction.

'The plaintiffs are owners of two lots purchased from Colt Park Development Company, one situated on Highland Avenue, more than one block west of Johns Avenue, purchased on June 18, 1955, and one situated on Fairview Avenue, two blocks west of Johns Avenue, purchased on December 20, 1957. Their deeds contain...