Pacific Palisades Ass'n v. City of Huntington Beach

Plaintiff brought an action seeking to enjoin the City of Huntington Beach and its city marshal from attempting to enforce the provisions of an ordinance prohibiting plaintiff from erecting derricks, installing machinery, and drilling oil wells on its own lands within the city limits. The trial court sustained the general demurrer to the complaint, interposed by the defendants, and plaintiff declined to amend. Judgment was entered for the defendants, from which judgment plaintiff appeals.

The appellant is the owner of thirteen acres of land located within the boundaries of that portion of the City of Huntington Beach designated and set apart as a residence district in two ordinances to be hereinafter referred to. This land, it is alleged, is of great value for the purpose of producing oil and kindred substances, and of a much less value for residential purposes. The predecessor in interest of appellant was about to enter into leases of the land to persons or corporations who agreed to drill oil wells thereon, and did enter into one lease whereby the lessee agreed to drill four wells, and by the terms of which the owner of the property would reasonably expect to receive a sum in…