Texas Department of Transportation v. City of Sunset Valley
Full Case Name
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Michael W. Behrens, Robert L. Nichols, John W. Johnson, and Ric Williamson, Appellants, v. CITY OF SUNSET VALLEY, Terrance R. Cowan, and Donald Hurwitz, Appellees
Date
08-30-2002
Court
Texas Courts of Appeals
Jurisdiction
Texas
Plaintiffs
Defendants
Incident Location
Sunset Valley, TX
Disputed Act
City and city officials filed action against Texas Dept. of Transportation (TxDOT) concerning highway expansion. District Court awarded city damages and fees; declared TxDOT violated administrative regulations regarding noise and lighting, enjoined private nuisance, and enjoined equal protection violations from use of flood lights and failure to erect city limit signs.
Holding
Declaratory judgement that TxDOT and officials violated environmental regulations relating to noise and lighting from highway expansion was not warranted; Nuisance claims against TxDOT for use of high mast floodlights were not barred by sovereign immunity.
Disposition