City of Los Angeles v. Cohn

In City of Los Angeles v. Cohn (1894) 101 Cal. 373, a landowner began in 1871 to build a structure arguably encroaching on public land. The city attorney investigated the matter and reported to the city council that the city had no claim to the property, and this opinion was entered in the minutes. The owner, relying on this official finding, completed the building. Twenty years later, the city claimed the building encroached on a city street, but the California Supreme Court concluded the city was estopped. (Id. at pp. 374-375.)