Baird v. City of Melissa

In Baird v. City of Melissa, 170 S.W.3d 921 (Tex. App.--Dallas 2005, pet. denied), the City of Melissa concluded that Baird's RV park was not in compliance with applicable ordinances. Baird, who bought the RV park in 1996, argued that operation of the park was not prohibited by any regulation or, alternatively, that the city should be equitably estopped from terminating her use of the property as an RV park. Id. at 925. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the city, and the Dallas Court of Appeals affirmed. Id. The case did not involve a takings claim, and the court held that the property's use as an RV park was prohibited by ordinances that had been in effect for at least five years before Baird bought the property and that none of the equitable defenses advanced by Baird applied. Id. at 925--28.