La Jolla Mesa Vista Improvement Association v. La Jolla Mesa Vista Homeowners Association
California Court of Appeal
269 Cal. Rptr. 825 (1990)
- Written by Mary Phelan D'Isa, JD
Facts
The La Jolla Mesa Vista residential development had been governed by a declaration of conditions, covenants, and restrictions (CCRs) since 1957. Before the CCRs were set to expire in late 1986, they were extended by a vote of the majority of homeowners in the development. The extension came about after the La Jolla Mesa Vista Homeowners Association (the original association) (defendant) circulated for approximately six months an extension document that had substantial changes to the CCRs. The extension proponents recorded the extension and modification when they had 52 of the 94 lot owners’ signatures of consent—though three of the 52 signed recissions of their consent before the extension was recorded and four more recissions were executed thereafter. The La Jolla Mesa Vista Improvement Association (the second association) (plaintiff) was formed, and it filed suit against the original association to challenge the validity of the extension. The second association alleged that the extension was invalid because a majority of the development’s owners had not consented to it, as required by the original CCRs. The trial court found that because there was a sufficient number of valid signatures to support the extension, the original association was entitled to judgment. The trial court specifically found that the owners’ signatures on the petition created a binding contract that could not be unilaterally rescinded, reasoning that the chief consideration for the contract was the mutual promise and covenant of the signers. The second association appealed. The parties agreed that to make the extension valid, approval from 48 owners was required. The parties also agreed that when the extension was recorded, there were 52 signatures on the petition. The parties disagreed regarding whether the signatures on the petition could be rescinded.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Benke, J.)
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