Legal Definitions - Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty (1926)

Definition: Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co., 272 U.S. 365 (1926), is a U.S. Supreme Court case that established the constitutionality of zoning ordinances as a valid exercise of a state's police powers. The court ruled that a zoning ordinance can only be declared unconstitutional if it is "clearly arbitrary and unreasonable and without substantial relation to public health, safety, morals, or general welfare."

Example: A city passes a zoning ordinance that restricts the construction of industrial buildings in residential areas. This ordinance is based on the idea that industrial buildings can be noisy, polluting, and dangerous to nearby homes. The Supreme Court would likely uphold this ordinance as a valid exercise of the city's police powers, as it is clearly related to public health, safety, and welfare.

This case set an important precedent for the use of zoning ordinances in regulating land use and development. It gave states and municipalities greater authority to regulate land use in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare, while also establishing limits on the extent to which such regulations can be challenged as unconstitutional.