Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co.

Ambler Realty (plaintiff) owned land in Euclid (defendant), a residential Cleveland suburb that enacted comprehensive zoning ordinances in 1922 dividing the town into residential, mixed-use, commercial, and industrial districts, which restricted the industrial development of portions of Ambler's land. Ambler sued, arguing the ordinance violated the Fourteenth Amendment and state constitution by depriving it of liberty and property without due process, since the restrictions significantly reduced its land's value and deterred buyers; Euclid unsuccessfully moved to dismiss on ripeness grounds since Ambler hadn't yet sought a building permit. The district court held the ordinance unconstitutional and enjoined its enforcement, and Euclid appealed.