Summary
denying motion for leave to reargue since there was no showing that the court overlooked or misapprehended relevant facts or controlling law in prior decision
Summary of this case from Gluckman v. Laserline-Vulcan Energy Leasing, LLCOpinion
May 11, 1993
Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (William J. Davis, J.).
In seeking a preliminary injunction prohibiting defendant cooperative corporation from installing submeters for electricity in its cooperative apartment building, plaintiff tenant-shareholder and her spouse failed to show the requisite likelihood of success, irreparable harm, or a balancing of the equities in their favor (DeLury v City of New York, 48 A.D.2d 405; Albini v Solork Assocs., 37 A.D.2d 835). Nor did plaintiffs raise any bona fide triable issues of fact in opposition to defendant's motion for summary judgment.
Plaintiffs contend that the amendment to the proprietary leases, adopted pursuant to Public Service Commission regulation, permitted the introduction of submetering, but still required a formal meeting of the shareholders to implement the amendment. That argument is unavailing, inasmuch as the applicable lease provision for amendments expressly provided, as the alternative to such a meeting, the written consent of at least two-thirds of the stockholders. (Here, over 75% of the shareholders had consented in writing.) The fact that this amendment became effective 10 years ago does not render it inoperative by mere lapse of time, since every subsequently incoming shareholder took his tenancy subject to the amendment's terms by virtue of its inclusion in all post-executed leases. The change in the shareholder body is immaterial, and no new "vote" is mandated.
The court also correctly denied plaintiffs' motion for leave to renew and reargue, since there was no showing that the court overlooked or misapprehended relevant facts or misapplied controlling law in the prior decision, nor did plaintiffs offer any evidence on that motion that was unavailable to them upon the court's original consideration of the case. However, as plaintiffs had not defaulted in the performance of any lease obligations, but merely sought a judicial declaration of their rights under the lease, the court erred in awarding defendant attorneys' fees (Camatron Sewing Mach. v Ring Assocs., 179 A.D.2d 165; Mogulescu v 255 W. 98th St. Owners Corp., 135 A.D.2d 32, appeal dismissed 71 N.Y.2d 964, lv dismissed and denied 73 N.Y.2d 868).
We have considered plaintiffs' other arguments and find them without merit.
Concur — Milonas, J.P., Rosenberger, Wallach and Ross, JJ.