CITY OF DUBLIN, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, v. JOHN L. WIRCHANSKI, ET AL., DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES.
CASE NO. 14-10-22
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT UNION COUNTY
May 23, 2011
[Cite as Dublin v. Wirchanski, 2011-Ohio-2461.]
Appeal from Union County Common Pleas Court Trial Court No. 2008 CV 0535 Judgment Affirmed
Alan G. Starkoff and Asim Z. Haque for Appellant
Robert J. Behal and Michael Braunstein for Appellee, John L. Wirchanski
Rick Rodger for Appellee, Union County Treasurer
PRESTON, J.
{¶1} Plaintiff-appellant, the City of Dublin (hereinafter “Dublin“), appeals the judgment of the Union County Court of Common Pleas, which denied Dublin‘s request to partially abandon its appropriation proceedings with respect to two of the three parcels of land involved that were owned by defendant-appellee, John Wirchanski (hereinafter “Wirchanski“). For the reasons that follow, we affirm.
{¶2} This case concerns an appropriation action filed by Dublin on October 28, 2008 for three parcels of land owned by Wirchanski, and its subsequent request to partially abandon the appropriation proceedings pursuant to
{¶3} In 2004, Dublin began contemplation of the US 33/SR 161/Post Road interchange project. The design work for the project was conducted through 2006 and the construction plans for the project, which was broken down into three
{¶4} For its 33/161 Project, Dublin needed three specific parcels of land, which were all owned by Wirchanski. As a result, Dublin contacted Wirchanski around 2006 regarding his property and the construction of 33/161 Project. At that time, these parcels, along with Wirchanski‘s remaining adjoining property, were being farmed on behalf of Wirchanski by a sharecrop farmer.
{¶5} Due to Wirchanski‘s opposition in negotiations with Dublin for his property, on October 28, 2008, Dublin commenced an appropriation lawsuit against Wirchanski in order to appropriate, in fee simple, three parcels of land from Wirchanski for the construction of the 33/161 Project.
{¶6} The three parcels of land are commonly referred to as Parcel 71-WD, Parcel 91-WL and Parcel 92-WL,2 and the acreage of each of these takes are as follows:
- Parcel 71-WD: 4.651 acres
- Parcel 91-WL: 13.407 acres
- Parcel 92-WL: 1.745 acres
- Parcel 71-WD: $ 1,630,002.00
- Parcel 91-WL: $ 4,982,599.00
- Parcel 92-WL: $ 268,527.00
The parties stipulated further that the payment to Wirchanski entitled Dublin to full possession of, and the absolute right to enter upon the property. Nevertheless, Wirchanski disputed Dublin‘s appraisals, in particular arguing that Parcel 91-WL was worth somewhere between $8,076,876.00 - $8,980,525.00.
{¶7} The parties continued to litigate the issue regarding the value of the appropriated real property for over a year, until April 21, 2010, when Dublin filed a notice of partial abandonment. In particular, Dublin sought to abandon the appropriation of Parcels 91-WL and 92-WL, but not the appropriation of Parcel 71-WD since, as it admitted in its pleading, it had already taken possession of that particular parcel.
{¶8} Wirchanski filed a motion to strike claiming that Dublin could not abandon part of its appropriation proceedings, but instead had to dismiss its entire appropriation proceedings pursuant to
{¶9} An evidentiary hearing was held on July 2, 2010 and July 23, 2010 for the purpose of determining whether Dublin could rightfully exercise its statutory right to abandon the remaining two parcels of land.
{¶10} On August 19, 2010, after reviewing all of the evidence presented at the evidentiary hearing, the trial court issued its journal entry finding that Dublin had not taken possession of Parcel 92-WL, but had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL. As a result, the trial court found that Dublin could abandon Parcel 92-WL but could not abandon Parcel 91-WL, and subsequently ordered the matter be set for trial to determine the value of Parcel 91-WL.
{¶11} Dublin now appeals and raises the following assignment of error for our review.3
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY DENYING DUBLIN ITS STATUTORY RIGHT OFO.R.C. § 163.21 , THEREBY COMPELLING DUBLIN TO ACQUIRE 13.407 ACRES OF PROPERTY FROM APPELLEE THAT ARE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
{¶12} In its only assignment of error, Dublin argues that the trial court erred as a matter of law in finding that Dublin had possessed Parcel 91-WL, and, thus, was not permitted to abandon its appropriation proceeding as to that particular parcel.
{¶13} The statutory provision at issue in the case sub judice is
(A)(1) If it has not taken possession of property that is appropriated, an agency may abandon appropriation proceedings under section
163.01 to163.22 of the Revised Code at any time after the proceedings are commenced but not later than ninety days after the final determination of the cause.(2) In all cases of abandonment as described in division (A)(1) of this section, the court shall enter a judgment against the agency for costs, including jury fees, and shall enter a judgment in favor of each affected owner, in amounts that the court considers to be just, for each of the following that the owner incurred:
(a) Witness fees, including expert witness fees;
(b) Attorney‘s fees;
(c) Other actual expenses.
{¶14} However, before we address Dublin‘s assignment of error, we must first address the alleged procedural defect that Wirchanski claims occurred in this case. In particular, Wirchanski claims that Dublin could not have filed its notice of partial abandonment with respect to the individual parcels involved because,
{¶15} While Wirchanski presented the exact issue below in his motion to strike Dublin‘s notice of partial abandonment, the trial court overruled Wirchanski‘s motion to strike finding that Dublin‘s pleading was a motion for leave to amend its complaint. Rejecting Wirchanski‘s argument, the trial court found that, “[a]lthough
{¶17} Nevertheless, regardless of whether a party may amend its appropriation complaint, like the trial court allowed Dublin to do in this case, or whether a party must voluntarily dismiss its entire appropriation proceedings, any attempted change to the underlying appropriation action automatically triggers
{¶18} Similarly, depending on the facts of the case, courts have held that an agency has abandoned for purposes of
{¶19} Here, it is clear that the proposed amendment to Dublin‘s complaint amounted to an abandonment of the appropriation proceedings as to Parcels 91-WL and 92-WL. Thus, the only question was whether Dublin was allowed to amend its complaint in that manner, because as the language in
{¶20} Now with respect to Dublin‘s assignment of error, Dublin claims that the trial court erred as a matter of law in denying its right to statutorily abandon its appropriation proceedings when the evidence did not support the trial court‘s finding that it had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL. We disagree.
{¶21} As we stated above, the central issue in this case is whether Dublin took possession of Parcel 91-WL for purposes of
{¶22} An evidentiary hearing was conducted over two days. In addition to the multitude of documentary evidence presented by both parties, Dublin presented testimony from Dana McDaniel, the Deputy City Manager and Director of Economic Development for the City of Dublin, who oversaw the 33/161 Project, and deposition testimony from Kenneth Richardson, Dublin‘s Engineering Manager-Design. Additionally, Wirchanski testified at the hearing and presented deposition testimony from James Page, an engineer who was hired to prepare maps, examine surveys, deeds and tax maps on the appropriated real property.
{¶23} After considering all of the testimony and documentary evidence presented, the trial court ultimately concluded that Dublin had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL. (Aug. 19, 2010 JE at 27). The trial court‘s decision was largely based on the following affirmative actions taken by Dublin, through its agents:
Trucco Construction Company, the contractor hired by Dublin, as its agent, entered Parcel 91-WL on or about November 2009 and staked components of a drainage swell or drainage ditch outfall, which was in furtherance of Dublin‘s construction plan. (Richardson Depo. at page 20, line 20 and page 21, line 2). Because of the contractor‘s stakes, Wirchanski testified that he instructed his sharecrop farmer not to enter the staked area because there was the possibility of his farmer‘s equipment getting damaged. (July 23, 2010 Tr. at 31). - Clearcut, a subcontractor of Trucco Construction Company, thereafter, was hired to clear an area of trees and vegetation on Parcel 91-WL as required for the drainage swell or drainage ditch outfall project pursuant to the construction plans. Clearcut actually cleared some of the trees and vegetation on Parcel 91-WL sometime between November 20 and December 1, 2009. (Richardson Depo. at page 21, lines 3-7 and page 25, lines 4-13). The area cleared of trees and vegetation was approximately 90-100 feet wide along a portion of the south line of the parcel.
- Dublin hired Performance Site Environment to conduct environmental studies at two locations on the southern part of Parcel 91-WL for purposes of looking for possible old underground gasoline storage tanks. (July 2, 2010 Tr. at 62); (Richardson Depo. at page 21, lines 8-13 and page 22, lines 22-23). On or about December 16, 2009, Performance Site Environment performed the environmental studies for Dublin on Parcel 91-WL, and only discovered metal feeder pipes, but found no gasoline storage tanks. (Richardson Depo. at page 23, line 17-20). While Performance Site Environment had to enter onto Parcel 91-WL to conduct its testing, the trial court noted that pursuant to
R.C. 163.03 , Dublin was permitted entry upon the property subject to the appropriation proceeding for surveys, soundings, drillings, appraisals, and examinations. - Trucco Construction Company stored concrete barriers and water main pipe on Wirchanski‘s property contiguous to, but not within the bounds of Parcel 91-WL. (Richardson Depo. at page 27, line 21 – page 28, line 3); (July 2, 2010 Tr. at 51-52, 103); (July 23,
2010 Tr. at 28); (Plaintiff‘s Exs. 19 and 20). Richardson testified that once he became aware of the existence of the concrete barriers and water main pipe on Wirchanski‘s real property, as an employee of Dublin, he directed that they be immediately removed. (July 2, 2010 Tr. at 52); (Richardson Depo. at page 28, lines 13-15). - On December 1, 2009, Richardson, on behalf of Dublin, took several photographs of different parts of Parcel 91-WL, one of which showed a piece of construction equipment, a Bobcat, still sitting in the area where the trees and vegetation were removed on Parcel 91-WL. (Richardson Depo. at page 32, lines 4-6 and lines 9-12 and attached Ex. C).
(Aug. 19, 2010 JE at 20-22). The trial court found the photographs, particularly the one that depicted a Bobcat sitting next to the area where the trees and vegetation were removed on Parcel 91-WL, significant in rendering its conclusion. (Id. at 21). As the trial court stated:
[i]t seems significant to the Court that the contractors and/or subcontractors working on behalf of Plaintiff Dublin left equipment sitting on parcel 91-WL and no testimony elicited, nor evidence presented, by Plaintiff Dublin that this equipment was directed to be removed from the property after Mr. Richardson noted its existence. In fact, according to Mr. Richardson, the purpose of the photographs in this situation was to track progress and he merely commented that there was some equipment in the photo upon parcel 91-WL. Moreover, this is the same Mr. Richardson who noted the storage of materials by Trucco on Defendant Wirchanski‘s property, not within the designated take area, and directed those materials removed.
(Id. at 21-22) (emphasis added). In addition to the actions taken by Dublin‘s agents that occurred directly on Parcel 91-WL, the trial court noted that Dublin even conducted itself in a manner that further illustrated its current possessory
{¶24} Based on the actions of the general contractor, its subcontractor, and even Dublin itself, through its correspondence with Wirchanski concerning the use of his property, the trial court found that Dublin had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL to the extent that it would not be allowed to abandon its appropriation proceedings as to that particular parcel. (Id. at 27).
{¶25} After reviewing the record, we cannot conclude that the trial court abused its discretion in concluding that Dublin had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL. The trial court applied the correct statute and addressed the appropriate legal question: whether Dublin had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL. In addition, the
{¶26} Nevertheless, Dublin lastly argues that even if we uphold the trial court‘s decision that it had taken possession of Parcel 91-WL, we should find that Dublin is able to “partially abandon” Parcel 91-WL and take only that portion of Parcel 91-WL that it actually performed work on. Dublin claims that case law outside of Ohio “overwhelmingly” supports its position that a public agency can abandon part of a larger take on one parcel. Despite this fact, as Dublin acknowledges in its appellate brief, there is a lack of Ohio case law regarding abandonment, and we can find nothing in Ohio that supports its position that it should be allowed to abandon just the part of Parcel 91-WL that it performed work on. Furthermore, we note that in this particular case Dublin‘s pleading only sought to abandon Parcels 91-WL and 92-WL in their entirety. Dublin never formally requested to be allowed to abandon only the portion of Parcel 91-WL that it had actually performed work on. Therefore, we decline to address its “partial abandonment” of Parcel 91-WL any further.
{¶28} Having found no error prejudicial to the appellant herein in the particulars assigned and argued, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Judgment Affirmed
WILLAMOWSKI, J., concurs in Judgment Only.
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CITY OF DUBLIN, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, v. JOHN L. WIRCHANSKI, ET AL., DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES.
CASE NO. 14-10-22
{¶29} I concur with the result reached by the majority; however, I do so for different reasons.
{¶30} An appropriation proceedings is initiated by the filing of a petition pursuant to
An agency that has met the requirements of sections
163.04 and163.041 [163.04.1 ] of the Revised Code, may commence proceedings in a proper court by filing a petition for appropriation of each parcel or contiguous parcels in a single common ownership, or interest or right therein. The petition of a private agency shall be verified as in a civil action. All petitions shall contain:(A) A description of each parcel of land or interest or right there in sought to be appropriated, such as will permit ready identification of the land involved; * * *. [Emphasis added.]
{¶2} The statute at issue in this appeal provides that “if it has not taken possession of property that is appropriated, an agency may abandon appropriation proceedings * * *.” [Emphasis added.]
{¶3} I would therefore find that there is no authority for abandoning one portion or parcel of property listed in an appropriation petition without abandoning all parcels listed in the petition. Since Dublin has admitted taking possession of one of the three parcels, I submit that it cannot now abandon any other parcel listed in the one petition.
{¶4} I concur with the majority‘s conclusion as to the trial court‘s finding that Dublin has taken possession of Parcel 91-WL. However, due to the reasons stated above, I would find that conclusion to be unnecessary as the entire abandonment issue should have been denied.
{¶6} I am aware that the trial court‘s ruling included an order of abandonment of Parcel 92-WL, which would be improper under my interpretation of the statutes. However, since there is no assignment of error by either party directed to that order, we need not address it.
{¶7} For the reasons stated above, I concur in the affirmance of the ruling of the trial court.
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