KMS RETAIL ROWLETT, LP F/K/A KMS RETAIL HUNTSVILLE, LP v. THE CITY OF ROWLETT, TEXAS
No. 05-16-00402-CV
In The Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
July 19, 2017
On Appeal from the County Court at Law No. 4, Dallas County, Texas. Trial Court Cause No. CC-15-01323-D
AFFIRMED; Opinion Filed July 19, 2017.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before Justices Evans, Stoddart, and Boatright
KMS Retail Rowlett, LP, f/k/a KMS Retail Huntsville, LP appeals the trial court‘s adverse rulings on cross-motions for summary judgment resulting in a final judgment awarding KMS stipulated damages of $31,662 for the City of Rowlett‘s taking in fee simple of its private drainage, access, and utility easement (private road easement) for use as a public roadway. In three issues, KMS generally asserts the summary judgment evidence conclusively establishes, or creates a fact issue as to whether, the City‘s taking was for a private use, specifically, to provide an economic benefit to a competing developer. KMS also challenges the trial court‘s evidentiary rulings on its objections to the City‘s summary judgment evidence and the denial of its request for attorney‘s fees. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the trial court‘s judgment.
BACKGROUND
Central to this appeal is the validity of the City‘s taking of KMS‘s private road easement to convert it to a public roadway. At the location of this dispute, a Wal-Mart Supercenter is located to the west of KMS‘s tract of land separated only by Kenwood Drive that generally runs north-south. East of KMS‘s tract is land owned by Briarwood Armstrong, LLC on which a Sprouts grocery store later was developed. The private road easement the City condemned generally runs east-west parallel to Lakeview Parkway. Lakeview Parkway is on the southern border of the Wal-Mart and Briarwood tracts. The private road easement connects at approximately the mid-point of Briarwood‘s tract to Kenwood Drive immediately across from an entrance to approximately the mid-point of Wal-Mart.
KMS‘s undeveloped nine-acre tract is accessible from Kenwood Drive and is part of a commercial subdivision named Luke‘s Landing. The condemned private road easement is located on KMS‘s tract‘s southern boundary. KMS built a private road on the easement in 2006 in conjunction with KMS‘s sale of four commercial pad sites located on the southern edge of the private road easement. The southern boundary of those four commercial tracts is Lakeview Parkway. By the time of the condemnation proceeding, those four tracts had been developed into a Wells Fargo bank, Starbucks coffee shop, Chick-fil-A
KMS did not complete construction of the private road all the way to end of the easement on the eastern edge of its subdivision in accordance with the easement in the Luke‘s Landing‘s recorded plat. Instead, KMS constructed the private road only to the fourth pad site. To complete the private road to the end of the easement, KMS would have had to construct a bridge across a flood plain. At the time the private road was constructed, however, the tract to the east of KMS‘s tract was undeveloped so the City allowed the development of the four pad sites without requiring completion of the private road.
Briarwood owns the twelve-acre tract abutting the east side of the KMS tract. In 2014, Briarwood entered into an Economic Development Incentive Agreement with the City in connection with Briarwood‘s development of a Sprouts grocery store and other retail lots on its twelve-acre tract. Among other things, the agreement provided for an infrastructure grant to Briarwood for the design, construction, improvement and installation of a private circulation drive and drainage culvert providing for cross-access between its tract and the KMS tract. After Briarwood learned that it did not have legal authority to enter Luke‘s Landing to construct the drive and drainage culvert, however, it approached KMS for permission. The parties were unable to reach an agreement. The City then sought to condemn the part of the private road easement on KMS‘s tract and convert it into a public roadway that would allow vehicles to travel from Kenwood Drive across KMS‘s tract to reach the Briarwood tract and vice versa.1 The City‘s economic incentive agreement with Briarwood was amended to reduce Briarwood‘s grant amount for the off-site culvert crossing to reflect the condemnation costs incurred by the City to convert the private road easement into a public street. Notably, the City sought to condemn only the boundaries of KMS‘s existing private road easement, approximately a fifteen foot strip of land 691 feet in length, plus a thirty foot wide drainage swale crossing.2
After the City filed its condemnation petition, special commissioners conducted a hearing and awarded KMS damages of $31,662 for the taking. KMS filed an answer objecting to the award and moving to dismiss the eminent domain action, generally alleging the taking was not necessary for a public use and asserting the City‘s determinations of necessity and public use were fraudulent, in bad faith, or arbitrary and capricious.
The parties filed competing motions for summary judgment regarding the propriety of the City‘s exercise of eminent domain. In its motion, the City requested the trial court deny KMS‘s illegal taking claims, confirm the special commissioners’ damage award, and award the City reasonable attorney‘s fees. KMS moved for summary judgment seeking dismissal of the City‘s eminent domain petition asserting the taking was not necessary for a public use and violated
ANALYSIS
A. Standard of Review
We review a trial court‘s summary judgment rulings de novo. See Travelers Ins. Co. v. Joachim, 315 S.W.3d 860, 862 (Tex. 2010). Both parties moved for summary judgment on traditional and no-evidence grounds. On their traditional summary judgments, each bears the burden of establishing that there are no issues of material fact and it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See City of Garland v. The Dallas Morning News, 22 S.W.3d 351, 356 (Tex. 2000). With respect to the no-evidence motions for summary judgment, the non-movant must produce more than a scintilla of evidence to raise a fact issue on each challenged element of a claim on which it had the burden of proof. See Gen. Mills Rests., Inc., v. Tex. Wings, Inc., 12 S.W.3d 827, 832-33 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2000, no pet.). When both parties move for summary judgment and the trial court grants one party‘s motion for summary judgment and denies the other party‘s motion, we can consider both motions, review the summary judgment evidence presented by both sides, determine all questions presented, and render the judgment the trial court should have rendered. See FM Props. Operating Co. v. City of Austin, 22 S.W.3d 868, 872 (Tex. 2000); Malcomson Road Util. Dist. v. Newsom, 171 S.W.3d 257, 263 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2005, pet. denied) (op. on reh‘g).
B. Objections to the City‘s summary judgment evidence
In its fifth issue, KMS contends that the trial court erred in overruling its objections to the affidavit of James Edward Grabenhorst, the City‘s Director of Economic Development.4 KMS argues that the affidavit was the only evidence to support the City‘s contention that the taking was necessary for a public use, specifically, to alleviate traffic congestion and traffic hazards.
A trial court‘s evidentiary rulings are matters left to its sound discretion and will not be disturbed on appeal unless an abuse of discretion is shown. See Cantu v. Horany, 195 S.W.3d 867, 871 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2006, no pet.). Moreover, we may not reverse for an erroneous evidentiary ruling unless the error probably caused the rendition of an improper judgment. See
C. Public Use and Necessity
In its first issue, KMS argues that the trial court erred in granting the City‘s summary judgment motion because the summary judgment evidence conclusively established the City‘s condemnation of KMS‘s access drive was not necessary for a public use but rather, “to provide access to a private road over KMS‘s property for the sole benefit of its neighbor Briarwood.” Alternatively, KMS asserts there were fact issues regarding whether the taking was necessary for a public use.
The Texas constitution and the local government code authorize municipalities to take private property when they determine the property is necessary for a public use and provide just compensation to the property owner. See City of Austin v. Whittington, 384 S.W.3d 766, 772 (Tex. 2012). Among other things, to establish a valid exercise of eminent domain, a municipality must show it intends to put the property to public use and the condemnation is necessary to advance or achieve that public use. See Whittington, 384 S.W.3d at 772. Property is taken for public use only when there results to the public some definite right or use in the undertaking to which the property is devoted. See Coastal States Gas Producing Co. v. Pate, 309 S.W.2d 828, 833 (Tex. 1958). So long as the use is open to all, however, it is irrelevant the number of citizens likely to avail themselves of the use or that the use is limited to the citizens of a local neighborhood. See Whittington, 384 S.W.3d at 779 (quoting Hous. Auth. of City of Dallas v. Higginbotham, 143 S.W.2d 79, 84 (Tex. 1940)). Moreover, the mere fact that a particular individual, group or enterprise may benefit will not deprive the use of its public character. See Higginbotham, 143 S.W.2d 84. Where the power of eminent domain is granted, a determination by the condemnor that the taking is necessary for a public use is conclusive absent proof by the landowner that the public use or necessity determinations were fraudulent, in bad faith, or arbitrary and capricious. See Whittington, 384 S.W.3d at 777. We review the summary judgment evidence bearing in mind the supreme court‘s observation, “Where a statute vests a governmental agency with discretionary authority to condemn property, we have held that the agency‘s determination of public necessity is presumptively correct, absent proof by the landowner of the agency‘s fraud or proof that the condemning authority
Here, the City passed a formal resolution that “a public necessity exists for the welfare of the City and its citizens and it is in the public interest” to acquire KMS‘s private road easement “for the public purpose of acquiring right of way for construction, maintenance and operation of a public street.” Moreover, according to a City staff report from January 2015, the condemnation would permit Briarwood to construct a roadway on the private road easement that would be a “city street and [serve] a public purpose by providing access from Kenwood Drive across the drainage channel to the Briarwood tract.” The report further provides a public street in the easement would “provide circulation between retail locations on the north side of Lakeview Parkway which will facilitate retail activity and will prevent increased traffic flow on Lakeview Parkway” when the Briarwood tract is developed. The staff report also indicated the drive approach “is needed for emergency vehicle access and first responder service.” Finally, the report stated when completed, the drive would allow vehicles to access the Briarwood tract from Kenwood Drive (and Kenwood Drive from the Briarwood tract) without traversing Lakeview Parkway. At his deposition, James Grabenhorst, the City‘s Director of Economic Development, testified that the taking was necessary to ensure cross-access between adjoining property owners.
Traffic circulation and cross-access between retail areas is a public purpose.
KMS asserts that transforming its private road easement into a “City-owned” roadway does not meet the necessity for public use requirements because the taking economically benefits Briarwood and the condemnation was pursuant to the economic incentive agreement between Briarwood and the City. Specifically, KMS argues that Briarwood and the Sprouts grocery store desired access to Kenwood Drive so that it could take advantage of the large amount of customer traffic from the Wal-Mart store KMS developed adjacent to and immediately to the west of Kenwood drive. KMS further contends the City condemned its private road easement to ensure the Sprouts grocery store was developed. As such, KMS argues the City‘s asserted public use is nothing more than public welfare or good and under which almost any kind of business which promotes the prosperity or comfort of the community which has been rejected by the supreme court. See Pate, 309 S.W.2d at 833 (stating general proposition but concluding condemnation of easement for slant-drilling site to extract oil and gas one-fourth of gross production being reserved to the State was for a public purpose).
KMS‘s arguments do not challenge, and there is no evidence in this record, that a public street in the easement would not provide circulation between retail locations on the north side of Lakeview Parkway, would not facilitate retail activity, and would not reduce increased traffic flow on Lakeview Parkway—all matters in the City staff report on which the City‘s resolution was based. KMS‘s argument as to the City staff‘s reported need for emergency vehicle access and first responder service to have access over the private road easement was challenged only to the extent of KMS‘s argument that there were other (more circuitous) means of access between Kenwood Drive and Briarwood‘s tract or between Wal-Mart and Briarwood‘s tract. Instead, the City by formal resolution determined “a public necessity exists” for acquiring KMS‘s private road easement “for the public purpose of acquiring right of way for construction, maintenance and operation of a public street.” This resolution was based on the City staff‘s report. We conclude the City established as a matter of law that the taking was necessary for a public use to provide cross-access, traffic circulation, and emergency vehicle access between retail centers that are traffic generators. The public street in that location would prevent an increase in traffic flow on Lakeview Parkway and would allow vehicles to travel back and forth from the Briarwood tract to Kenwood Drive without traversing Lakeview Parkway. Although the decision to convert KMS‘s private road easement to a public street may benefit Briarwood and the grocery store, it also benefits all the retail businesses that abut the private road easement as well as the retail establishments on Kenwood Drive. Moreover, it is immaterial whether the City wanted the public roadway to assist the development of the Briarwood tract so long as the public could benefit from or use the improvements and the improvements were not clearly and palpably private. See Newsom, 171 S.W.3d at 267.
In reaching our conclusion, we reject KMS‘s reliance on Phillips v. Naumann, 275 S.W.2d 464 (Tex. 1955) and Maher v. Lasater, 354 S.W.2d 923 (Tex. 1962). In both of these cases, the condemning authority attempted to convert existing private roads to public roads solely for the private benefit of abutting property owners. Phillips, 275 S.W.2d at 467 (“What this record discloses is the taking of private property of petitioners for the use of [abutting landowner], and for no other use, and that, too, when there is no necessity for doing so.“); Maher, 354 S.W.2d at 925–26 (by statute government was “authorized to declare a private roadway to be a public highway if applicants therefor wish it to be done and ‘have no means of access to their lands and premises.’ In so far as the amendment seeks to authorize the taking of private property for private use, it is unconstitutional and void.“). These cases stand for the rather unremarkable proposition that “private property cannot be taken for a private use.” Phillips, 275 S.W.2d at 467; see also Maher, 354 S.W.2d at 925–26. As detailed above however, the evidence before us indicates that the City‘s taking here was for a public purpose, namely cross-access, traffic circulation, and emergency vehicle access between retail centers that are traffic generators.
Based on the record before us, we conclude the summary judgment evidence established
D. Fraud, bad faith, and/or arbitrary and capricious
In its third issue, KMS contends the summary judgment evidence establishes conclusively or creates a fact issue as to whether the City‘s determinations of necessity and public use were fraudulent, in bad faith and/or arbitrary and capricious. We will analyze here KMS‘s arguments regarding fraud and arbitrary or capricious conduct by the City.7
1. Fraud
KMS argues the City‘s determination of necessity and public use was fraudulent because the City‘s purported public use was actually a pretext to confer a private economic benefit on Briarwood. Specifically, KMS relies on evidence that the Sprouts grocery store and Briarwood agreed to either (1) a lease termination or (2) a 4.53 percent reduction in the grocery store‘s base rent if the City had not approved condemnation of the private road easement before June 1, 2015. Fraud in this context means “‘any act, omission or concealment, which involved a breach of legal duty, trust or confidence, justly reposed and is injurious to another, or by which an undue and unconscientious advantage is taken of another.‘” Newsom, 171 S.W.3d at 269 (quoting
Wagoner v. City of Arlington, 345 S.W.2d 759, 763 (Tex. Civ. App.—Fort Worth 1961, writ ref‘d n.r.e.)). Thus even though the evidence KMS uses to argue that Briarwood might sustain some economic harm in the absence of the condemnation, KMS does not provide any evidence that the City did any act or omission involving breach of a legal duty, trust, or confidence or which unduly or unconscionably took advantage of KMS other than make a determination of necessity and public use with which KMS disagrees. In short, KMS‘s evidence does not suggest the City‘s public use and necessity determination was a pretext for Briarwood‘s private use of the private road easement.
2. Arbitrary or Capricious
KMS also contends the City‘s determination of necessity and public use was arbitrary and capricious. Specifically, KMS argues the City abdicated to Briarwood its discretion to condemn because it was only after Briarwood discovered it had no legal right to enter KMS‘s private road easement to construct the offsite culvert crossing, thereby allowing vehicles from
For purposes of a condemnation proceeding, arbitrary and capricious means willful and unreasoning action or action absent consideration and disregarding the facts and circumstances. Newsom, 171 S.W.3d at 269. Accordingly, to show the City acted arbitrarily and capriciously, KMS had to negate any reasonable basis for determining what and how much land to condemn for the cross-access. See id. As discussed in the previous section, KMS did not negate the City staff‘s determination that a public street in the easement would provide circulation between retail locations on the north side of Lakeview Parkway, facilitate retail activity, and reduce increased traffic flow on Lakeview Parkway. Instead, KMS asserts that like the utility district in Newsom, the City acted arbitrarily and capriciously by abdicating its decision on the need to condemn to a private developer. See id. at 257. But unlike Newsom, here the condemned property was already recorded as a private easement on the Luke‘s Landing plat. While the recorded easement spanned the entire width of KMS‘s subdivision, however, the private road was only partially constructed. And there is no evidence suggesting that Briarwood determined what and how much of KMS‘s land to condemn. The location of the public street was simply superimposed upon the platted private road easement.
KMS, however, points to evidence that Briarwood paid the engineering firm that prepared the exhibits to the City‘s condemnation petition and that Briarwood and the City jointly funded the construction of the drainage culvert. Moreover, the parties agreed the City‘s funding obligation could be reduced up to $62,750 to reflect right of way acquisition costs. Moreover the decision to condemn was made only after Briarwood was unable to negotiate an agreement with KMS for access to its private drive. KMS does not cite any authority that concludes a government‘s determination of public necessity and use was arbitrary and capricious merely because the costs of condemnation and construction of a public roadway were partially borne by a private party. Newsom does not support that proposition, because there the private parties paid the entire cost of acquisition and construction, chose the property to be condemned, and indemnified the governmental authority from liability for condemning the property thereby removing the governmental entity‘s discretion in the matter. See Newsom, 171 S.W.3d at 274.8
For these reasons, we conclude that the City‘s determination of necessity and public use was not fraudulent or arbitrary and capricious.
E. Government Code Section 2206.001
In its second issue, KMS argues the City‘s taking violates
(b) A governmental or private entity may not take private property through the use of eminent domain if the taking: (1) confers a private benefit on a particular private party through the use of the property;
(2) is for a public use that is merely a pretext to confer a private benefit on a particular private party;
(3) is for economic development purposes, . . . ; or
(4) is not for a public use.
KMS contends that the City‘s taking in this case violates all four of the above provisions making the same arguments and citing much the same evidence it presented with respect to its first and third issues. The City9 counters that the taking was for a public road which is a statutory exception to
that the City‘s taking did not constitute a transportation project. Instead it argues that it is not a “legitimate transportation project” and subsection 2206.001(c) does not apply here because the City‘s taking exceeds the limitations set forth in subsection 2206.001(b). “A court may not . . . add words that are not implicitly contained in the language of the statute[,]” Lee v. City of Houston, 807 S.W.2d 290, 294-95 (Tex. 1991), especially where doing so “judicially amend[s] the statute to add an exception not implicitly contained in the language of the statute.” Fitzgerald v. Advanced Spine Fixation Sys., Inc., 996 S.W.2d 864, 867 (Tex. 1999). KMS does not argue there is any language in section 2206.001 on which to add an exception to the application of subsection (c) if a transportation project is illegitimate or a requirement of legitimacy. We are unpersuaded by KMS‘s contention and conclude its argument is contrary to supreme court‘s analysis in Whittington of these sections. We therefore resolve KMS‘s second issue against it.
F. Attorney‘s Fees
In its last issue, KMS argues it is entitled to recover its attorney‘s fees through trial pursuant to
Based on the record before us, we affirm the trial court‘s summary judgment.
160402F.P05
/David W. Evans/
DAVID EVANS
JUSTICE
Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
JUDGMENT
KMS RETAIL ROWLETT, LP F/K/A KMS RETAIL HUNTSVILLE, LP, Appellant
No. 05-16-00402-CV
V.
THE CITY OF ROWLETT, TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the County Court at Law No. 4, Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. CC-15-01323-D
Opinion delivered by Justice Evans, Justices Stoddart and Boatright participating.
In accordance with this Court‘s opinion of this date, the judgment of the trial court is AFFIRMED.
It is ORDERED that appellee The City of Rowlett, Texas recover its costs of this appeal from appellant KMS Retail Rowlett, LP F/K/A KMS Retail Huntsville, LP.
Judgment entered this 19th day of July, 2017.