North Texas Municipal Water District v. Jennie Ball A/K/A Jenny Tissing and Jeffrey Tissing
466 S.W.3d 314
Tex. App.
2015
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NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, Appellant v. Jennie BALL a/k/a Jenny Tissing and Jeffrey Tissing, Appellees

No. 05-14-00393-CV

Court of Appeals of Texas, Dallas.

Opinion Filed April 30, 2015

Rehearing Overruled July 20, 2015

Alexander N. Beard, J. Brantley Saunders, McKinney, TX, M. Shannon Kackley, Lewis L. Isaacks, Plano, TX, for appellants.

Candace Sela, Irving, TX, Randal Lynn Telford, Dallas, TX, for appellees.

Before Justices Myers, Evans, and O‘Neill1

OPINION

Opinion by Justice O‘Neill

This appeal involves a structure built by appellees, Jenny and Jeffrey Tissing upon an easement owned by the appellant North Texas Municipal Water District. The District appeals the trial court‘s judgment, which found in the Tissings’ favor on the parties’ cross motions for summary judgment and dismissed the District‘s claims for declaratory and injunctive relief. In this Court the District contends the trial court erred by granting the Tissings’ summary judgment motion, by denying the District‘s summary judgment motion, by denying the District‘s request for equitable relief, and by refusing to allow the District to inspect the structure during discovery. The District seeks a reversal of the summary judgment rulings and a remand to determine whether it is entitled to attorney‘s fees.

For the reasons that follow, we reverse the trial court‘s judgment. We render a declaratory judgment in the District‘s favor, and we remand the case (a) for entry of a mandatory injunction requiring the Tissings to remove the structure and (b) for determination of attorney‘s fees for the District under the Declaratory Judgment Act.

Background

In 1980, Helen Lewis owned a twenty-one acre tract of land in Collin County, across which the District wished to install a water pipeline. Lewis conveyed a thirty-foot-wide permanent easement (the Easement) to the District. The District received the right to construct, operate, and maintain water pipelines within the Easement‘s boundaries; Lewis retained the right to use the land making up the Easement “except for the purposes of erecting buildings or permanent structures” on the land. The District agreed to pay for dam-age it caused to fences and crops while performing its functions on the Easement.

Over the years, Lewis‘s tract was subdivided. In 2013, the Tissings owned a subdivided piece of the Lewis property, a two-and-one-half acre tract facing Stinson Road. The Easement and its pipeline run across the width of the Tissings’ property, parallel to Stinson Road.

The Tissings began to erect a structure across the front of their property, and within the Easement boundaries, in March 2013. The structure was built by anchoring galvanized steel poles into holes with concrete, building a base with concrete blocks that encased the poles and created a wall across the front of the property, facing the wall with flagstone on both sides, and topping this base with a wood privacy fence.2 The District learned of the construction in April 2013 and contacted the Tissings to demand that the construction stop and the portion of the structure already built be removed from the Easement. When the Tissings refused to stop construction, the District filed suit. The District sought a declaration that it held a valid existing Easement across the Tissings’ property and that the structure erected within its Easement was a permanent structure that violated the terms of the Easement. The District also pleaded that the construction of the structure constituted an impermissible use and wrongful interference with the District‘s reasonable use and enjoyment of the Easement. Finally, the District sought a mandatory injunction, requiring the Tissings to remove the structure being built within the Easement. The trial court granted a temporary restraining order and extended that order once. In the meantime, the Tissings answered. They generally denied the Dis-trict‘s claims and, soon after, filed a counterclaim seeking a declaratory judgment that the structure was not permanent in nature and that it did not violate any term in the Easement.

The trial court heard the application for temporary injunction. The parties stipulated that the structure was built within the boundaries of the Easement. The District presented testimony from William Bentley Powell, its real estate manager. Powell explained the workings of the District as well as the location and purpose of this particular pipeline. He testified that, in his opinion, the structure was permanent. The Tissings called land surveyor Garey Gilley, who surveyed the Easement and area around the Easement. Although he did not specifically opine that the structure was a fence, he did testify that he was not aware of a fence ever being declared a permanent structure. At the close of evidence, the District asked the court to maintain the status quo by halting further construction of the wall. When counsel for the District suggested that a temporary injunction would save the Tissings money in the event of a final decision in favor of the District, counsel for the Tissings replied:

I don‘t think we should have the Municipal Water District telling the Tissings what they should do with their property or their money.

If they want to build a fence and if, in the future, they have to tear it down based on the rulings from the Court, they should be allowed to do so. That‘s their property. They should be able to use it and enjoy it as they see fit.

* * *

If, at the end of the day, they have to tear the fence down and put something else up, that‘s on them, and they‘re willing to accept the Court‘s ruling on that at a later date and time.

The trial court denied the application for temporary injunction, concluding that the structure was “more in the nature of a fence.”

The parties both filed summary judgment motions, which we discuss below. In the end, the trial court granted the Tissings’ motion, denied the District‘s motion, and dismissed the District‘s claims. The District appeals.

The Motions for Summary Judgment

Approximately three months after the District filed suit, the Tissings moved for a no-evidence summary judgment. The District filed a preliminary response and a motion for continuance, arguing adequate time for discovery had not passed. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 166a(i) (party without presenting summary judgment evidence may move for summary judgment “[a]fter adequate time for discovery“). The trial court granted the continuance, and the District ultimately filed both an amended response to the motion and its own traditional and no-evidence motion for summary judgment.

Standard of Review

We apply well-known standards in our review of traditional and no-evidence summary judgment motions. See ; . With respect to a traditional motion for summary judgment, the movant has the burden to demonstrate that no genuine issue of material fact exists and it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. TEX. R. CIV. P. 166a(c); . We review a no-evidence summary judgment under the same legal sufficiency standard used to review a directed verdict. TEX. R. CIV. P. 166a(i); . To defeat a no-evidence summary judgment, the nonmovant is required to produce evidence that raises a genuine issue of material fact on each challenged element of its claim. ; see also TEX. R. CIV. P. 166a(i). Within these standards, we review the summary judgment de novo. .

The Easement

At the outset, we address the paragraph of the Easement that governs the parties’ summary judgment motions.

The said Grantors herein, their heirs and assigns, shall have the right fully to use and enjoy the said premises covered by the said above described easement except for the purposes hereinabove granted, and except for the purposes of erecting buildings or permanent structures over said right-of-way. The said North Texas Municipal Water District does further covenant and agree to pay for any damage that may be done to crops or fences by laying, erecting, maintaining, operating, or removing such pipe line. (Emphasis added.)

The District‘s fundamental position is that the structure is “permanent” within the meaning of the Easement, so the Tissings had no right to erect it over the Easement‘s right-of-way. The Tissings contend the structure is not permanent in nature. But they also argue that even if the structure is permanent within the meaning of the Easement—it is a fence, and the Easement contemplates an exception for fences when it states the District will pay for any damage it does to fences while working on the Easement.

The rules of contract construction and interpretation apply to easement agreements. . Unless the agreement is ambiguous, and no such claim is made in this case, we interpret its provisions as a matter of law. As we interpret the two Easement provisions at issue in this appeal, our primary concern is to ascertain the true intentions of the parties as expressed in the instrument. See . We strive to harmonize and give effect to all the provisions of the agreement so that none will be rendered meaningless.

What is a permanent structure?

Whether a structure is “permanent” is necessarily a fact-specific inquiry that will depend on such factors as the nature of the structure and its location on the restricted area. However, our inquiry is assisted by this Court‘s analysis in (not designated for publication). Auerbach sued DART for abuse of easement, seeking removal of a billboard constructed in DART‘s right-of-way easement, which abutted Auerbach‘s land. The case presented a limitations issue: the accrual date depended upon whether the injury caused by the billboard was permanent or temporary in nature. . The nature of the billboard became important because “[w]here a building or permanent structure is placed on a private easement, the limitations period on an action to abate the obstruction begins to run with the completion of the obstruction.” (citing ). The opinion describes the billboard, which:

consists of a metal column supporting an aerial structure to accommodate advertising panels approximately 10 by 40 feet in size, lighting, walkways, ladders, appliances, and an electric meter. The footing of the billboard is embedded in concrete in the ground. Removal of the billboard would require dismantling the steel aerial structure with the use of a crane and excavation of the concrete footing and column. It is undisputed that the billboard has remained continuously in place since completion of its construction on October 19, 1981. There has been nothing sporadic about the billboard‘s presence and it is not contingent upon any irregular force.

Auerbach argued the billboard was temporary because it could be removed, but we acknowledged that any structure placed upon the land is removable. Instead, we stated that “a structure which is designed as a continuous fixture is permanent as a matter of law.” We went on to determine the billboard was a permanent structure that was indicative of a permanent injury to the land. .

The Easement requires our application of the facts—as established by the summary judgment evidence—to the rule expressed in . Thus, a structure is “permanent” within the meaning of the Easement if the facts establish it was designed as a continuous fixture. See .

Is construction of a fence an exception to the prohibition of permanent structures?

The Tissings argue our inquiry into the permanent nature of the structure is asking the wrong question. They contend the Easement intends fences to be an exception to the prohibition against erecting permanent structures. According to the Tissings, the plain language of the Easement contemplates the presence of fences

within its boundaries. And to a limited extent, we agree with this last statement. The Easement states “[t]he said North Texas Municipal Water District does further covenant and agree to pay for any damage that may be done to crops or fences by laying, erecting, maintaining, operating, or removing such pipe line.” This language could speak to a fence already standing within the Easement‘s boundaries. It could also speak to a fence near the Easement‘s boundaries that might be damaged by pipeline construction. It could even speak to a fence intended to serve as temporary protection for a homeowner project. In each of those cases, the existence and location of the fence would be reasonable, and it would be reasonable to require the District to compensate a damaged fence‘s owner.

However, the language relied upon by the Tissings speaks only to this remedy of compensation for damage, not to any additional rights reserved by the original landowner. It is true we avoid burdening the servient estate when possible. (easement grants unlimited reasonable use to dominant estate holder with as little burden as possible to servient owner). But it is not reasonable to create an exception to an express prohibition within an easement agreement—here, construction of a permanent structure—when that exception, by its very nature, would significantly interfere with the easement holder‘s ability to carry out the purposes specifically granted to it by the Easement. The Tissings’ interpretation of the Easement‘s reference to fences gives that provision control over not only the permanent-structure prohibition, but also the essential purpose of the Easement. We will not give a single provision, taken alone, controlling effect in this Easement; instead, we must consider all provisions with refer-ence to the purpose of the whole instrument. See . And the District‘s ability to install, maintain, and repair its water pipeline would be undermined by a permanent structure within the Easement boundaries, regardless of whether the permanent structure is a fence or a wall or a billboard or any other continuous fixture.

We conclude the Easement prohibits a structure when the facts indicate it was “designed as a continuous fixture.” See . We further conclude the Easement‘s prohibition contains no exception for fences. See . With this construction of the Easement‘s language, we review the summary judgment motions.

The Tissings’ No-Evidence Motion

In its first issue, the District contends the trial court erred by granting the Tissings’ no-evidence motion for summary judgment. At the outset, the District identifies a number of procedural problems with the Tissings’ motion, the most significant being the Tissings’ failure to identify any specific elements of the District‘s claims for which there was no evidence. A no-evidence motion “must state the elements as to which there is no evidence.” TEX. R. CIV. P. 166a(i). “A no-evidence motion that only generally challenges the sufficiency of the non-movant‘s case and fails to state the specific elements that the movant contends lack supporting evidence is fundamentally defective and cannot support summary judgment as a matter of law.” . The Tissings effort to identify the elements at issue in its no-evidence motion states only the following:

Tissing moves for summary judgment on all of the Plaintiffs claims because, after an adequate time for discovery, Plaintiff can produce no evidence which supports the essential elements of breach of contract.

This statement fails to identify any particular element or elements of the District‘s claims; indeed, it does not even speak to a claim that the District pleaded. The legal sufficiency of a no-evidence motion for summary judgment may be challenged for the first time on appeal. . We conclude the Tissings’ no-evidence motion was insufficient as a matter of law and cannot support summary judgment. See

Although the Tissings cast their motion as a no-evidence motion, the motion has certain characteristics of a traditional motion as well. The Tissings attached evidence to the motion, and they asked for judgment on their own declaratory judgment claim, on which they bore the burden of proof. We must determine the nature and standard governing a summary judgment motion after considering the substance of the motion, rather than categorizing the motion strictly by its form or title. . Thus, although the Tissings’ motion failed to meet the requirements of rule 166a(i) on the District‘s claims, we conclude we may review it as a traditional motion on the Tissings’ own declaratory judgment claim. See

The Competing Traditional Motions

We turn, therefore, to the competing motions for summary judgment on the parties’ mirror-image claims for declaratory judgment. When both parties move for summary judgment and the trial court

grants one motion and denies the other, we consider both motions, their evidence, and their issues, and we may render the judgment that the trial court should have rendered. .

The Tissings’ motion argued they were entitled to judgment as a matter of law on their declaratory judgment claim:

Defendants seek the court to construe the terms of the Easement. Specifically, the Tissings’ request a declaration that: 1) the subject fence(s) are not permanent structures 2) the fence(s) do not violate any term or contract construed in the Easement. See the attached photographs, collectively as Exhibit “B“. Defendants seek a declaration from this Court as to whether or not Plaintiffs have been deprived of the use of the easement with the privacy fence in place.

The motion seeks exactly the relief the Tissings sought in their answer to the District‘s lawsuit. The District‘s traditional motion, likewise, seeks the relief it sought in its petition: a declaration that the structure is a permanent structure and an order removing the structure from the boundaries of the easement.3 We proceed, then, to look at all the summary judgment evidence and to determine whether either party has established its right to judgment as a matter of law.

The Summary Judgment Evidence

The Tissings attached a copy of the Easement and seven photographs of

Notes

1
The Honorable Michael J. O‘Neill, Justice, Court of Appeals. Fifth District of Texas at Dallas, Retired, sitting by assignment.
2
Not surprisingly, the Tissings refer to the structure as a “fence“; the District calls it a “wall.” To avoid the appearance of partiality in nomenclature, we will refer to the subject of this appeal as a “structure.”
3
The District titles its motion one for “partial” summary judgment. But the only further proceedings it sought if its motion was granted—and the only further proceeding it seeks if we reverse the trial court‘s judgment—is a hearing on its entitlement to attorney‘s fees under the Declaratory Judgment Act. As to liability and injunctive relief, the motion sought judgment as a matter of law.
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