This is an appeal from an order granting the defendant-respondent Max Weaver’s (“Weaver”) motion for summary judgment.
I.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
In 1994, Frank Stafford, Sr. (“Stafford”) purchased a roughly triangular-shaped piece of property located in Canyon County. The property is bounded on the north by Laster Lane, owned by Canyon County; on the east by an approximately four hundred foot long private lane leading to a 4.26 acre lot, owned by Weaver; and along the southwest hypotenuse by a 5.25 acre parcel referred to as Lot 16, also owned by Weaver. Driving along Laster Lane, one would first pass Lot 16, then Stafford’s property at 4912 Laster Lane, then the private lane at 4920 Laster Lane, and then Dorothy Bright’s (“Bright”) property at 4918 Laster Lane.
In 1995, Stafford and Weaver hired and jointly paid for Greg Skinner to survey their property boundaries. Based upon Skinner’s survey, fences were built along either side of Weaver’s private lane and Weaver improved the lane by adding gravel and grading a road up to the fence. In May 1997, Stafford hired John T. Eddy to perform a new survey of the property. According to the Eddy survey, Skinner had placed the boundary between Stafford’s property and Weaver’s lane ten feet too far west. Thus, the fence and Weaver’s lane were encroaching on Stafford’s property.
On March 20, 1998, Weaver sued Stafford for trespassing on Lot 16. A trial was held on May 27-29, 1998. In order to determine whether Stafford had trespassed, the trial court had to determine the actual boundary between Lot 16 and Stafford’s property — the southwest hypotenuse. In
Weaver v. Staf
ford,,
On September 9, 1998, one month before the trial court issued its decision in Weaver v. Stafford, Stafford filed this action. Weaver filed a Motion to Dismiss Counts II V of Stafford’s complaint, which concerned the location of the southwest boundary, under Idaho Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(8). The district judge granted the motion. The district judge denied Stafford’s request for a Rule 54(b) certification of the order granting Weaver’s motion to dismiss. Weaver then filed a motion for summary judgment on Count I of the complaint. On September 15, 1999, the district judge issued his order granting summary judgment to Weaver. The district judge found that the boundary between Stafford’s property and Weaver’s private lane had been established by the agreement of the parties. This appeal followed.
II.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
When reviewing a ruling on a motion for summary judgment, this Court’s standard of review is the same as that used by the district court in passing on the motion.
Rin
*225
cover v. State,
“[A] mere scintilla of evidence or only slight doubt as to the facts is not sufficient to create a genuine issue for purposes of summary judgment.”
Samuel v. Hepworth, Nungester & Lezamiz, Inc.,
III.
DISCUSSION
A. The district judge properly granted summary judgment for Weaver based upon the doctrine of boundary by agreement.
The doctrine of boundary by agreement requires (1) an uncertain or disputed boundary and (2) an express or implied agreement subsequently fixing the boundary.
Johnson v. Newport,
It is uneontroverted that: the parties obtained a survey of their properties; the survey was ultimately jointly paid for; Stafford built a fence between his property and Weaver’s based upon the survey; Weaver improved his land by adding gravel and grading his lane up to the fence built by Stafford; and the parties treated the fence as the boundary at least until mid 1997 when Stafford hired Eddy to re-survey his property.
The agreement establishing a boundary may be express or implied from the surrounding circumstances and conduct of the parties.
Cameron v. Neal,
Given the circumstances and actions of the parties, the district judge properly found there are no disputed issues of fact as to boundary by agreement. To defeat the motion for summary judgment, Stafford needed to present more than mere conclusory allegations and a scintilla of evidence to raise a genuine issue of fact. He failed to do so.
Stafford also argues that because the boundary between his and Weaver’s property affects the property of Bright and Canyon Highway District No. 4 (“Highway District”), there cannot be a boundary by agreement. Stafford failed to present any reason why he has standing to bring this issue. Furthermore, Stafford misunderstands the effect of a boundary by agreement. Once there is an agreed upon boundary, the parties to the agreement are no longer entitled to the amount of property provided for in them deeds and must absorb the effect of any increase or decrease in the amount of their property as a result of the new boundary. Thus, for example, if Stafford and Weaver located the boundary too far west, Stafford loses Laster Lane frontage, Weaver gains frontage, and Bright retains her frontage. *226 Because the district court has not yet ruled on the rights of Bright and the Highway District, we will not address this issue further.
Finally, Stafford contends that the grant of summary judgment does not adhere to the principle of
res judicata
because, under
Weaver v. Stafford, supra,
the boundary is the metes and bounds description contained in his deed. The holding in
Weaver,
however, applies only to the southwest boundary.
B. Weaver is not entitled to attorney fees on appeal.
Weaver requests attorney fees on appeal pursuant to I.C. § 12-121. In order for an award of attorney fees to be appropriate on appeal pursuant to I.C. § 12-121, this Court must be left with the abiding belief that the appeal was brought or pursued frivolously, unreasonably, and without foundation.
Wooley Trust v. DeBest Plumbing, Inc.,
IV.
CONCLUSION
The district court properly granted summary judgment for Weaver. Weaver is awarded costs, but not attorney fees, on appeal.
