Case Title: Kelly v. Town of Barnard

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 1989-03-01T00:00:00Z

Document:
NOTICE:  This opinion is subject to motions for reargument under V.R.A.P.
40 as well as formal revision before publication in the Vermont Reports.
Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Vermont Supreme
Court, 111 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 of any errors in order
that corrections may be made before this opinion goes to press.


                                No. 88-268


Byron K. Kelly, Sr., Byron K.                Supreme Court
Kelly, Jr., and Jeffry C. Kelly
                                             On Appeal from
     v.                                      Windsor Superior Court

Town of Barnard, John Genco and              March Term, 1989
Ruth Genco


Alan W. Cheever, J.

Bourdon & Cullen, Woodstock, for plaintiffs-appellees

Rexford & Kilmartin, Newport, for defendants-appellants



PRESENT:  Allen, C.J., Peck, Gibson, Dooley and Morse, JJ.



     PECK, J.  Defendants, John and Ruth Genco, appeal a superior court
order granting summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs who claim that a road
crossing defendants' property is a public road.  We affirm.
     On appeal, defendants, the Gencos, raise a host of challenges.  The two
primary claims are (1) that the trial court erred in granting summary
judgment because genuine issues of material fact existed and because the
legal theory applied by the court was erroneous, and (2) that not all
necessary parties were joined. (FN1)
     Plaintiffs, the Kellys, own property in the Town of Barnard.  They
claim that sole access to the property is by the Wheat Road, continuing as
the Park Hill Road which crosses defendants' land.  After the plaintiffs
purchased the property, defendants told them that any use of the roads would
constitute trespass, as the roads had been discontinued.  Plaintiffs'
initial requests to the Town to upgrade the roads or to allow them to
repair the roads were denied, and this action was commenced in 1985.
     Plaintiffs sought judgment declaring that Wheat Road and Park Hill
Road are public roads which the Town has a duty to maintain and enjoining
the Gencos from interfering with plaintiffs' use of the roads.  The Town of
Barnard and the Gencos were named as defendants.  The central issue was
whether Wheat Road and Park Hill Road were properly laid out and opened in
1816 and 1788.
     Plaintiffs and the Town sought summary judgment and both motions were
initially denied; however, following plaintiffs' motion to reconsider, the
trial court granted summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs, ruling that
Wheat Road is a class 4 public highway and that plaintiffs and the public
are entitled to use the road.  An amended complaint added Park Hill Road,
and the trial court granted a further motion for supplemental summary
judgment, declaring that road a public highway.  Plaintiffs and the Town
supplemented both motions with affidavits and memoranda.  The Gencos
submitted no materials in response.  Thereafter, the plaintiffs and the Town
reached an agreement dismissing the action pertaining to the Town, and
acknowledging the continuing force and effect of the two summary judgment
orders declaring Wheat Road and Park Hill Road public highways.  After a
teleconference hearing, the trial court made final disposition of the case
by ordering that the prior summary judgment orders should be of "continuing
force and effect," that all pending equitable claims were withdrawn without
prejudice to the plaintiffs, and that all pending claims for damages were
dismissed with prejudice.  The Gencos filed a motion to alter, amend and
strike orders and judgment orders.  The trial court denied the motion.  This
appeal followed.
                                   I.
     When reviewing a motion for summary judgment, we apply the same
standard the trial court used in ruling on the motion.  Morrisville Lumber
Co. v. Okcuoglu, 148 Vt. 180, 182-83,