Case Title: Fuller v. Town of Magnolia Springs

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2013-04-19T00:00:00Z

Document:
R e l : 04/19/2013 as 
modified on d e n i a l of rehearing 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2012-2013 
1110295 
Lowell S. F u l l e r e t a l . 
v. 
Town of 
Magnolia Springs 
1110332 
Town of 
Magnolia Springs 
v. 
Lowell S. F u l l e r e t a l . 
Appeals from Baldwin C i r c u i t Court 
(CV-10-900931) 
MAIN, J u s t i c e . 
L o w e l l S. F u l l e r and h i s w i f e , Deborah Kay Holcombe 
F u l l e r , and 
R o n a l d F. Turner and 
h i s w i f e , S h e i l a M. T u r n e r , 
1110295, 1110332 
a p p e a l from a judgment o f t h e B a l d w i n C i r c u i t C o u r t f i n d i n g 
t h a t , a l t h o u g h t h e 
Town o f M a g n o l i a S p r i n g s ( h e r e i n a f t e r 
" t h e 
Town") h e l d no r i p a r i a n r i g h t s i n 
and t o t h e M a g n o l i a 
R i v e r 
( h e r e i n a f t e r " t h e R i v e r " ) , t h e 
Town was e n t i t l e d t o c o n s t r u c t 
improvements on t h e s h o r e s o f 
t h e 
R i v e r and e x t e n d i n g i n t o 
t h e 
R i v e r f o r a boat l a u n c h , a boat dock, and/or a p i e r t o 
be used 
i n 
c o n n e c t i o n 
w i t h Rock L a n d i n g , a p u b l i c 
l a n d i n g on t h e 
R i v e r , and t h a t Rock S t r e e t , 
a p u b l i c s t r e e t i n 
t h e 
Town t h a t 
a d j o i n e d t h e l a n d s owned by t h e F u l l e r s and t h e T u r n e r s and 
t h a t t e r m i n a t e d a t Rock L a n d i n g , c o u l d be used f o r 
temporary 
p a r k i n g " f o r t h e 
purpose o f l a u n c h i n g a b o a t , kayak, canoe o r 
o t h e r 
f l o a t a t Rock L a n d i n g . " 
The Town c r o s s - a p p e a l s 
from 
t h a t p a r t o f t h e 
judgment d e c l a r i n g t h a t t h e 
Town was w i t h o u t 
a u t h o r i t y t o c o n v e r t a p o r t i o n o f Rock S t r e e t from a p u b l i c 
s t r e e t t o a p a r k i n g 
f a c i l i t y and r e c r e a t i o n a l a r e a . 
On May 24, 2010, t h e F u l l e r s and t h e T u r n e r s sought a 
d e c l a r a t i o n o f t h e r e s p e c t i v e r i g h t s and o b l i g a t i o n s o f 
t h e 
p a r t i e s i n and t o Rock S t r e e t , 
i n c l u d i n g t h e e x i s t e n c e o f 
r i p a r i a n 
r i g h t s t o t h e p o r t i o n o f t h e R i v e r 
t h a t might be 
a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h Rock S t r e e t and t h e r i g h t o f t h e Town t o 
c o n v e r t t h e p o r t i o n o f Rock S t r e e t n e a r e s t t h e R i v e r from a 
2 
1110295, 1110332 
p u b l i c s t r e e t i n t o a p a r k or r e c r e a t i o n a l a r e a . 
They 
a l s o 
sought t o e n j o i n t h e Town from making any improvements t o Rock 
L a n d i n g , a p u b l i c l a n d i n g on the R i v e r a t t h e t e r m i n u s o f Rock 
S t r e e t . 
The Town answered and r a i s e d a f f i r m a t i v e d e f e n s e s and 
a s s e r t e d c o u n t e r c l a i m s . 
The c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
sought a judgment 
d e c l a r i n g t h a t f e e - s i m p l e 
o w n e r s h i p of Rock S t r e e t v e s t e d i n 
the Town, t h a t t h e p r i o r v a c a t i o n of p u b l i c r i g h t s t o t h a t 
p a r t of Rock L a n d i n g l y i n g e a s t of Rock S t r e e t , as shown on an 
1895 p l a t c a p t i o n e d 
"Lyman's A d d i t i o n t o M a g n o l i a 
S p r i n g s " 
( h e r e i n a f t e r 
"the P l a t " ) ,
1 
i s v o i d , 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
c u r r e n t 
p u b l i c use o f Rock S t r e e t f o r a c c e s s t o the R i v e r and t h e 
p o t e n t i a l p u b l i c use of Rock S t r e e t as a r e c r e a t i o n a l a r e a are 
c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e P l a t . 
The t r i a l c o u r t h e l d a bench t r i a l on March 7, 2011.
2 
The 
r i g h t s t o Rock S t r e e t and Rock L a n d i n g a r e t h e s u b j e c t o f t h i s 
case. 
The i s s u e s 
i n v o l v e 
s p e c i f i c a l l y L o t 28 and t h e west 
1The P l a t , which i s d i f f i c u l t t o r e a d , shows t h a t i t was 
s i g n e d by "R.F. E z z e z z , " t h e s u r v e y o r , and n o t a r i z e d by "R.T. 
E r v i n , " a n o t a r y p u b l i c , b u t i t 
was not s i g n e d by O t i s Lyman, 
the owner of t h e l a n d s embraced by the P l a t . 
2 A t 
t r i a l , P h i l i p Hahn, an owner o f p r o p e r t y a d j a c e n t t o 
Rock L a n d i n g , f i l e d a motion f o r l e a v e t o i n t e r v e n e , which t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t g r a n t e d . When the Town d i s m i s s e d i t s c o u n t e r c l a i m 
c h a l l e n g i n g t h e v a l i d i t y of a p r i o r v a c a t i o n of p u b l i c r i g h t s 
t o Rock L a n d i n g e a s t o f Rock S t r e e t , Hahn w i t h d r e w h i s motion 
t o 
i n t e r v e n e . 
[ s u b s t i t u t e d p. 3 ] 
1110295, 1110332 
h a l f o f L o t 27, w h i c h a r e owned by t h e T u r n e r s , and L o t 
29, 
w h i c h i s 
owned by t h e F u l l e r s , a l l o f w h i c h a r e shown on 
t h e 
P l a t and w h i c h l o t s a d j o i n Rock S t r e e t and/or Rock L a n d i n g .
3 
Rock S t r e e t , which i s l a r g e l y unimproved, and Rock L a n d i n g 
have, 
s i n c e t h e i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f t h e Town i n 2006, been 
l o c a t e d w i t h i n t h e m u n i c i p a l b o u n d a r i e s o f t h e Town and 
a r e 
shown on t h e P l a t . 
The 
F u l l e r s 
a c q u i r e d 
t i t l e 
t o t h e i r 
p r o p e r t y 
w h i c h 
a d j o i n s Rock S t r e e t and Rock L a n d i n g , by deed d a t e d May 28, 
1996. 
The T u r n e r s a c q u i r e d 
t i t l e t o t h e i r 
p r o p e r t y 
which 
a d j o i n s Rock S t r e e t and Rock L a n d i n g , by deed d a t e d June 6, 
1994. 
B o t h t h e F u l l e r s and t h e T u r n e r s have r e s i d e d on t h e i r 
p r o p e r t y 
s i n c e 1996 and 1994, r e s p e c t i v e l y . 
The F u l l e r s and 
3 I n 1957, 
t h e p u b l i c ' s r i g h t t o t h a t p a r t o f Rock L a n d i n g 
l y i n g t o t h e west o f Rock S t r e e t was v a c a t e d . 
I n 1959, 
t h e 
p u b l i c ' s r i g h t t o t h a t p a r t o f Rock L a n d i n g l y i n g t o t h e e a s t 
of Rock S t r e e t was v a c a t e d . 
I n 1965, t h e p u b l i c ' s r i g h t t o 
t h a t 
p a r t o f Rock 
S t r e e t 
l y i n g 
s o u t h o f Oak 
S t r e e t was 
v a c a t e d . 
By o r d e r d a t e d August 25, 1970, t h e 
B a l d w i n C i r c u i t 
C o u r t d e c l a r e d t h e 
p u r p o r t e d 1965 v a c a t i o n o f Rock S t r e e t v o i d 
and 
d e c l a r e d t h e 1957 v a c a t i o n o f Rock L a n d i n g l y i n g t o 
t h e 
west o f Rock S t r e e t t o be v a l i d . 
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e c o r d i n 
t h i s case, t h e 1959 v a c a t i o n o f t h e p u b l i c ' s 
r i g h t t o Rock 
l u n t a r i l y d i s m i s s e d t h a t c o u n t e r c l a i m a t t r i a l , as s t a t e d 
been c h a l l e n g e d . 
The 
-; 
^ 
-, 
- I - ^ 
^ 
1 
-; r v , 
V s - , - , - | -
i n a c o u n t e r c l a i m b u t 
note 2. 
[ s u b s t i t u t e d p. 4 ] 
1110295, 1110332 
the 
T u r n e r s have f e n c e s 
a l o n g 
t h e i r 
b o u n d a r i e s 
w i t h 
Rock 
S t r e e t , w i t h g a t e s c o n n e c t i n g 
t h e i r d r i v e w a y s t o t h e n o r t h e r n 
end o f Rock S t r e e t . 
A f t e r h e a r i n g t h e e v i d e n c e and o r d e r i n g t h e p a r t i e s t o 
submit p o s t t r i a l b r i e f s , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t on A p r i l 27, 
2011, 
e n t e r e d a f i n a l judgment ( h e r e i n a f t e r "the 
A p r i l j u d g m e n t " ) . 
I n t h e A p r i l judgment, t h e t r i a l c o u r t h e l d t h a t Rock S t r e e t 
was a p u b l i c l y 
d e d i c a t e d 
s t r e e t f o r 
use by p e d e s t r i a n and 
v e h i c u l a r 
t r a f f i c and t h a t t h e Town h e l d no i n t e r e s t i n 
t h e 
r i p a r i a n 
r i g h t s t o t h e R i v e r t h a t might be a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h 
Rock S t r e e t o r Rock L a n d i n g , and i t 
e n j o i n e d t h e Town from 
c o n s t r u c t i n g any improvements i n t o o r over t h e w a t e r s o f 
t h e 
R i v e r . 
The t r i a l 
c o u r t d e c l a r e d t h a t Rock S t r e e t was t o be 
used f o r 
p e d e s t r i a n and v e h i c u l a r t r a f f i c 
o n l y and t h a t i t 
c o u l d n o t 
be c o n v e r t e d by t h e 
Town from a p u b l i c s t r e e t t o a 
p a r k i n g o r r e c r e a t i o n a l f a c i l i t y o r a p a r k . The Town f i l e d a 
m o t i o n t o a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e t h e judgment, p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 5 9 ( e ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. 
On August 16, 2011, t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e n t e r e d an amended 
f i n a l judgment ( h e r e i n a f t e r " t h e 
August j u d g m e n t " ) . 
I n 
t h e 
August judgment, t h e c o u r t a g a i n h e l d t h a t t h e Town had no 
r i p a r i a n r i g h t s t o t h e R i v e r , b u t i t 
h e l d t h a t t h e 
Town was 
5 
1110295, 1110332 
n o n e t h e l e s s 
e n t i t l e d t o c o n s t r u c t improvements f o r a b o a t 
l a u n c h , a boat dock, and/or a p i e r a l o n g t h e R i v e r t o 
be used 
i n 
c o n n e c t i o n 
w i t h 
a 
p u b l i c 
l a n d i n g . 
The 
c o u r t 
a l s o 
d e t e r m i n e d t h a t , a l t h o u g h Rock S t r e e t c o u l d n o t 
be 
c o n v e r t e d 
to use f o r 
a p a r k i n g o r r e c r e a t i o n a l f a c i l i t y o r p a r k , i t 
c o u l d be used f o r "temporary 
p a r k i n g f o r t h e purpose o f 
l a u n c h i n g 
a b o a t , 
kayak, 
canoe o r o t h e r 
f l o a t 
a t Rock 
L a n d i n g . " 
The F u l l e r s and t h e T u r n e r s 
f i l e d a motion t o 
a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e t h e 
August judgment, p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 
5 9 ( e ) , A l a . R. C i v . 
P., w h i c h t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t d e n i e d . 
The 
F u l l e r s and t h e 
T u r n e r s f i l e d a t i m e l y n o t i c e o f a p p e a l . 
The 
Town f i l e d a c r o s s - a p p e a l . 
I . 
A n a l y s i s 
 
A. 
A p p e a l (case no. 1110295) 
On a p p e a l , t h e F u l l e r s and t h e T u r n e r s argue t h a t " [ t ] h e 
remedy o r d e r e d by t h e t r i a l c o u r t i s 
i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h ... 
t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g f a c t u a l f i n d i n g s and c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w c o n t a i n e d 
i n t h e 
August Judgment." 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , i n t h e i r b r i e f t o t h i s 
C o u r t , t h e F u l l e r s and t h e T u r n e r s contend t h a t t h e remedy 
p r o v i d e d i n t h e August judgment -- " a u t h o r i z i n g t h e Town t o 
c o n s t r u c t a boat l a u n c h , b o a t dock, and/or p i e r a t 
t h e w a t e r ' s 
edge o f Rock L a n d i n g " and " p e r m i t t i n g t h e Town t o use Rock 
6 
1110295, 1110332 
S t r e e t f o r ' t e m p o r a r y p a r k i n g f o r 
t h e purpose o f l a u n c h i n g a 
b o a t , 
kayak, canoe o r o t h e r 
f l o a t a t Rock L a n d i n g ' " -- i s 
c o n t r a r y t o 
t h e f i n d i n g s o f f a c t and c o n c l u s i o n s o f law 
i n t h e 
August 
judgment, 
e s p e c i a l l y 
t h e h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e Town 
p o s s e s s e d no r i p a r i a n 
r i g h t s . 
We agree t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
f i n d i n g s o f f a c t and 
c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w 
i n 
t h e 
August judgment a r e c o n t r a d i c t o r y 
t o 
the remedy i t f a s h i o n e d . 
The t r i a l c o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e Town 
p o s s e s s e d no r i p a r i a n r i g h t s , b u t i t d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e Town 
was e n t i t l e d , among o t h e r t h i n g s , t o c o n s t r u c t improvements 
f o r a boat l a u n c h , a boat dock, and/or a p i e r a l o n g t h e R i v e r 
a t Rock L a n d i n g . 
The t r i a l c o u r t ' s c o n c l u s i o n o f law t h a t t h e 
Town p o s s e s s e d no r i p a r i a n 
r i g h t s i s i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e 
r e l i e f i t o r d e r e d . 
We have n o t been asked t o d e c i d e , and we 
e x p r e s s no o p i n i o n , on t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g s r e g a r d i n g 
r i p a r i a n r i g h t s . 
Thus, because t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f law i n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s August judgment i s i n c o m p a t i b l e i n t h e r e l i e f 
o r d e r e d , we must r e v e r s e t h a t judgment and remand t h e 
case 
f o r 
the 
t r i a l c o u r t t o r e v i s e e i t h e r i t s c o n c l u s i o n o f law 
o r 
t h e 
r e l i e f 
o r d e r e d . 
7 
1110295, 1110332 
B. C r o s s - A p p e a l (case no. 1110332) 
In i t s c r o s s - a p p e a l , t h e 
Town argues t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d "when i t 
d e c l a r e d t h a t p a r k i n g i s p r o h i b i t e d on Rock 
S t r e e t e x c e p t p a r k i n g f o r 
t h e temporary purpose o f l a u n c h i n g 
a v e s s e l o r f l o a t a t Rock L a n d i n g " because " [ a ] m u n i c i p a l i t y 
i s v e s t e d w i t h e x c l u s i v e a u t h o r i t y t o r e g u l a t e p a r k i n g 
a l o n g 
i t s 
s t r e e t s 
p u r s u a n t 
t o Alabama 
Code, common l a w , and 
m u n i c i p a l p o l i c e powers." Because t h e 
i s s u e o f 
t h e r e g u l a t i o n 
o f p a r k i n g a l o n g Rock S t r e e t d i r e c t l y r e l a t e s t o t h e i s s u e 
r a i s e d on a p p e a l , i t 
t o o s h o u l d be r e c o n s i d e r e d by t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t on remand. 
I I . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
For t h e 
f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , we r e v e r s e t h e 
August judgment 
and remand t h i s case f o r 
f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s 
c o n s i s t e n t w i t h 
t h i s o p i n i o n . 
11102 95—REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
1110332--REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
Moore, C.J., 
and S t u a r t , B o l i n , 
P a r k e r , Murdock, Wise, 
and B r y a n , J J . , c o n c u r . 
8