Case Title: Lyons v. Township of Wayne

Citation: 

Docket Number: a-98-04

State: new-jersey

Court: New Jersey Supreme Court

Date: 2005-12-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
(This syllabus is not part of the opinion of the Court. It has been prepared by the Office of the Clerk for the convenience of the reader. It has been neither reviewed nor approved by the Supreme Court. Please note that, in the interests of brevity, portions of any opinion may not have been summarized). SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY A- 98 September Term 2004 TIMOTHY P. LYONS and MICHELE LYONS, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. TOWNSHIP OF WAYNE and GEORGE HOLZAPFEL, Township Engineer and Director of Public Works, Defendants-Respondents, and JOHN DOE, DEVELOPER, Defendant. Argued September 27, 2005 Decided December 28, 2005 On certification to the Superior Court, Appellate Division. John Vincent Saykanic argued the cause for appellants. Robert L. Podvey argued the cause for respondents (Podvey, Sachs, Meanor, Catenacci, Hildner & Cocoziello, attorneys; Steven R. Tombalakian, on the letter in lieu of brief). Timothy P. Lyons and Michele Lyons submitted a brief, pro se. JUSTICE ZAZZALI delivered the opinion of the Court. In this appeal, the Court must determine whether municipal defendants can be held liable under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act (TCA), N.J.S.A. 59:8-1 to -11, for increased flooding on plaintiffs property. Plaintiffs allege that the flooding was caused by storm water runoff that originated on municipal property or was channeled onto plaintiffs property by structures that the municipality erected, assertions the municipal defendants deny. The trial court granted summary judgment for the municipal defendants and the Appellate Division affirmed. Both courts held that plaintiffs claims are time-barred by the TCA s statute of limitations because the alleged nuisance is not a continuing tort and, regardless of the statute of limitations, plaintiffs failed to support their contentions with sufficient evidence. Plaintiffs allegations, if true, may establish a prima facie claim of continuing nuisance. We therefore vacate the grant of summary judgment and remand for further proceedings because the incomplete and confusing record in this matter prevents a determination whether there is, or is not, a genuine issue as to any material fact as required by Rule 4:46-2(c). SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY NO. A-98 SEPTEMBER TERM 2004 ON CERTIFICATION TO Appellate Division, Superior Court TIMOTHY P. LYONS and MICHELE LYONS, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. TOWNSHIP OF WAYNE and GEORGE HOLZAPFEL, Township Engineer and Director Public Works, Defendants-Respondents, And JOHN DOE, DEVELOPER, Defendant. DECIDED December 28, 2005 Chief Justice Poritz PRESIDING OPINION BY Justice Zazzali CONCURRING/DISSENTING OPINIONS BY DISSENTING OPINION BY