THI RD DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

M ar ch 15, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 45 9

. W ISE BUS I N ES S F ORM S INC. v

. FORSYTH

COUNTY et al .;

A2 1 A1 46 0

. FORSYTH COUNTY v

. W ISE BUSINESS FORM S,

INC.

R E E S E

, J u d g e.

W i s e Bu s i n es s Fo rm s In c. (“ W i s e”) fi l ed s u i t ag ai n s t Fo rs y t h Co u n t y an d t h e

G e o rg i a Dep art m en t o f Tran s p o rt at i o n (“ GDOT”) (co l l ect i vel y

, “ t h e Ap p el l ees ” )

al l eg in g p er s e t ak i n g an d i n v ers e co n d em n at i o n i n th at t h e ex p an s i o n o f M cFarl an d

Ro ad i n creas ed t h e s u rface an d s t o rm wat er ru no ff fl o w i n g u n der W i s e’ s p ro p ert y

,

wh i ch creat ed a s i n k h o le i n i t s p ark i n g l o t

. Fo rs y t h Co u n t y an d t he GDOT fi l ed

m o ti o n s t o d i s m i s s, w h ich t h e t ri al co u rt g ran ted

. W is e ap p eal s t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g.

Ad d i t i o n al l y

, al th o u g h Fo rs y t h Co u n t y ag rees wi t h th e t ri al co urt ’s d i s m i s s al o f

W i se’ s co m

p lai n t

, i t ap p eal s t h e co u rt ’ s ru l i n g t hat t h e s tat u t e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r W is e’ scl ai m fo r i n v ers e co n d em n at io n b y perm an en t nu i s an ce beg an wh en W i s e o b s erv ed

t h e s i n k h o l e rat h er t h an wh en t h e Ap p el lees ’ co n s t ru ct i o n p ro ject was co m

p l et ed

. Fo r

t h e reas on s s et fo rt h i nfra, we affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s d i s m i s s a l o f t h e Ap p el l ees ’

m o ti o n s t o d i s m i s s , an d d is m i s s as m o ot t h e cro s s -ap p eal

.

W e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n a m ot i o n to d i s m i s s d e n o v o

, “ t reat i n g al l

m at eri al al l eg at i o n s s et fo rt h in t h e co m p lai n t as t ru e, treat i n g al l d en i al s s et fo rt h in

t h e an s wer as fal s e, an d res o l v in g an y d o u b t s i n fav o r of t h e p lai n t i ff.” 1 So v i ewed

,

t h e reco rd s h o ws th e fo l l o wi n g

. W i se i s t h e n at i o n’ s fo u rt h l arg es t p ri n t er of b u s i n es s

fo rm s

, an d i s h ead qu art ered i n Fo rs y t h Co u n t y

. Th e p ro p ert y us ed fo r i t s h ead q u art ers

was p u rch as ed i n t h ree s ep arat e acq u i s i t i on s beg i n n i n g i n 19 8 4 an d ru n n i ng t h ro u g h

1 9 9 6

.

A 36- inc h m e t al pi p e (“ Su b ject Pi p e”) ru ns u n d ern eat h W i s e’ s pro p ert y an d h as

b een i n p lace s in ce 1 9 85

. Ap p ro x i m at el y t wen t y -fi v e f e e t of th e d rai nag e p i p e ex t en d s

i n t o a t w o -acre tract o f l an d wes t o f W i s e’ s p ro pert y (“ Co rn er Tract ”). Th e Co rn er

Tract i s u n d ev el op ed an d fo rm s a n at u ral det en t i o n b as i n i n t o wh i ch a l arg e v ert i cal

co n cret e d rai n ag e s tru ct u re wi t h a larg e st o rm wat er o u t l et p i p e (“ Feed er St ru ct u re”)

was co n s t ru ct ed

. W i s e as s ert ed i n i t s co m p l ai n t t hat wat er fro m t h e Feed er St ru ct u re

1 Ca mp b el l v. Ai l i o n , 3 38 Ga. Ap p . 3 8 2

, 3 8 3 (7 90 SE2 d 6 8 ) (2 0 16 ).

2o n t h e Co rn er Tract was des ig n ed t o fl o w t h ro u g h t h e Su b ject Pi p e u n d ern eat h W is e’ s

p ro p ert y

.

Th e M cFarl an d Park way W i d en i n g Pro ject (“ M cFarl an d P a r k way Pro ject ”)

ex t en d ed M cFarl an d Ro ad fro m t wo l an es t o fo ur l an es an d was co m p l et ed i n 2 0 0 0.

W i se al l eg ed i n i t s co m

p l ai n t t h at t h i s p ro

ject res u l t ed i n a s u bs t an ti al in creas e o f t h e

s u rface an d s t o rm

wat er ru n o ff fl o wi n g u n d ern eat h i t s p ro p ert y

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, W i s e

as s ert ed t h at as p art o f t h e p ro ject t he Ap pel l ees d es i g n ed an d i n s t al l ed a

s o p h is t i cat ed s t o rm

wat er d rai n ag e s y s t em

, wh i le f a iling to pr ovide de t en t i o n faci l i ti es

t o m i ti g at e t he i ncreas ed ru n o ff, an d t h at t h e d rai n ag e s y s t em u l t i m at el y ch an n el ed

wat er t o t h e Co rn er Tract a n d s ub s eq u en t l y t h ro u g h t h e Su b ject Pi pe ru n n i n g

u n d ern eat h W i s e’ s p ro p ert y

.

On J u n e 2 7

, 2 0 1 6, W i s e n o t i ced t h e fi rs t s i g n s o f a s i n k h o le on it s p ro p ert y

.

W i se s u bs eq u en t l y co n d u ct ed a t es t t o d et erm i n e t h e o ri g i n o f t h e m ajo ri t y o f wat er

fl owi n g t h ro ug h t h e Su b

ject Pi p e. W i s e as s ert ed t h at b y t rack i n g m ark ed p i n g p o n g

b al l s th ro u g h t h e d r a i n a g e s y st em

, i t was ab l e t o d et erm i n e th at t h e “ b u l k o f t h e

s t orm wat er” t h at fl o wed t h ro u g h t h e Su b j ect Pi p e d eri ved fro m t h e cat ch b as i n s an d

s t orm s ewers bu i l t as p art o f th e M cFarl an d Park way Pro ject

. W is e al s o h ad t h e

3Su b

ject Pi pe i n s p ect ed u si n g a ro b o t ic v eh i cl e an d d i s co v ered d et eri o rat i o n an d

ero s i on wi t h i n t he p i pe.

W i s e s ued Fo rs y t h Co u n t y an d t h e GDOT as sert i n g cl ai m s fo r p er se tak i n g an d

d am ag i ng W i s e’ s p ro p ert y

, i n v ers e co n d em n at i o n by ab at ab l e n ui s an ce, i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n b y perm an en t nu i s an ce, at to rn ey fees

, an d v io l at i o n o f 4 2 USC § 1 9 8 3.

W i se ap p eal s fro m th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er g ran t i n g t h e Ap p el l ees ’ m o t i on s to d i s m i s s

,

an d Fo rs y t h Co u n t y

fi led a cro s s -ap p eal

.

“ W e ap p l y

a d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f a m o t i o n

t o di s m i s s

. A m o t i o n t o di s m i s s m ay b e g ran t ed o n l y w h ere a co m p l ai n t s h o ws wi th

cert ai n ty t h at t h e pl ai n t i ff w o ul d n o t b e en t it l ed t o rel i ef u n der an y s tat e o f fact s t h at

co u ld b e p ro v en i n s u p p ort o f h i s cl ai m .” 2 W i t h t h es e gu i d i n g pri n ci p l es i n m i n d

, we

n o w t urn t o t h e p art i es ’ cl ai m s o f erro r.

2 Ga

. In t er l o ca l Ri s k Mg mt

. Ag en cy v. Ci t y of Sa n d y Sp r in g s

, 3 3 7 Ga

. A p p.

3 4 0 , 3 4 2 (7 8 8 SE2 d 74 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

4Ca s e No . A2 1 A1 4 5 9

1

. Wi s e a r g u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d i s m i s s i n g i t s cl ai m fo r i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n b y p erm an en t n u i s an ce d u e t o i t s fai l u re to at t ach an ex pert affi d av i t

t o it s co m p l ai n t

. A l th o u g h we ag ree wi t h W i s e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g t h at

W i se’ s co m

pl ai n t req u i red an ex p ert affi d av i t p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 9-1 1 -9 .1

, we

affi rm th e co u rt ’ s ru l i n g t o d is m i s s W i s e’ s cl ai m o n o t h er g ro u n d s

. 3

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (a) (1 ) req u i res p l ai n t i ffs t o fi le an ex p ert affi d av it i n “ an y

act i on fo r d am ag es al leg i n g p ro fes s i o n al m al p ract i ce” ag ai n s t p ro fes s i o nal s l i cen s ed

b y t h e St at e of Geo rg i a, i n cl u d i n g p ro fes si o n al en g i neers

. 4 Th e Su p rem e Co u r t o f

Geo rg i a h as al so st at ed t h at “ OCGA § 9

– 1 1– 9 .1

, b y it s v ery l an g uag e, i s ap p l i cab l e

o n l y t o t h o se p ro fes s io n al m al pract i ce act i o n s al l eg in g p ro fes s i o nal n eg l ig en ce.

. . .

Th o se cl ai m s g ro u n d ed o n a pro fes s i o n al ’ s in t en t i o nal act s

. . . are no t req ui red t o b e

acco m pan i ed b y a n e x p ert affi d av i t .” 5 As W i s e’ s i n v ers e co n d em nat i o n cl ai m i s

3 See Es t a t e o

f Ni xo n v. Ba rb er

, 3 40 G a. Ap p

. 1 0 3

, 1 0 5 (1 ) (7 9 6 SE2 d 4 8 9 )

(2 0 1 7) (affi rm in g g ran t o f m ot i o n t o d i s m i s s u n d er “ ri g h t fo r an y reas o n ” d o ct ri n e).

4 See OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9

. 1 (g ) (2 1 ) (l i st i ng p ro fes s i o n al en gi n eers as a cat eg o ry

t o wh ich t h e co d e s ect io n ap p l i es ).

5 La b o vi t z v. Ho p ki ns o n

, 2 7 1 Ga. 3 3 0

, 3 3 5 -3 3 7 (3 ) (5 1 9 SE2 d 6 7 2 ) (1 9 9 9 ).

5p rem i s ed o n t h e Ap p el l ees ’ in ten t i o n al act s g i v i ng ri s e t o an al l eg ed n ui s an ce, an d

d o es n ot as s ert cl ai m s o f n eg l i g en ce, “ t h e req u i rem en t o f OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 t o fi l e an

ex p ert affi d av i t wh en a cl ai m a l l eg es d am ag es fo r p ro fes s io n al n eg l i g en ce i s

i n ap p o s it e h ere.” 6

Ho wev er, W i s e’ s cl ai m was n on et h el es s p ro p erl y d i s m i s s ed as it was barred by

t h e fo ur-y ear s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n

. “ In v ers e co n d em n at i o n cl ai m s bas ed o n

. . .

n u i s an ce are s ub

ject t o a fo u r-y ear s t at u t e o f li m i tat i o n .” 7 In cl ai m s fo r p erm an en t

n u i s an ces

, “ a p l ai n t iff i s al l o wed o n l y o n e cau s e o f act i o n to reco ver d am ag es fo r p as t

an d fu tu re h arm

. Th e s tat u t e o f l i m i t at i o n b eg i n s t o ru n ag ai ns t su ch a cl ai m u p o n t h e

creat i o n o f t h e n u is a n ce o n ce s o m e po rt i on of th e h arm b eco m es o b s erv ab l e[,] ” 8

“ u n l es s s o m e n ew h arm t h at w as n o t p rev i o u s l y o b serv ab l e o ccu rred wi t h i n t h e fo u r

y ears p reced i n g t h e fi l in g o f [t h e p l ai nt i ff’ s ] cau s e o f act i o n [.] ” 9

6 Dep t

. o f Tr a n sp

. v. Mi

xo n

, 3 5 5 Ga. Ap p

. 4 6 3

, 4 6 8 (4 ) (8 4 4 SE2 d 5 2 4) (2 0 2 0 ).

7 Li b er t y Co u n t y v. El l er , 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p . 7 7 0 , 7 7 2 (2 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 1 6 4) (2 0 1 4).

8 Og l et h o r

p e Po wer Co r

p

. v. F o r ri s t er

, 2 8 9 Ga. 3 31

, 3 3 3 (2 ) (7 1 1 SE2 d 6 4 1 )

(2 0 1 1).

9 F l o yd Co u n t y v. S co tt

, 3 2 0 Ga. A p p

. 5 4 9

, 5 5 2 (1 ) (7 4 0 SE2 d 2 7 7 ) ( 2 0 1 3 )

(p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

6Here, W is e as s ert ed i n it s co m p l ai n t th at t h e Ap p el l ees “ d ram at i cal l y in creas ed

t h e am o u n t o f ru n o ff wat er” l eav i n g M cFarl an d Park way

, an d t h is ru n o f f wa s t h en

d i rect ed i n to t h e Feed er St ru ct u re. Th erefo re, th e n u i s an ce it s el f s t em m ed fro m t h e

co m p l et i o n of t h e M cFarl an d Park w a y Pro ject

. 1 0 M o reo v er, th e co n s t ru ct i o n o f t h e

s t orm wat er d rai n ag e s y s tem by t h e A pp el l ees t o d i v ert t h i s i n creas ed s t o rm wat er

ru n o ff t hro u g h th e S u b

j e c t P i pe, an d t h e al l eg ed d ram at i c i ncreas e i n s t o rm wat er

ru n o ff b ei n g d ri v en i n to t h e Feed er St ru ct u re, wo ul d h av e b een o b s erv ab l e. 1 1 Th u s

,

as a p e r m an en t n u is an ce wh i ch h ad s om e p o rt i o n o f t he h arm i m m ed i at el y o b serv ab l e,

t h e s t at ut e o f l i m i t at i o n b eg an i n 2 0 0 0 wh en t h e M cFarl an d P a r k way Pro ject was

co m p l et e. 1 2

Fu rt her, t h e fact t h at t h e s i n k h o l e ap p e a r e d a p p ro xi m at el y 20 y ears aft er t h e

i n i t i al h arm o f i n creas ed ru n o ff fl o w i n g u n d er W i s e’ s pro p ert y d i d n ot co n s ti t u t e n ew

h arm s u ffi ci en t t o t o l l t h e s t a t u t e o f l i m i t at i o n

. 1 3 As n o t ed ab ov e, t h e h arm i n t h e

1 0 See Og l et h o rp e Po wer

Co r p

. , 2 8 9 Ga. at 3 3 3 (2 ).

1 1 See i d .; s ee al so El l er , 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p . at 7 7 3 -7 7 4 (2 ).

1 2 See Og l et h o rp e Po wer

Co r p

. , 2 8 9 Ga. at 3 3 3 (2 ).

1 3 See Fl o yd Co u n t y v. S co t t

, 3 20 Ga. Ap p

. 5 49

, 55 2 (1 ) (7 4 0 SE2 d 2 7 7 ) (2 0 1 3 )

(h o l d i n g t h at t he l an d own ers ’ cl ai m accru ed aft er t h e co u n t y’s wo rk b ecam e

o p erat i o n al an d d is ch arg ed wat er o n t o t hei r p ro p ert y

, an d n o t on ce t rees fel l d u e to

7p res en t cas e was an in creas e i n ru n o ff res u l ti n g fro m th e co m p l et io n o f t h e M cFarl an d

Park way Pro

ject

. 1 4 “ If a pl ai n t i ff co u l d su e a p u b l i c u t i li t y each t i m e t h e h arm

res u l ti n g fro m a p erm an en t n ui s an ce ch an g ed b y d eg ree, t h e ru l e req u i ri n g a p l ai n t i ff

t o b r i n g o n e l aws u i t fo r p as t an d fu t u re dam ag es w i t hi n t h e ap p l i cab le s t at u t e o f

l i m i t at i o n wo u l d be m ean i n g l es s .” 1 5 L i k ewi s e, t h e fact t h at W i s e cl ai m s i t d i d n o t

k n o w ab o u t th e i n creas ed s t o rm wat er ru n o ff i s i n s u ffi ci en t t o to l l t h e s t at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on as “ t h e i s s u e i s wh et h er s o me n ew h a rm th at was no t p rev i o u s l y o b s erv ab l e

o ccu rr ed i n t h e fo ur y ears p ri o r t o

. . . wh en t h e co m p l ai n t was fi l ed .” 1 6 A s W i s e d o es

n o t as s ert t h at t h i s h arm i n cr eas ed o r ch an g ed su b s eq u en t t o t h e co m pl et i o n o f t h e

M cFarl an d Park way Pro

ject

, t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i on was n o t t o l l ed b y a new h arm

. 1 7

d am ag e s u s t ai n ed d u e t o t h i s d i s ch arg e o f wat er).

1 4 Id

.

1 5 Id . (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

1 6 El ler , 3 27 Ga. Ap p . at 7 7 4 (2 ).

1 7 See El l er

, 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 7 4 (2 ); see al so S t r o u d v. Ha l l Co u n t y

, 3 3 9 Ga.

Ap p

. 3 7

, 4 3 n. 4 (3 ) (7 9 3 SE2 d 1 0 4 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (s t at i n g t h at i n creas e o f fl oo d i n g was n ot

a new h arm as th e nat u re o f t h e al l eg ed h arm ex p eri en ced

, i .e., fl o o d i n g, rem ai n ed t h e

s am e o v er t i m e).

8Th u s

, al t h ou g h we reach t h i s co n cl u s i o n t h ro u g h d i fferen t reas o n i ng t h an t h at

rel i ed u p o n b y t h e t ri al co u rt , we affi rm t h e co u rt ’ s d i sm i s s al o f W is e’ s cl ai m

. 1 8

2

. W i s e arg ues t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n di sm i s s i n g W i s e’ s cl ai m fo r i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n b as ed o n a co n t i n u i ng o r ab at ab l e n u i s an ce.

A cl a i m bas ed on an ab at ab l e n u i s an ce req ui res on e t o “ es t ab l is h t h at t h e

[Ap pel lees ] m ai n tai n [ed ] t h e s y s t em o r th at t h e [Ap p el l ees ’ ] act i o n s i n reg ard t o t h e

s t orm d rai n ag e s y s t em co n st i tu t ed s u ch ex erci s e o f co n t ro l o r accep t an ce s o as to

e s t a b l i s h a d ut y o n t h e p art o f t h e [Ap pel l ees ] t o ad eq u at el y m ai n tai n i t .” 1 9 In t h e

p res en t ca s e

, W i s e on l y al l eg ed i n i t s co m p lai n t t h at t h e Ap p el l ees kn ew o f t h e

l o cat io n o f t h e Su bject Pi p e b as ed o n t h e Co u n t y ’ s St o rm wat er Pi p e an d Bas i n M ap

,

an d d id n o t as s ert t h at t h ey accep t e d a d u t y to m ai nt ai n i t

. Fu rt h er, al t h o u g h W i s e

as s ert ed th at t h e Su bject Pi p e was a d e fact o cri t i cal p art o f th e M cFarl an d Park way

Pro ject

, we are “ n o t req u i red t o accep t o r ad o p t a p art y ’ s leg al co n cl u s i o ns

, n o m at t er

h o w ‘ wel l -p led ’ t h e fact s .” 2 0 T h u s

, W i s e fai led t o al leg e fact s dem o n s t rat in g t h at t h e

1 8 See Es t a t e o

f Ni xo n , 3 4 0 Ga. Ap p . at 1 0 5 (1 ).

1 9 Kl i n gen s m it h v. Lo n g Co u n t y

, 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1 , 2 7 (2 ) (b ) (8 33 SE2 d 6 0 8 )

(2 0 1 9) (p u n ct u at i on o m i t ted ).

2 0 NKN En t er

pr i ses v. Br a n ch Ba nki n g & Tr u s t Co

., 3 35 Ga. Ap p

. 7 0, 7 2 (7 8 0

SE2 d 7 7 7) (2 0 1 5) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

9Ap p el l ees h ad a d u t y t o m ai n tai n t h e Su b ject Pi p e, as req u i red fo r a cl ai m o f ab at ab l e

n u i s an ce.

Ho wev er, ev en as s u m i n g arg u en do t hat W i s e ad eq u at el y as s ert ed t h at t h e

Ap p el l ees h ad a d u t y

t o m a i n t a i n t h e Su b

ject Pi p e, h i s cl ai m act u al ly cen t ered o n a

p erm an en t

, rat h er t h an an ab at ab l e n u i s an ce, an d a s d i s cu s sed i n Di vi s i o n 1

, s u p ra,

i t is b arred b y t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n

. “ [T] h e cl as s i fi cat i o n o f a n u i s an ce as

co n ti n u i n g o r p erm an en t di rect l y co n t ro l s t h e m an n er i n wh i ch t h e s t at u t e o f

l i m i t a t i on s wi l l b e ap p l ied t o t h e u n d erl y i ng cl ai m

. ” 2 1 “ If a n u i s an ce i s creat ed b y

s o m e s ub s tan t i al an d rel at i v el y en d u ri n g feat u re o f t he p l an o f co n s t ru ct i o n o r fro m

an es s en t i al m et h o d o f o p erat i o n o f s o m e i n fras t ru ct u re em p l o y ed i n n eces s ary p u b l i c

s erv i ce, th en i t w i l l us u al ly n o t b e ab at ab l e b y i n ju n ct i o n .” 2 2 Li k ewi s e, “ [i ] f a n u i s an ce

i s n o t ab at ab l e, i t i s co n s i d ered p erm an en t [.] ” 2 3

Here, W i s e al l e g e d th at t h e n u i s an ce s t em m ed fro m t he ex p an s i o n o f

M c F a r l an d Ro ad

, wh i ch i n cl ud ed t h e d es i g n an d i n s t al l at i o n o f a s t o rm wa t e r

d rai n ag e s y s t em an d t h e d eci s i o n n o t t o b u il d d et en t i o n faci l i t i es t o ad d res s t h e

2 1 Ci t y o f At l an t a v. Ca r is l e , 3 5 9 Ga. Ap p

. 4 44 (8 5 8 SE2 d 5 4 3 ) (2 0 2 1 ).

2 2 S t r o u d , 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p. at 4 2 (3 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

2 3 Id . at 42 (3 ).

10al l eg ed i ncreas ed ru n o ff. As t h es e c o n s t it u t e en d u ri n g feat ures o f t h e co ns t ru ct i o n

p ro ject

, W i s e’ s cl ai m i s bas ed o n a p erm an en t

, rat h er t h an an ab at ab l e, n u i s an ce, an d

as d i s cu s s ed ab o v e, i s b arred b y t h e fo u r-y ear s t at ut e o f l i m i tat i o n

. 2 4

3

. Al t h o u gh W is e i n i t i al ly arg u ed t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in ru l i n g t h at i t s p er

s e t a k i n g cl ai m was b arred b y t h e fo u r-y ear st at ut e o f l i m i t at i o n

, i t s u b s eq u en t l y

s t at ed t h at “ fo r p u rp o s es o f i ts Co n s o l i d at ed Rep l y Bri ef [W is e was ] ab an d o n i n g i t s

‘ per s e’ t ak i ng cl ai m

. . . w h il e p o i n t i n g o u t

. . . t h a t i t s p rev i ou s ‘ accru al ’ an al y s i s

[was ] d i rect l y rel ev an t t o t h e l eg al i s s u e s u n d e r l y i n g [W i s e’ s cl ai m s fo r p erm an en t

an d ab at ab le n u is an ce] .” E v en as s um in g t h at W is e’ s cl ai m w a s n o t ab an d o n ed

, we

co n cl u d e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n d i sm i s s i n g i ts p er s e t ak i n g cl ai m

.

A “ cau s e o f act i on up o n [t ak i n g ] accru e[s ] i m m ed i at el y u p o n t h e i n s t al l at i o n

o f t h e p u b l i c wo rk s i n vo l v ed [,] ” an d i s s u bject t o a fo u r-y ear s t at u t e o f l im i t at i o n

. 2 5

Becau s e t h e M cFarl an d P a r k w ay Pro ject was co m

p l et ed i n 20 0 0, th e s t at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on fo r W i s e’ s tak i n g cl ai m

, as wi t h i t s p erm an en t n u i s an ce cl a i m

, accru ed

2 4 See S t r o u d , 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p . at 4 2 (3 ).

2 5 M i t c h el l v. Ci t

y of At l a n t a

, 2 1 7 Ga. 2 0 2

, 2 0 3 (1 ) (1 2 1 SE2 d 7 6 4 ) ( 1 9 6 1 )

(p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); acco rd R o b i ns o n v. D ep t

. o f Tr an s p

. , 1 9 5 G a. Ap p

. 59 4 (3 9 4

SE2 d 5 9 0) (1 9 9 0).

11u p on co m

p l et io n o f t h e pu b l i c p ark way

, an d t h u s

, W i s e’ s cl ai m was u nt i m e l y. 2 6

A d d i t i o nal l y

, al t h o ug h W i s e’ s cl ai m was fo r p er s e t ak i n g

, i t s arg u m en t s reg ard i n g

wh y t he t ri al co u rt erred i n ru l i n g t h at t h e s tat u t e o f l i m i t at i on was n ot to l l ed u n t i l i t s

disc ove r y of t he sin k h o l e cen t ered o n t h e s am e p erm an en t n u i s an ce an al y s i s di s cusse d

i n D i v i s i o n 1

, s u p ra. Th erefo re, as we s t at ed ab o v e, t h e fact t h at W i s e al l eg es t h at i t

d i d n o t k n o w ab o u t th e i n creas ed s t o rm wat er ru n off i s n o t s u ffi ci en t to t o l l th e s t at u t e

o f li m i t at i o n

. 2 7 W i s e d i d n o t cl ai m t h at th e al l eg ed h arm i t s el f, i .e., t h e ru n o ff,

ch an ged s i nce t h e co m

pl et i o n o f t h e M cFarl an d Park way Pro j ect

, t h u s, t h ere was n o

“ n ew h arm ” t h at wo u l d h av e t ol l ed t h e s tat u te o f l i m i t at i o n

. 2 8

4

. In l i g ht o f o u r ru l i n g s i n Di v i si o n s 1 t h ro u g h 3

, s u p ra, we need n o t co n s i d er

t h e rem ai n d er o f W i s e’ s cl ai m s o f erro r.

2 6 See Mi t ch el l

, 21 7 Ga. at 2 0 3 (1 ); s ee al s o O g l et h o r p e Po wer Co r

p

. , 2 8 9 Ga.

at 3 3 3 (2 ) ( “ T h e s t a t u t e o f l i m i t at i o n b eg in s t o ru n ag ai n st [a p erm an en t n u i s an ce

cl ai m ] u p o n t h e c r e at i o n o f t h e n u i san ce on ce so m e p ort i o n o f t he h arm b eco m es

o b s erv ab l e.”).

2 7 See El l er

, 3 2 7 G a. A p p

. at 7 7 4 (2 ); s ee al so Mi t ch el l

, 2 1 7 Ga

. a t 2 0 4 ( 2 )

(“ M ere i g n oran ce o f fact s co n s t i t u t i n g a cau s e o f act i o n d o es n o t p rev en t t h e ru n n i n g

o f t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i tat i o n s .”).

2 8 See El l er

, 32 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 7 4 (2 ); s ee al s o S t r o ud

, 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 4 3 n

. 4

(3 ) (7 93 SE2 d 1 04 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

12Ca s e No . A2 1 A1 4 6 0

5

. In l i gh t o f o u r ru l i n g i n Di v i s io n 1

, s up ra, Fo rs y t h Co u n t y ’ s cro s s-ap p eal i s

m o ot , an d t h erefo re i s d i s m i s s ed

. 2 9

Ju d g men t a f f i rmed i n Ca s e No

. A2 1 A1 4 5 9

. Ap p ea l d i s mi s s e d i n Ca s e No

.

A2 1 A 1 4 6 0

. Do

yl e, P. J., a n d Br o wn

, J., co n cu r

.

2 9 See Ba ker M

t g

. Co r p. v. Hu g en b er

g

, 14 5 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 8

, 5 2 9 (2 ) (2 4 4 SE2 d

5 6 ) (1 9 7 8 ).

13